No4 MkII* bayonet question

[Time Bandit]

Thanks mates,I have a query though.Do you know when the spike's bayonet production finished(I think 1945 with the end of war).Thanks

Yes as far as I'm aware production stopped in 1945...but...the Canadians did make some post WW2 in the 1950's for the Korean War. The figure of 5000 is often quoted as the amount they made. These are No.4 MKII's and are marked with the Canadian Arsenal stamp of CA, in theory these should be the rarest and most desirable of all spikes with only 5000 made but nobody seems that interested in them - 75000 MKI's made and people pay a fortune for one, 5000 post war CA made MKII's...probably cost about a tenner each! Then again, I guess that cruciform blade is just so sexy! lol
The wartime made spikes were obviously used post war by various countries and they were often refurbished possibly more than once and sometimes remarked depending on circumstances.

[USNV5]

Hi mates.Today i received my No4 MkII bayonet made by VNS(Viners Ltd Sheffield) and scabbard made by S.286 (Vanden Plas (Eng) 1923 Ltd). I noticed that at the one side the letter N has gone.I think from the time.Also under the number 0 there is a small line.Is this normal or i should worry about that.(Sorry but i cant post pictures,'cause my camera cant focus to the markings.Many thanks for your time and help

You bayonet was not made by Viners, Viners only forged sockets to be supplied to makers. The bayonet should be marked with the maker, possibly Prince-Smith and Stells? Look carefully at the other side of the socket, many makers often stamped their name or number very lightly and they are often obscured and difficult to make out.

[The woodpecker]

Mate take a look at this site because i think you are wrong.It is very reliable

[The woodpecker]

Reading again the site i reliase that Subcontractors produced many of the No. 4 Mk. II* socket forgings but i dont think that any No4 MKII* is stamped at the bayonet itself only at the forging

[USNV5]

Mate take a look at this site because i think you are wrong.It is very reliable

Which site is that? I don't see a link.....

For reliable information on the manufacture and marking of the various No.4 bayonets, read Graham Priest's definitive work, The Spirit of the Pike - British Socket Bayonets of the Twentieth Century published in 2003 by Uppem Publications. If you do not have access to this book, see:

Britain - No. 4 Spike Bayonets

The above is the best online source of information. My own bayonet with a Viners socket is stamped, though lightly, by the bayonet manufacturer Prince-Smith and Stells.

[The woodpecker]

i meant this site you posted.Looking for another marking expect No4 MKII* and VNS but i cant see anything

[edelweiss123]

Which site is that? I don't see a link.....

For reliable information on the manufacture and marking of the various No.4 bayonets, read Graham Priest's definitive work, The Spirit of the Pike - British Socket Bayonets of the Twentieth Century published in 2003 by Uppem Publications. If you do not have access to this book, see:

Britain - No. 4 Spike Bayonets

The above is the best online source of information. My own bayonet with a Viners socket is stamped, though lightly, by the bayonet manufacturer Prince-Smith and Stells.

Great site! Until i can afford the book this is my bible!

[USNV5]

Ah! Well, your source is good, but if you read what Mr. Cobb says, he states that "Subcontractors produced many of the No. 4 Mk. II* socket forgings...." He makes no mention of Viners as a manufacturer of complete bayonets. The forgings were used by several different bayonet manufacturers, some using forgings by different companies so there is no guarantee that your bayonet was made by a particular maker such as P.S. & S. The Mk. I and Mk.II bayonets had, as you know, integrally forged sockets with blade so only the Mk.II* has the applied blade. Any manufacturer that made the Mk.II* could have used the subcontractor forged sockets or they could have made them as part of their own production.

[USNV5]

i meant this site you posted.Looking for another marking expect No4 MKII* and VNS but i cant see anything

I will try to photograph my maker marked Viners-forged socket but as I said above, the Prince-Smith & Stells marking is lightly done and partially obscured by several coats of paint.

- - Updated - -

Great site! Until i can afford the book this is my bible!

It is!

[The woodpecker]

Thanks for the help mate.So under the No4 MKII* i can recognise a ''I'' dont know what stands for.At the left i can see a S and left to this an incomplete P or something like this.In any case,if i cant finnaly see the maker that destroys the history value of the bayonet?Many Thanks