K98 bayo, original?

[Frogprince]

There is some glare in the photos, but it looks to me like the bayonet has been refinished at some point, and that the grips are most likely replacements. That said, not a bad price in today's market for a bayonet together with a frog. FP

[Farradin]

When did they change the grips? I mean postwar or during the war?

Here's some more pics in daylight...

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[Frogprince]

When did they change the grips? I mean postwar or during the war?

Speaking in general just to the grips, postwar can be almost anything, but !938 is generally the date that saw the black Bakelite grips introduced. (Although there may be the rare exception here and there in the period at the end of 1937.) With period reworks having both wood and Bakelite grips. With wood grips seen on the early reworks and normally Bakelite used with the later examples. With some reworks being essentially just reblued with maybe a new part or two (or not). While this later TR era rework is a mixture of mostly very early parts mated to a later set of Bakelite grips. All (arsenal) renumbered to match as a part of the process. Regards, FP

[sitges1990]

I agree with FP. Clearly the two bolts and nuts holding the grips on are buggered up. They've been removed more than once with a screwdriver that was too small. They also pinged the nuts to loosen them. Still a nice bayo, I like it.

Jay