With the Versailles treaty the Germans were restricted to only a small standing army, all issued weapons were marked with a 1920 date to show that they were officially issued pieces.
Picture shows the 1920 marking on a 84/98
German Waffenampt on a Polish M39 indicating acceptance by a German inspector
Adjusting screw on a French 1866
Normally taken to indicate artificial aging of a replica/fake in order to give it the appearance of an original item and not newly made
A Chinese 1866 style copy deliberately rusted to add age to a new made item.
Arsenal Mark
A marking on a bayonet which indicates the accepting, manufacturer or storage arsenal for a bayonet.
Top example a Czech marked ex German S98
2nd Arsenal mark on the spine of a French 1874 Gras
Back
Usually the flat top edge of a bayonet, often referred to as the spine
Back edge of a US M9
Ball Finial
see finial
Ball finial on the cross guard of a brass hilted Italian 1891
Ball finial on the bottom on a Norwegian M44 scabbard
A weapons dealer in the USA at the beginning of the 1900’s they bought and sold large numbers of weapons including bayonets and matched blade with rifles for sale to foreign countries wanting to update their military, often these were not originally linked and some modifications may have been made. They also used bayonets (mainly sockets) to make candelabras, wall scones etc. which were sold to the public. The most noted of their sales was of US Krag bayonets placed in picket pin scabbards and sold as bayonets for the cavalry carbine, which was completely erroneous as the cavalry carbine had no fittings to take a bayonet.
Top example is an umbrella stand made using French 1866 Chassepot and 1874 Gras bayonets
2nd example is a coat hanger using French 1874 Gras's andcrossgards from the same
The commonly mis represented Picket Pin scabbard for the Krag bayonet is actually a carrier for a stake (pin) with which when driven into the ground a horse could be tied to
UK Martini Henry bayonets from the 1850's came with originally the bayonet stud directly on the barrel (bar on barrel)and later models had it attached to a band holding the barrel to the stock, this gave a slight gap between the muzzle ring and the hilt.
UK Martini Henry bayonets from the 1850's came with originally the bayonet stud directly on the barrel giving no gap between the muzzle ring and the hilt, later models had the stud moved to a barrel ring giving the bar on band description
Barrel ring
More commonly called the muzzle ring. Note that all bayonets do not neccessarily mount with a ring around the barrel, the UK 1907 uses a stud under the barrel, it appears to be a muzzle ring but isn't.
Written by John Watts and Peter White, this has been a standard reference book since its writing in 1975 for bayonet collectors, hard to find and not cheap it is still a standard work to have in any bayonet library. See my bibliography pages for more books
Using beads instead of sand as a cleaning medium this gives a much softer finish. Used as either a final finish or before treatment, to give a slightly textured finish.
A distinctive pommel design that appears to be a birds head very popular with German bayonets from the mid 1800's up to the end of WWII
German 1860
the X bend mark on an Australian No1 bayonet
Early UK Bess socket
Black
Certain bluing treatments can give a very shiny black finish.
The part of a bayonet that is used for cutting or stabbing.
Blade from a Chinese type 56 bayonet
A hole in a modern bayonet blade that is used in conjunction with the stud on the scabbard to turn the bayonet scabbard combination into a set of wire cutters
Blade slot from a East German KM87 with scale markings as well
Blood corrosion marks
Typically the marks left from the scabbard springs is attributed to blood, rather than simple corrosion from contact of the blade with the springs in the scabbard.
Blood Grooves
See Fullers
Bluing
A protective oxide coating put onto steel to help reduce corrosion. It is either chemically applied (cold bluing) or by heating with or without chemicals in a furnace.
