GERMANY

1855 

Bavarian 1855 border guards bayonet, many texts identify this as an unknown item, but accepted identification now is the border guards.

 

Very pronounced beaked pommel

 

Alex Coppel makers mark

1860
 
Total length = mm                 Blade length = mm             Blade width =  mm             MRD =  mm                           
1860 quillback blade

Werder

Bavarian Werder bayonet with modified hilt, in brass mounted leather scabbard

 

 

Rear of pommel shows the grinding used to allow it to mount on a different rifle to original Werder rifle

 

 

Close up of grinding, a two step grind is also available

 

Makers mark of W&ST  in an arc of Solingen

 

 

Unit marks on cross guard

 

Leather of scabbard is marked as well, but not legible

 

1860

1860 with broken blade, most of these were later converted to the 71/98 by fitting a S98 style hilt to the pipeback blade. Grooved "front" to grip

 

Plain back to the hilt.

 

 

Cross guard serial E ?? 198

 

Blade ahs been bent and broken before the pipe back

1871

S71 bayonet in brass mounted leather scabbard

 

Matching unit marks on blade and scabbard, blade has 1872 spine acceptance stamp

germany S71 commercial.jpg (60074 bytes)germany S71 commercial knights head.jpg (83122 bytes)

Commercial S71, without fullers and with steel ersatz style scabbard

 

Knights Head makers mark

Germany_1871.jpg (83946 bytes)

S71

S71 in the less common steel ersatz scabbard. Maker is Gerbr Simson in Suhl, whilst it is unit marked to 33.R.3.16 (scored out), acceptance was in 73. The gilt on the hilts is all that remains of the original finish, the brass grips were originally gilt finished, most blades found have had all of the gilt cleaned off and the brass base polished

german s71 ms general.jpg (275762 bytes)german s71 ms hilt.jpg (369828 bytes)german s71 ms ricasso cross guard mark.jpg (171056 bytes)german s71 ms spine.jpg (148286 bytes)

S71 sawback

 

 

 

 

markings show it was assigned to a reserve ersatz unit

 

original acceptance mark is 1874 so is fairly early in the production period of the bayonet

1871/98

71/98 a rehilted 1861 to fit the 1898 rifle

 

1898 style hilt fitted to the 1861 blade

 

 

Luneschloss makers mark on ricasso

 

Original 1861 date mark

1888

Siamese 1888 used by German units in WWI

 

Condition of blade, provenance of the blade and this W spine mark are what makes the assumption that this is a German used one possible. Siamese blades do not have the W spine marking

 

Hilt and double edged blade

 

S1898
Germany M1898.jpg (39852 bytes)

S98 with original leather scabbard

german g98 chromed.jpg (55778 bytes)

S98 with chromed scabbard, pommel and blade 

S98 shortened to 12" with shortened late pattern steel scabbard, these are referenced in Carters book on the G98 but are usually marked as Naval issue this one is not

 

Shortening of blade and scabbard is done to much higher standard than on the Turkish 10" shortened blades

GERMANY_M1884I98_Sawback_removed_closeup.jpg (86472 bytes)

Close up of M1898 with sawback removed and chroming, showing sawback removal. Sawbacks were removed form German blades after 1917

german s98 ersatz scabbard general.jpg (246919 bytes)german s98 ersatz scabbard.jpg (201138 bytes)

S98 in the less common of the ersatz metal scabbards used for this to replace the original leather ones

98/02
 
Total length = mm                  Blade length = mm              Blade width =  mm              MRD =  mm                           
  98/02 Erfurt made, canceled scabbard marks show originally issued to pioneer unit then to reserve Pioneer unit 

98/05  see the page dedicated to this model

GOTTSCHO

Gottscho bayonet, one of the Ersatz WWI bayonets made in limited numbers and not a very successful design

 

One piece grips

 

 

Inspection mark

 

Often described as a light bulb mark (with admitted unknown reasons) the Gottscho mark is now seen  more reasonably as a ladle used in the steel making process's

 

1888/98 Ersatz Bayonets  See the dedicated page for ersatz bayonets

1871/84

Dress version of 71/84 bayonet

 

symmetrical cross guard has no residual muzzle ring

 

 

the pommel has no provision for mounting to a rifle

 

Fuller is signed but i cannot make out the signature

 

 

WKC makers mark

 

wear on locket of scabbard shows that the bayonet has been well worn

Three uncommon blades in one:

a Saxon marked 71/84,
original steel scabbard
DOA - German East Africa unit marks

Originally a Saxon issued piece, this bayonet was withdrawn and re issued for the use of the Askari troops in west Africa in WWI. The officers and NCO's used the KS98 - see my example - while the native troops were issued with the 71/84 and these bayonets. Although more of these would have been issued, they are the harder of the issue blades to find, probably as the troops used them as tools after the war, not souvenirs.

