Very common for them to have no markings.
Steve
Very common for them to have no markings.
Steve
I'm talking more about U.S. made bayonets or bayonets in general usually having markings, not necessarily German k98 dress bayonets, but I learn something new every day. I am now less ignorant when it comes to these pieces.
Agree nice long KS98 (Dress walking out sidearm) in a combat s84/98 frog here are several in the proper KS98 dress frogs usually shining or patened leather not as thick or durable as combat field frog. I have several are unmarked as stated not uncommon for them to be unmarked I have encountered lots of Vet bring backs in combat frogs as this stuff got switched around a lot. Nice piece with history leave it as is is my recommendation as it has a lot of value to you. timothy
If I were going to attempt straightening it, I would try a bench vise with, perhaps, some thin wood strips to protect it from being marked by the jaws. If you have good muscles, you could try to bend it by hand in the vise, but a soft mallet would be just as effective, I would imagine. Just be careful to not break the grips. Probably safest to remove them first before messing with it. Having said that, at the end of the day, it's probably not worth the risk trying it.
William
"Much that once was, is lost. For none now live who remember it."
I was able to simply use a little muscle and lots of caution to straighten the blade. Now my mind can rest because I hate seeing bent blades. Do you think that since its not in it's original frog and sheath that it decreases the collectors value? Such as a Mosin Nagant usually has more collectors value when it has all matching numbers vs swapped around.
I can't stand bent blades either... loose frogs usually pop up on eBay if you put a watch on that particular item. Your combat frog is probably worth more, but these bayonets typically don't have enough value that it matters. As mentioned the more proper frog is patent leather or will have some remaining, and often the telltale marks of the grip diamond pattern imprinted down low in the grip area from storage over the years.
So you recommend I pick up a dress bayonets sheath on ebay? I'm glad to hear that it's not uncommon for them to be swapped into a different sheath after being brought back over by a Vet. I have a question that you probably can't answer, how exactly do you think my great grandfather even acquired this?
Frogs can be very tricky... you have to make sure you're getting the right one, and removing the old one can be tough, unless it's loose and comes right off. I've seen plenty of torn ones... Usually when I remove one, easy does it and if the leather needs it I soak the slot cutout area and up to the top edge of the frog with either water or Lexol, or both, to get the leather to relax and also be slippery.
Installation is much easier than removal.
Leaving it as is is the easiest thing to do, and that is apparently how it was brought back, so anything you do now changes that.
I'll most likely leave the sheath as is and perhaps just pick up a complete dress bayonet sheath with frog in ebay.
Unlikely you'll find it without a bayonet in it, and you're still altering what is...
Similar Threads
Posting Permissions
.
Bookmarks