Example is a UK 1903 and shows bluing on the crossguard and for the beginning part of the ricasso
Bottle opener
In order to prevent damage to rifle magazines a bottle opener was added to may bayonet designs in the late 60's onwards. If memory serves me right the first such additions were to the Israeli UZI
The top example is from a German commercial KCB bayonet
The lower example is from the US M9
Bolo
A bayonet with a concave sharpened edge, the most common of these being the Spanish 1941 and the 1959 CETME
Bowie Blade
Normally used to describe a blade point profile that has a heavily ground false edge leading to a concave shape to the back edge of the bayonet (UK No9), the description comes from its resemblance to the Bowie blade made famous by Jim Bowie. The American Krag Bowie blade bayonet used a blade profile similar to those attributed to the original blade design with a heavy blade with a large front curved edge and a concave false edge. Some times called a drop point
Czech VZ24 with Bowie point
Brass Hilt
During the mid to late 1800's brass hilts on sword type bayonets were very popular, it fell into disuse probably due to a combination of cleaning needs and the price of copper used to make brass with the wide scale introduction of electrical power and the needs for wire etc.
Example shown is the Italian 1870
Two metal parts are joined using a copper based solder that melts at 3-400º and when cooled joins the two parts like a glue. There is no melting of the pieces being brazed. Often used to attach pommels to tangs, and frog studs to scabbards, but also for crossguards. It is most obvious in Turked bayonets where the joints are not cleaned afterwards.
Example is from a Turked German Ersatz with a new cross guard brazed into place
Bubba’d
A derogatory term for bayonets modified by non military people for their own use, or in order to pass off a bayonet as a rare/prototype/… for monetary gain. Often the workmanship is poor
A UK 1856 cut down for cadet issue and bushed to prevent it being mounted
Butcher Blade
Used to describe the German 98/05 bayonet with a point wider than the blade width at the cross guard, resembling a heavy butcher knife in profile)
for more examples see the dedicated pages
UK cadet bayonet made by shortening a UK 1856
Anthony Carter was a large dealer/collector of bayonets in the UK , he wrote several books which are still considered to be the definitive work on the subject. See the bibliography for a list of his books
A part is made by heating metal until it is liquid and pouring it into a mold. Once cold the shape may be machined and polished to the final shape. Used to produce hilts, cross guards and other parts
example is a cast hilt on a WWI Ersatz bayonet.
Catch
A locking mechanism to hold a bayonet onto a lug on the rifle.
Normally at the rear of a bayonet on the pommel the early AK47 had a forward catch below the muzzle ring, this new production Rumanian bayonet for these older rifles has the same forward catch location
2nd example is a crude catch on a WWI German Ersatz
American twin lever catch on an M7 style bayonet
Example is an Argentinean Frog
Refers to the number ascribed to a frog in Carter’s Belt Frog book which identified over 500 frogs.
Refers to the identification number for an ersatz bayonet in Carter’s Ersatz Bayonet reference book. Used by most collectors when identifying Ersatz bayonets.
Reduced in length US M1 bayonet has a center point
An issue bayonet polished or chrome/nickel plated for wear by color guards or similar for ceremonial use, also known as parade
To[ chromed US Krag bayonet with replacement grips
Danish 1867 with no press stud and a filled muzzle ring
A grinding of a slot to give a beveled appearance, the most common example is the hilt slot on an 1866 Chassepot bayonet in which the slot ahs been chamfered to fit the stud on the rifle.
Chape
A metal cap protecting the bottom of a scabbard from wear or penetration of the bayonet point.
Picture is of a US 1905 scabbard with added chape
Choil
the transition area between the blade of a bayonet and the ricasso/tang seen here on a US M9
Many dress blades are chromium plated electrolytically to present a bright shiny finish that needs no polishing etc. Unfortunately easy and cheaply done many blades are plated for non military organizations or private individuals. Plated does not normally increase value and can detract from the collectability of an item. Note many Dress/walking out blades are commercial purchases and are plated, in these case the quality of the plating is very important.
Example is a German 98/05
A hole found in the hilt or pommel of bayonets placed to allow the end of the hole in the pommel into which the cleaning rod slid allowing it to be cleared of debris etc. or to clean the end of the stud slot of the lock that would have prevented the bayonet locking onto the rifle, often mistakenly called an Oil hole.
top picture the square hole in a German 71/84 close to the crossguard - cleaning the cleaning rod hole
Bottom Picture UK 1907 with hole in the pommel - cleaning the slot
Cleaning Hole
see Clearance hole
The cleaning hole in a Bavarian 98/05 is round and not square as in all other 98/05's
Cocks Comb
A decorative device on the top of the muzzle ring on many 1800's sword bayonets, that looks like a cockerels comb. Often called a sight, this is incorrect as most of these blades attached to the side of a musket (to allow access to the ram rod/cleaning rod) and the comb would actually lay alongside the barrel and not on top.