84/98 For more of the 84/98 and its variation see the dedicated page
S84/98 aA mS converted from an 1888 71/84 bayonet by the addition of a new hilt. This is probably the rarest blade in my collection
84-98 S/249
84-98 Copple 1939
84-987 S/155 Jugoslav rework
84-98 S/172 
84-98 S238 Kreigsmarine marked 
84-98 S/185 scabbard 

84/98 mS early version without flash guard, Herder made example has no acceptance marks on spine or pommel, Erfurt made ones have a W over 15 spine mark and pommel acceptance marks. Very few of these were made.

S242G 84/98

84/98 nA made by  Stepman & Co. bayonet has no military acceptance stamps, no spine date or pommel stamps. Scabbard is a Spanish not German one so probably not original

1895

An Austrian 1895 accepted in German service with the WaA on the pommel, the style of stamp would indicate that this is pre WWII

german cut down czech fighting knife.jpg (101294 bytes)

Fighting knife converted from Austrian 1895 bayonet, including cut down scabbard 

KS98
 

KS98 with wood grips and scabbard markings of African issued example. The wooden gripped examples are not common, but considerably more so than the very rare rubber gripped ones.

kS98 model

 

Script F mark on cross guard is unit designation for Fernsprech (Telegraph) units (thanks Allan Herbison for the correction)

german ks98 dress with knot.jpg (322944 bytes)

german ks98 dress knot close up.jpg (455992 bytes)

german ks98 dress makers mark.jpg (196079 bytes)

german ks98 dress knot strap.jpg (228553 bytes)

KS 98 dress with frog and knot (trodel)

 

Trodel is green over silver bullion not sure of unit this designates

 

Makers mark nearly obliterated

 

 

Frog has central rivet in rear face and trodel has blue grey leather straps

DRESS

Dress bayonet

 

 

Felt insert in the pommel slot

 

WKC makers mark

 

 

Grip pattern has imbedded itself in the original patent leather frog

Single Etched dress knife -  PIONEER pattern, similar to the 84/98 in style

 

Etching on blade is commemoration of the owners time in service, the wear on the blade and scabbard shows this blade was carried and not just a draw item

 

 

Clearly visible frog wear on scabbard

 

Puma maker is rarer maker for these types of blades

Fireman Bayonet, similar to the KS dress bayonets but with the distinctive s shaped crossguard. This is the less common pioneer bladed version. These do not have any method of mounting on a rilfe.

Probably a converted 98/05 with shortened parallel ground blade and new pommel and grips. The pommel slot is only 20mm not the normal 40mm but slot is typical Mauser T/O type. Metal has all been plated, and the only marking is a C with a small x on the tail - I've seen this mark before but not sure where. I have put this in Germany at the moment but is probably Yugoslavian any help with ID would be appreciated.

german dress.jpg (55205 bytes)

Dress KS98, these came in various styles with and without etchings, they are a collecting filed all of their own but not one that I am overly interested in

german dress.jpg (48271 bytes)

Dress

Unmarked 84/98 with all parts chromed. the blade shows atypical square fullers, and a stepped tang, both features only found on blades made my Move and another unknown maker. These are not commonly found blades. Any information on this would be appreciated

Germany_hilt_SS_Fake.jpg (145010 bytes) SS Fantasy Blade based on Standard Mauser Blade

1914

S14 made by BK, this variation has the fullers wrongly positioned on the blade, so that the fuller almost touches the crossguard, this has caused problems with stamping on the makers marks so that it is only partially visible.

