Mystery Improvised Spike Bayonet with No.5 Hilt and Crossguard

[peregrinvs]

Have just picked up this mystery bayonet that consists of a spike blade brazed to a No.5 bayonet hilt and crossguard with a round knurled metal handle. Sadly it won’t fit properly on my L2A3 Sterling SMG as the muzzle ring is 2-3mm too low. I don’t know if it would fit on a No.5 carbine as I don’t own one.

The seller didn’t know what it was other than vaguely suggesting it might be some sort of trials piece. It could of course be the result of someone getting hold of a broken No.5 bayonet or some scrap parts and deciding to put them together for fun. However, it has the rather intriguing broadarrow marking and no.17 added in yellow paint (which looks old) and why would an amateur civilian metalworker do that? Would a small batch made in a military workshop be marked in that way? It also looks like there are some letters stamped on the blade, but I can’t make them out.

Over to the experts.

[Peter Laidler]

If I had to hazard a guess, I'd regretfully say that it was made by someone with too much time on his hands. And with the crosspiece that close to the grip, I'd say that it wouldn't fit a No5 either.

I expect that someone will soon answer what the writing says and that;ll identify the blade part. Not being bayonet savvy, I can't even guess what the knurled grip is from.

Definitely No5 pommel, screw and and X-piece. Shame really because with those parts and a couple of readily available grips you could have had the makings of a decent No5 bayonet

[browningautorifle]

Would a small batch made in a military workshop be marked in that way?

If this was done by the military it would fit the weapon. As stated, it doesn't fit the Sterling it won't fit the #5. Hard to say who cobbled this together but it was just a guy...like Peter says. I've seen this exact thing done and put into circulation to cause controversy. And it did.

[Peter Laidler]

If that was me and I had some time on my hands, I's unpick the snotty braze, separate it down to its good and bad component parts and clean them up. Put refurbished pommel and cross piece away safely....... One day a butchered L1A1 or No5 bayonet with a decent blade/tang will come to light. Another couple of hours of careful cleaning up and assembly with new cross pins (no brazing necessary) and you;ll have a good workable No5 bayonet

[browningautorifle]

a butchered L1A1 or No5 bayonet with a decent blade/tang will come to light.

The blades themselves come up from time to time as well. You can see the stub of the original blade is still in the pommel.

[peregrinvs]

Thanks for all the comments. I accept it’s non-attachment to my Sterling is a big tick in the debit column as to whether it is of official origin. Oh well, one to file under Who Knows.

Unfortunately using the pommel and cross-piece to build up a No.5 bayonet is beyond my metal-working skills / facilities, but at least those parts give it some future resale value.

[browningautorifle]

but at least those parts give it some future resale value.

That's a for sure, if they were lying loose they might sell better but a guy doing that work won't shy away from disassembling.

[Flying10uk]

I expect someone just "knocked up" the knurled grip from a length of bar, an easy job, obviously requiring a lathe. It may have a hole running down the centre, depending on how well or otherwise the thing has been put together.

[browningautorifle]

I expect someone just "knocked up" the knurled grip from a length of bar, an easy job, obviously requiring a lathe.

I would say...

[Surpmil]

It does suggest that at one time there were No.5 bayo guards floating around loose. That fits with the fact that some were used to make up fake No.5 bayonets using the surplussed No.8 bayonets from the experimental 7.92mm SLR project of the 1940s. And the fact that the No.5 pommel, grips and blade were chosen for that project also suggests spare parts were on hand in some quantity, which would not be surprising as the Sterling was still in the future and the No.5 was declared obsolete in 1947.