Example is of a cocks comb on an India State bayonet
Example a commercial commemorative for the Iraq action in 2003
A bayonet made for commercial sale rather than as a direct military contract. Sometimes these are made by the same company that makes official contract pieces and are indistinguishable from the "real" items, more often they will be etched, colored, have additional/spurious markings. Many others are copies of issued items made by companies with no ties to the official manufacturers, often these then get sold on as trials, prototypes, or rare!
Top picture a pair of blades sold by Smith and Wesson made in Taiwan/China to copy the US M9 bayonet
2nd Picture a commercial release by LanCay who make the issue US M9, this one has a desert tan finish which is not a military issue it is marked identically to issue pieces and made on the same equipment the only difference is the color
Separating the blade from the hilt, the cross guard typically has the muzzle ring mounted on it, and may or may not have a Quillion as well.
Cross guard on a Dutch Beaumont.
Cruciform
Simply a bayonet with a blade style that has a cross shaped profile
Swiss 1900 with cruciform blade
Cutlass Bayonet
Simply a bayonet with a blade style similar to those of a cutlass, i.e. a heavy single curved blade (UK Navy) with a heavy basket hilt
Cutter plate
A part of the wire cutter assembly added to modern bayonets, it acts as the second shearing portion of the action providing the 2nd cutting face against which the bayonet blade cuts.
Example is a East German AKM
Spine cypher mark on a German 84/98 for Wilhelm
D Guard
A D shaped metal band linking the pommel to the cross guard giving a guard for the back of the hand.
UK 1876 Artillery
De Miled
A bayonet that has been modified such that it will no longer attach to a firearm, this is either for public sale or to be used purely as a side arm
Top example is a AK47 bayonet
2nd example is a German 98/05 with V slotted hilt the same modification can be found with the press catch still in place, it was designed to prevent mounting the bayonet and used on side arms under the Treaty of Versailles after WWI
3rd example is the extreme with the blade cut to prevent its use, in this case an uncommon USMC marked US M9 bayonet blade
Czech VZ24 with muzzle ring removed for German use in WWII
Example uses a triple fullered sword blade on an 1866 chassepot hilt
Double edged
A blade on which both sides of the blade are sharpened, this typically implies a symmetrical blade shape
Dutch 1895 cavalry
A fantasy blade out of China based on the Chinese T81 blade style
Top example a French 1866 fitted with double ring to allow fitting on double barreled hunting rifle
2nd example the Jacobs double barreled rifle bayonet
Top example a Mexican 1912 modified to fit the FN FAL rifle
Dress Bayonet
A bayonet intended to be used as part of a dress uniform, rather than as a weapon. Based on the current issue blade they are often lighter versions or devoid of locking catches and or slots that would allow them to be mounted on a rifle. Most tend to be Chromed or polished
Example is a Czech VZ24 with no slot or catch to allow it to be mounted.
UK No4 marked for Drill Purpose
Ersatz
Originally the WWI German “emergency” bayonets made with all steel (and occasionally brass) hilts at the beginning of the war. It has been extended to cover Italian, Austrian, Russian, Chinese and Turkish bayonets made as war time expedients or in the case of the Turkish and Chinese bayonets often with ex WWI German bayonets modified to fit different weapons
Italian Carcano "ersatz" with brass hilt
for German Ersatz see the dedicated pages
Ersoc
A term coined to identify German WWI ersatz bayonets made using socket bayonet blades
Exmple Ersoc with UK 1853 blade
Etching uses acids to attack the surface of the metal and by using stencils can be used to produce ornate pictures and inscriptions on a bayonet. Very popular with German dress bayonets in which one or both sides of the bayonet were etched and in some cases blued and gold plated to produce beautiful works of art.
