98/05 bayonet converted to trench knives

[Kris1981]

I'd like to share these with you. Both are trench knife conversions, or at least they look like it. Both have the press-stud mechanism and the ears filed down. I don't know if that would count as evidence for wether or not the conversions were done during the war, but at least you can say they were done thoroughly.

One of these has peculiar pins / badges attached to the wooden grips. I know caution is advised with these, but in my experience I think there's something to them. The imperial crown seems legit, the horsehead seems... weird :-) It might be a personal touch, or a fantasy piece altogether. In any case, both bayonets are (or were) real, and I like the conversions made. The custom made leather frog/scabbard (which I haven't touched yet, and I think I won't) is a non-German looking one. I only managed to find a few privately made ones of WW2 knives that are remotely similar in construction. This one seems to be wartime, judging by the period stitchings and the leather being used. I've never seen one like it, but it has a faint imprint of both badges so it looks like they've been paired up for sometime now. Just a thought, but the horse could mean cavalry of some sort and I believe (regular) frogs with straps like this were in use for mounted personell (?)

The one with the attached badges has the blade shaped like some of the trench knives of the great war, double sided edge and a narrow fuller.

The other one looks more like a knife for home and garden use, but I doubt one would go through the trouble of both deactivating the press-stud and rounding the low ears.

I'm somewhat into trench knives and own an ERN production piece aswell. Do you have any thoughts on these conversions, or on the added badges?

PS: picture one is the hilt before and after cleaning.

[Anderson]

A couple of interesting knives there. This type of bayonet conversion is not that rare. I've seen examples similar to these made from a M1871 bayonet that retained the crossguard ring. Collectors are usually a bit shy, as it's very difficult to place with certainty the date of conversion to fighting knife. My own feeling is the crudeness of the finish does suggest a field conversion, with limited tools rather than something produced in a home workshop. We need more evidence but I'm open to the idea that behind the lines there was a small cottage industry converting obsolete or damaged bayonets into fashionable trench fighting knives. I think they are collectable.