Original m1905 bayonet

[VeeVee]

I was finally able to acquire an original M1905 16" bayonet, the one with wooden handle panels, appropriate for the Philippine Scout impression. It's not cheap but reasonably priced compared to how much most original M1905's go for.

I'll post pictures of it later but the one interesting thing I noticed about it is... in one of the wooden panels are two parallel notches carved into it . It makes you wonder what they mean. The blade also has a few tiny pittings, like it's been hacked into something equally hard and sharp.

[VeeVee]

Here are a couple of pictures. The notches are not too obvious in the photo but you can make them out.

[milspec]

Greetings Victor,

Mean looking blade you have there. Looks great. What are the markings at the base of the blade and what year is stamped on it? Did it come with a scabbard? I hope you don't mind my asking but how much did it cost you? I saw something similar but it had black plastic handles the 16 inch blade was in good to very good condition and came with a plastic scabbard. The asking was $250.00, too much for me. It was marked AFH and stamped 1942. I've seen adds for replicas which cost about $60 to $75. I haven't actually examined any of these reproductions so I can't say if they're worth it.

Milspec

[VeeVee]

I got it for $150 without a scabbard. I already have a reproduction M1910 scabbard, the one with the canvas cover and leather tip. I bought that from What Price Glory for $40.

You are right the 16" bayonets go for over $200. That's why I said I got it for a more reasonable price.

I think the ones with the brown or black plastic handle panels were made after the war started. I needed the old WW1 vintage bayonets with wood handles for my Philippine Scout impression.

I can't remember what year is stamped on my bayonet. I'll have to check and see. I want to say 1906 or 1917 but I'll confirm. It doesn't have a serial number either. It looks like it's been smoothed out. It is stamped with SA (Springfield Armory) with the flaming bomb ordnance emblem.

I don't collect bayonets, that's another specialized sub-genre of militaria collecting. So I don't know what features or qualities that make a bayonet more expensive than others. All I need is an M1905 with wooden handles for my impression.

This one that I got makes me wonder if it has seen action. It has pittings on the blade and carved notches on the handle (yikes).

I have a reproduction one from ima-usa.com. It's loose and doesn't lock on to my garand. I also had to dremmel the small clamps that lock into the scabbard. I heard that the repro ones from Sportsman's Guide website are a little better.

[milspec]

Greetings Victor,

Great price on the bayonet. I think its worth it. Lets hope that it just got State Side use and those notches were the number of watermelons it cut open. I'd hate to think it was used on another human being. That's what prevents me from buying a Japanese bayonet. With all the stories of how the Japanese like to bayonet people and babies its hard to think that you own a piece of militaria that might have killed somebody particularly an allied soldier or an innocent civilian.

milspec

[VeeVee]

Hi Milspec, I checked the year on the bayonet. It's 1918. While yes I'd hate to think that it was "used", I must admit it gives it history and character and mystique. Either way it's in good hands now. From now on it will be used for "art".

[VeeVee]

Here is a clearer picture of the notches. Click for bigger.

[rickthelibrarian]

Nice bayonet, Veevee!!

I don't collect bayonets, either, but they seem to seek me out!!

;D

[VeeVee]

You have multiples of everything. What's the story? How did you end up with these nice bayonets?