Etched blades also cover fakes produced from issue WWII German 84/98’s with inscriptions typically to SS Luftwaffe, and Naval units. Any 84/98 with a makers mark or a serial and etching is a post war fake. Originally made in England in the 70’s to very high standards on mint matching bayonets, more recently they have come out of Eastern Europe from mismatched blades of lower quality. They are often sold with fantastic stories of grand fathers picking them up in Berlin bunkers etc. they are all fakes see ****Top example is an etched design on a German Pioneer dress bayonet which is correct and period etched
2nd Example is a fake etching on an 84/98 this one with secondary bluing
External spring
Typically a log flat spring steel strip that reacts against the back of the press stud of the locking catch.
Example Italian TA bayonet with long external spring
Example Austrian 1867 with external coil spring in large press stud
Example FAG scabbard
A bayonet altered or made to look like a rare or collectable piece, many of these start as reproductions but get aged or marked and sold as originals see the dedicated section dedicated section
False edge
A short length on the back of the blade that is sharpened from the point backwards, but which does not extend the full length of the blade
Example False edge ground onto the point of a UK 1907
Fantasy
A bayonet made to look like a rare or collectable variation of a bayonet that never existed, usually by adding spurious markings or by addition of sawbacks etc.
An Indian SLR bayonet with a spurious added sawback
For more examples see the dedicated section
Feathered
A form of decoration on mid 1800's US brass hilt bayonets in which the gripping area was cut to resemble feathers.
Example a 1870 US Navy
Example is a shortened and modified German 84/98
See my dedicated page
Film prop bayonet made for the film "All quiet on the western front"
An architectural term for a for a device to emphasize a top or corner of a building or structure. For bayonets it is used to cover the "ball" often found on the base of an all metal scabbard, or on the end of a quillion. they can also be found on the top of muzzle rings
Austrian 1867
Example is a Russian M44 folding bayonet for a carbine
Example is a 98/05 transitional sawback.
UK FN FAL trials bayonet with added flass hider to the top cross guard
Folding
A bayonet designed to allow the blade to fold back either under or along the rifle barrel. These can be either fixed or removable
Italian Berreta SMG bayonet
Example shows an incomplete 1891 Mosin Nagant socket, clearly visible is the line formed from the meeting of the dies used in the forging
Frog
Made of leather or cloth this allows a scabbard to be attached to a belt or strap on the soldier
This early reproduction frog shows its resemblance to the animal from which its name is taken
for more frogs see the dedicated page
Frog stud
A “button” on the scabbard used to fix the scabbard into a frog, these can be:
Acorn - Argentinean 1879
Oval - UK 1907
Round - UK 1907
L shaped - Czech VZ33
Shield - German 84/98
A forged or ground indentation running along the length of the blade, this allows for weight savings without loosing stiffness (resistance to bending) of the blade.
Also known as blood grooves, and erroneously attributed with a reduction in suction allowing the blade to be removed from a penetration more easily, or to maximize injury.
Mexican Remington bayonet
A name given to the phosphate coated German WWII 84/98's, which have a distinctive pale gray finish
Wood, rubber, plastic, or leather additions to the hilt added for grip and to fill in the area between the crossguard and the pommel, the grips are usually bolted or riveted together through the tang, but cylindrical grips may be held in by compression between the cross guard and the pommel (US M4, M9)
These have also been called scales
Hungarian 1895 with bone grips
Man made grips on German dress K98
One piece tubular wood grip on a Hungarian 1935
Wooden grips added to an all steel ersatz original bayonet
Brass grips on a UK 1907
Ivory grips on a modified Italian Carcano
Leather grips
Perspex grips
Horn grips
Antler grips
Hand guard
another term for the crossguard
The UK entrenching tool handle was fitted with a bayonet mount from the UK No4 rifle allowing the No4 bayonet to attached to be used a s a mien probe
Hanoverian Spring
a short curved spring fitted to the end of a musket to lock a socket bayonet onto the rifle, instead of the more normal situation where the bayonet carries the lock.
