M1 bayonet check...thanks to bushmaster1313!

tenntex32 · #1 10-28-2020, 03:23 PM

Thanks to bushmaster1313's PAL knife thread I decided to inventory the makers on my small stash of WWII M1 bayonets. (Found rather inexpensively over the years.)

For some reason I was thinking I had a duplicate manufacturer in the bunch but it looks as though I don't. What I found was.....

A non-cutdown purpose built American Fork and Hoe (AFH)

A cutdown Oneida Limited (OL) with faint crossed cannon stamp on right side.

A cutdown PAL Blade and Tool (PAL)

A cutdown Union Fork and Hoe (UFH) still with original Springfield Armory markings on both sides (dated 1915) with an added UFH stamp on the right side. (The other two previous cutdown M1 examples had all of their original M1905 bayonet markings removed.)

I still need a Utica Cutlery M1 example.......as well as RIA and Wilde marked (cutdown M1905) M1 examples with their original maker markings still visible. Looks like I killed both the UFH M1 and Springfield Armory M1905 markings with one stone already!

Oh well, I'm sure a few of you guys have buckets full of them so maybe we can do a little horsetrading?

Dale

andy52 · #2 10-28-2020, 03:29 PM

I'm saying right up front I don't know much about bayonets but are the 3 on the right repurposed from longer ones.

tenntex32 · #3 10-28-2020, 04:22 PM

Yes, as many of the 16" M1905 bayonets were cut down to 10" for WWII, as well as being purpose built in the 10" length for WWII. Both the repurposed cutdown and purpose built 10" bayonets were simply designated the M1 bayonet.

M1905 bayonet - Wikipedia

You can quickly spot a repurposed cutdown (M1905) M1 bayonet due to it's groove extending all the way to the end of the blade. They were cut down in both the original spear point style and bowie style.

And of course a purpose built M1 bayonet's groove will stop a couple of inches before reaching the end of the blade.

It's just pure luck that I have examples of purpose built 10", cutdown spear, and cutdown bowie M1 style bayonets in my small grouping, as well as not having duplicate M1 bayonet manufacturers, as I was not really looking to do so when I purchased them at various times.

bushmaster1313 · #4 10-28-2020, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenntex32

a purpose built M1 bayonet's groove will stop a couple of inches before reaching the end of the blade.

Time for full disclosure. In addition to the now two WW2 PAL blades shown in the other thread, there is a PAL M1 bayonet being shipped to me by an online seller.

Seems I got lucky that it is purpose built, as I did not know about cut down versions till after reading the above posts, and I certainly did not know what to look for.

andy52 · #5 10-29-2020, 08:36 AM

I only own one bayonet it's a 1917 that bought to go with my model 12 trench gun.

cmansguns · #6 10-29-2020, 09:41 AM

Since I am down to only 1 Garand, and it is a IHC postage stamp, I needed to find a prima specimen of the M5 A1 bayonet and a correct scabbard (M8 A1) to complete that particular M1.

The M5 A1 was specifically designed just for the Korean conflict with 5 features not incorporated on other WWI, and WWII Garand bayonets. It was also the last bayonet designed to fit the M1 Garand before Army switched to M14.

I was fortunate to come across one at a flea market, and it even had the correct scabbard. Unissued and unsharpened condition so I felt bad haggling to $15 from the $25 asking price, but hey..

Turns out the scabbard was made by "bad boys" at PWH (Philadelphia Work House) and the bayonet was made by Columbus Mil Par & Mfg.

Agree that M1's and their accessories is very addictive which is why I had to divest some (down to one only) in order to pursue Smith & Wesson..........which is even "worse" for addictive purposes.