FP made S14

S14 made by Bayard, these always come in the Ersatz style scabbard as the blade thickness is such as to prevent the use of the S14 pattern scabbard

 

Makers mark

 

S14 Bavarian issued

 

Original scabbard painted with light grey paint (fieldgrau)

 

Screwed grips

 

 

Odeon made blade, not marked with the more normal Samson Werk. The small "90" is Bavarian serial number

german s14 bk sawback.jpg (286708 bytes)germany s14 bk sawback scabbard.jpg (357193 bytes)

BK made sawback S14 bayonet

 

Re mains of original green scabbard paint still visible where it was protected by the frog

german comparison of normal and ground 1914 blades.jpg (71912 bytes)

1914 pattern bayonets, upper version has heavily ground blade removing fullers and markings, normal steel scabbard has been adjusted to still retain blade.

 

Comparison of blade thickness of altered and unaltered 1914. There is no apparent reason for this conversion, one suggestion is that it was thinned to be used a boning knife as it gives it the characteristics of that type of butchers blade

Mick O'Shea in Australia reports owning a similarly converted blade, so it is not a one off conversion.

S1914 marked as made by SD. Anthony Carter only records a single example of this makers mark on the S1914, it is also seen with the Gottscho ladle marking.

MISCELLANEOUS 

Demag Crank Handle Ersatz (genuine)

 

 

Makers mark

 

DEMAG marking

Converted 1866

german issue 1866 chassepot.jpg (79920 bytes)german issue 1866 chassepot scabbard mod.jpg (117079 bytes)

Re issued French 1866 Chassepot 

 

Chassepot modified scabbard 

A 1918 made 84/98 nA re issued in 1920 to the Weimar republic (the 1920 stamp was on all officially issued pieces. Original Unit marks are scored out on scabbard
Another Weimar re issue this time a 98/05 the cut out in the pommel was to turn the blade into a side arm as it was meant to disable the locking stud. this one has had all of the stud assembly welded/brazed and chromed, and the grips replaced with horn grips. In addition there has been a "latch" fitted to the spine which would prevent it fitting into a standard scabbard.
Currently I am unsure of status of this piece. IS it a dress piece? if so why has V notch been left in and not filled.

Polish M28 Mobilisation bayonet used by German Kreigsmarine unit

 

 

RADOM manufactured with low serial number of "20"

 

 

Only German marking on Blade is the WaA on the blade spine

 

 

Significance of grip marks and whether German or Polish is unknown

 

 

1940 date on Kregsmarine frog

 

 

Painted mark on frog is similar to unit marks found on the front of German vehicles of the time (ID please?)

Converted Dutch 1895, blade has been shortened and the scabbard cut to fit.

Fighting knife made from a cut down czechVZ24, came in early pre 1940 production 84/98 scabbard with 1940 marked frog

 

 comparison of fighter with full length un modified bayonet

 

Interestingly the scabbard is only marked with a serial number on the back face for the throat

 

 

 

 

1940 dated frog

POST WWII 
Switzerland M7.jpg (49023 bytes)

M7 styled commercial 

Commercial Short there are a large number of variations on this style of blade, with and without wire cutters and sawback. They were made to fit onto nearly all rifles available in the 70's and 80's including the AK47

german commercial long.jpg (91181 bytes)

Commercial bayonet, long version with saw back and wire cutter attachments

 

Eickhorn made KCB for the M16, blade has just the Eickhorn Squirrel  so is an original early version 

GERMANY KCB FIGHTING KNIFE.jpg (90566 bytes)

KCB style dagger without rifle fittings for use as a fighting knife

Early pattern G3 bayonet with grooved wooden grips and Danish  M8 style scabbard with the wood grain finish.

Commonly known as the Rheinmettal G3 these were made by Eickhorn and a similar bayonet with a different pommel was made for the M16 rifle

thanks to Bill porter for the extra info

Totally unmarked I believe this is either a German G3 bayonet or one of their fro export. THe bayonet is completely unmarked

Eickhorn made prototype KCB bayonet for the SIG series of rifles, with the distinctive pommel catch

GERMANY AK47 MODIFIED FOR G3.jpg (92099 bytes)GERMANY AK47 MODIFIED FOR G3 HILT DETAIL.jpg (79788 bytes) G36 a AKM bayonet modified for use with the G36 assault rifle

 

Close up of hilt of modified AKM 

Total length = 299 mm                  Blade length = 173 mm              Blade width = 30.1 mm              MRD = 22.1 mm                           
GMS M16 bayonet. The German company GMS bought out the bankrupt Eickhorn and produced their own bayonets with the Eickhorn Squirel. This although superficially the same as the KCB series has a different scabbard body, and a comp[letly differetn wire cutter design as Eickhorn had the patent on this still.