High ears on a Czech VZ24 with partial removal of the muzzle ring for German WWII use
Hilt
The gripping part of a bayonet behind the cross guard. Typically these are designed to allow the bayonet to be used as a weapon or tool when not mounted on a rifle. Some early socket bayonets came with adaptors that fitted into the socket to give the bayonet a handle/ Hilt.
Saudi Arabian G3 bayonet
Irish 1904
Dutch 1895 with integral frog
Internal spring
The spring for the locking catch was a coil spring or similar built into the press stud
Inverted blade
A bayonet typically has its sharp edge facing down from the muzzle ring, placing the edge away from the barrel. The Austrian 1895 and Czech VZ23 andVZ24 bayonets have the blades with the edge facing the barrel. There are several theories revolving around withdrawing blades from bodies, however it is more likely that this was to cut down stresses on the end of the barrel due to the exhaust gases reaction to the blunt edge of the blade. This may also be to cut down movement between shots, allowing fast follow ups.
Janzen's
A book by Janzen covering his collection, it makes a good starter book on bayonets (for others see the bibliography)
Khyle lock
A locking method for sockets that uses a sprung lock plate attached to the socket itself to fix the socket to the barrel
Danish Khyle fitted 1854
Knife bayonet
A bayonet with a short blade typically less than 250mm long. The German 71/84 is accepted as the first true knife bayonet, although the American Dahlgren was earlier
Knuckle Bow
A strip of metal linking the cross guard to the pommel
Example is a commercial knuckle bow added to a US M11
Ring added to pommel of Rumanian 1895
The example is a Swedish 1896 with its finely knurled hilt
Kukri
A socket bayonet using a blade shape similar to the Nepalese Kukri knives. Fakes are made with Kukri blades and UK 1853 sockets, the original bayonets had a slimmer less curved blade
Fantasy Kukri bayonet
Latch lock
(Italian M38)
Locket
A metal addition on leather scabbards to stiffen and protect the throat. This will often have a frog stud or staple to fix the scabbard in a frog
Example is from the scabbard for an Italian TS bayonet
Locking Ring
A rotating ring on a socket bayonet that turns to allow the stud/sight to pass and is then turned to lock behind the stud and hold the bayonet onto the rifle
Locking ring on a UK 1853
Lug
Normally a T shaped bar fitted to the rifle that slides into a slot in the hilt of a bayonet and combined with the muzzle ring fixes the bayonet to the rifle. On German 1898 Mauser's this lug is extended to 40mm and became the sole support for the bayonets designed for it. Also the Czechoslovakians made the M58 bayonet without a muzzle ring, and used a unique puss forward locking system.
Example is from a training UK SMLE nose cap the lug is at the left infront of th eswivel
Machete bayonet
A bayonet with a machete shaped blade
Example is an Australian Paratrooper
Makers Mark
A marking typically on the Ricasso that indicates the maker of the bayonet, these can be the full name, a logo or a code
Top picture is the trade mark on a WWI German 84/98
2nd picture is a Arsenal marking on a Yugoslavian M24 bayonet
The 3rd is a coded marking indicating a 1935 made (G) German 84/98 made by Weyersberg Kirschbaum and Cie
4th is a Pakistani No9 made by MIL
Mint
A bayonet in the condition it came out of the factory, that has never been used and ahs no wear or tear, this will often fetch a premium from many collectors.
A near mint UK 1903
Modified
A bayonet that has been altered to fit a different weapon to which it was originally designed
the example is of a French 187 modified for Chilean use by changing the muzzle ring and shaving the pommel to allow it to fit another rifle
the slot in a socket through which the lug or sight is fed
Uruguyan 1900
Mouth Piece
The top of a scabbard see also throat
Top is a full mouth piece off of a KS98 dress scabbard
The lower is a mouth piece from a French 1874
The section of the cross guard designed to go over the rifle barrel to fix the bayonet to the rifle, this term is also used for bayonets like the UK 1907 which actually locate on stud below the barrel and not onto the barrel itself.
Top picture is the muzzle ring on a Uruguayan 1900
2nd picture is of UK 1907 which actually mounts on a stud below the muzzle
Austrian 1895 with quillion, and pommel ring with knot attached
Oil Hole
An incorrect description of the cleaning/clearance hole found on the hilt or pommel of bayonets.
Parade
See ceremonial
Phosphorizing
A protective coating applied to metal surfaces, typically gives a matt finish
Phosphorized UK 1888 issued to the Hong Kong Police
Pioneer bayonet (1)
Typically a heavy bayonet with a saw back, designed to give pioneers and engineers a tool for cutting brush and timber to build emplacements (German 89/02. Belgian Terssan). These bayonets are typically large and heavy with a saw back and heavy blade
Top Picture shows a German 98/02
Lower picture is a Belgian 1868 Terssen
Top example is modern Laserlyte to fit on the modern rail fitted pistols
UK Pritchard Greener bayonet for the Webley MkVI revolver
Plocket
A term adopted to describe a cross between the Plug and Socket bayonets in which the hilt of the bayonet had a socket attached to hilt to allow it to be mounted on the gun.
Plug Bayonet
The first bayonets were made with round handles with a blade extending form them. The handle was pushed into the musket barrel effectively turning the musket into a pike. Early guns were slow to reload and once fired the plug at least gave the soldier an extended weapon if they did not have time to reload.
Many plug bayonets were made to fit hunting rifles, and can be very ornate.
A Spanish Hunting Plug (courtesy of Jim Maddox)
New Zealand Snider
Example is an over polished UK Jacobs' bayonet
The end of the hilt which normally contains the locking mechanism for fixing the bayonet to the rifle
Example is an unknown Portuguese sword bayonet
Czech VZ58 presentation with wooden grips, chrome plating and dedicated stand
Press stud
The button typically on the pommel of a bayonet that operates the spring catch that locks the bayonet onto a rifle.
Portuguese 84/98
Quill backed
In this design of blade there is an extension of the blade at the point above the continuation of the spine. This allows for the spine to give its stiffness benefits to the full length of the blade but allows an additional cutting edge above this. This was used by German designs that had long narrow blades i.e. German 1871
Example is a German 71/98 a S71 modified to fit the 1898 Mauser by adding a new hilt
Quillion
A forward swept “hook” on the cross guard, often erroneously said to be used to trap an opponents blade in fighting allowing you to break his blade. The quillion is actually there to allow rifles to be stacked with a bayonet fitted, or to hang the bayonet in stores
Full quillion on a Japanese Marine Arisaka
A reamed muzzle ring on a French 1874 Gras
Refurbished
Bayonets taken from service and arsenal cleaned and repaired and typically fully refinished for future sale. This results in bayonets that look mint, but which are often in finishes that they did not originally come with. Very common with eastern European bayonets
Yugoslavian refurb of a German 84/98
Reinforcing Collar
A heavy band of material strengthening the end of a socket
Collar on a British 1843 socket bayonet
Top example is an Argentine 1879
Reproduction
A bayonet made to look like an original bayonet, and sold as a reproduction for use by reinactors or for decoration and not as the real item. Often these are then sold on after aging or modifying as the real item as a fake
Example is a prototype bayonet for the UK Sten SMG
Ricasso
The flat area on a blade between the cross guard and the edged section of the blade, this are typically carries the makes marks and serial numbers etc.
Ricasso with faint makers mark on a German K98 dress blade
Top picture is the rivets holding the crossguard on an Iranian 22/98
2nd is a large steel rivet in the brass grips of a German 1860
3rd are riveted leather grips on a UK 1856
Rivets in German 84/98 cross guard revealed by overstamping
Top example is a UK No8
Bottom example is a UK 1870 Whitworth
Saber Bayonet
Simply a bayonet with a blade style similar to those of a saber, i.e. a heavy single curved blade (UK Navy)
Example Lightened version of the UK 1859
Sawback
A bayonet that has a saw cut into its spine. These were popular in the late 1800’s up till WWI (and have now come back again) as indicators of rank (NCO’s got the saw back, normal troops got the plain back) or for engineers to be used to cut barbed wire posts of build defenses.
Propaganda against the Germans in WWI, stating the design was to produce terrible wounds etc. saw the saw backs cease to be used.
Example is of a German WWI Ersatz bayonet
Sawback removed
With the bad publicity for saw backs the Germans removed them from front line service, and removed the sawback by grinding and re issued to blades to support units. These are conversions and not new manufactured pieces
German KS98 with sawback removed, leaving the distinctive back edge
Scabbard
The sheath for a bayonet, it may be leather with metal fittings (steel or brass), wood with either leather or cloth covering, or all steel. It is meant to protect the blade and allow it to be safely carried by the soldier on his belt or webbing, usually by a frog that links the scabbard to the belt/webbing
Brass mounted scabbard on a shortened UK Lancaster bayonet
Scabbard lock
An addition to the bayonet to lock the blade securely into the scabbard introduced on the Krag bayonets used by The Norwegians it was a standard fit on American 1905 bayonets
The small stud below the muzzle ring on this Marine Arisaka locks the blade into its scabbard
Scabbard spring
A wavy steel spring attached to the throat of a scabbard to hold the bayonet into the scabbard and prevent it rattling. These are often described as blade sharpeners (as they don’t touch the edge this is obviously not possible).
The corrosion damage to blades; during storage; due to these springs often leaves a pair of corroded areas on the blade, which many then explain as blood corrosion!
Scales (1)
The term was used in some early American books to refer to the grips on a bayonet .See GRIPS
Scales (2)
A description of the hilt decoration on several US brass hilted bayonets of the mid 1800's in which the brass was cut to represent fish scales.
Scales (3)
The trade mark of Alex Coppell in Germany, which was of a set of weighing pans (scales)
Example is a WWII commercial German 84/98
Scythe
A rare Russian bayonet designed for the 1891 Mosin Nagant rifle, the blade was designed to have a wire cutting addition and had a concave shaped edge.
None matching serials on a German 84/98, the numbers are from 1 to 9999 (typically there is one exception) with a letter added to indicate each 10,000, a, b, c etc.)
Irish No9 with matching serials that tied it to the issued rifle
US OKC-3C
Sharpening Stone
Bayonets were note originally issued sharpened (in the majority of cases) and sharpening was not allowed. More recently the bayonet has become the utility knife for the soldiers and not just a blade to go on the rifle and are issued in the sharpened condition, many bayonets have had sharpening stones added to the scabbard to allow the soldier to redress his blade
Top picture is a stone on the rear of a OKC-3S scabbard
Lower picture is the diamond impregnated pad on the rear of the Italian Extrema Ratio scabbard, the fakes make do with a sheet of sand paper!
The shaved hilt on a UVF Gras to allow it to mount on a 98 Mauser
Shoulder
The widest part of a socket bayonet blade where it transitions from the blade to the elbow
Shoulder on a UK Bess bayonet
Single edged
A blade which has only one “sharpened” edge
Polish M30 bayonet
Sleeved
To allow a bayonet to fit a different rifle the muzzle ring may have to be reduced in size, this was often achieved by fitting a sleeve of metal into the existing ring. This was common in the e1800's as the caliber of the weapons decreased with the change from black powder to cordite propellants and cartridges rather than muzzle loading see also bushed
Slotted nut on a German KS98 dress bayonet catch
Socket bayonet
A socket that goes around the barrel of the rifle/musket and may or may not lock with a locking ring or spring arrangement onto a purpose made stud or the front sight of the weapon. The blade is typically a triangular spike, but all blade shapes and styles have been used. The blades are attached to the socket by means of an L shaped bar, removing the blade from the vicinity of the barrel to allow reloading with the socket attached.
Top example is a rare FN FAL bayonet modified to fit the AK47 by South Africa
2nd example is a Belgian toy bayonet with a socket attached to a sword to allow fitting on a rifle
Spear point
A bayonet with a blade with a point central to its width
US M1
The thickest part of a blade, typically this is the back edge of a bayonet but with double edged and some other blade styles the spine may be within the body of the blade itself.
Illustration is the central spines on various UK 1888's
Split Socket
A socket that is split length ways to allow it to fit slightly varying diameter barrels
Example is a UK 1853 with split socket and wing nut adaptor to allow the bayonet to fit a variety of muskets in the film business
Staple (1)
A hoop shaped ring attached to the top of the scabbard through which a strap on a frog is passed to hold the scabbard in the frog.
Example is a staple in the Chape of a US 1917 scabbard
Example is of a UK 1887
Transvaal Mauser
Turkish 1903
Sword Bayonet
A bayonet with a blade length typically over 300mm
Illustration is a UK 1855 Lancaster
The continuation of the blade which extends though the grips/hilt to the pommel.
Rough tapered Tang of an Afghanistan 1907 copy
US Trials blade
T-Backed
The blade section for these bayonets is T shaped. This shape gives great stiffness with minimum weight. First used by the French for their 1874 Gras, the blade shape was used by Many countries
Illustration is of a Dutch 1895
The top of a scabbard into which the blade is inserted
example is a German 84/98 scabbard
Illustration is a German 98/05 with high ears (aA) and flashguard (nA)
Austrian 1895 with very wide ring
T slot
The slot on the rear of the pommel into which a bar attached to the rifle slides the slot looks like and inverted T
T slot on an Israeli Gallil
TO slot
Like the T slot but with an additional circular hole under the head of the T, this is to allow the cleaning rod of the rifle to fit up inside the hilt of the bayonet when it is mounted on the rifle.
Top example is a Rubber trainer used on child's training rifles in the 50 and60's in the US
2nd example is a Uruguayan conversion of the Dauedeteau bayonet to have a sprung loaded blade
Example is Brass hilted Italian TS
True Edge
The "sharp" edge of the bayonet, typically on the opposite side of the bayonet to the muzzle ring
The sharp side of an early US M9
Trowel
In an attempt to allow the bayonet to be more useful to the soldier the blade shape was like a trowel, the intent being that the soldier could use the bayonet for digging as well as a bayonet. Several designs were trialed but most never made it past the trials.
A term to describe Turkish refurbished and modified bayonets typically made using ex German WWI ersatz bayonets but also others. The Bayonets are typically converted to fit the Turkish 1935 rifle.
Example German brass hilt ersatz fitted with crossguard further back on hilt and blade shortened to 10"
Unit Mark
A marking on a bayonet that indicates which unit it was issued to and often the weapon number to which it was paired. It is not possible to typically place that bayonet to a specific person, without going through the service record of every person in that unit and seeing if they were assigned a particular weapon/bayonet pair. The markings can be found on the pommel, the end of the pommel, the crossguard and/or the throat of the scabbard.
Top picture is the throat of a German 98/02 originally issued to the 3rd Pioneers and then re issued (probably when removed from first line service) the Reserve 2nd Pioneers
2nd picture is a Czech re issued German S98
UK 1888 Volunteer does not have a cleaning hole
White
Used to describe a bayonet in which the metal surfaces have no protective bluing or other coating, i.e. the blade “is in the white”
Wire Cutter
Typically for modern bayonets the bayonet has a hole in the end of the blade that used in conjunction with a stud on the end of the scabbard forms a wire cutter allowing wire including electrical wiring to be cut. (AK bayonets, US M9)
Older designs use a catch designed To hold a wire steady and the wire is cut by firing the rifle (Russian 1891), or a cutter attached to the blade forming pliers which are used to cut the wire.
Also used were add on assemblies that held the wire (typically meant for barbed wire in WWI) as bullet was fired to cut it (UK 1903/1907, French Lebel)
The top picture shows the scabbard stud and cutter on a US M9, this mates with a hole in the end of the bayonet allowing the blade to pivot and cut the wire between the cutter plate and the blade itself.
The lower picture is of a wire cutter adaptor that fits on a French 1886 Lebel bayonet holding the wire in line with the muzzle allowing the soldier to shoot the wire
Example is an Indian Long SLR bayonet
Yataghan
A double curved bayonet based on an African blade design. The French used the design on their 1840 Bayonet and for the next 30+ years most countries had at least one bayonet with the same S shaped blade
Example is an Egyptian 1914
Z slot
A description of the slot type in a socket bayonet