Unusual Serials K98 Bayonet

**JerryB52** · 09-22-2017, 03:43 PM

Hoping someone here will know more about this than I do. I've never seen a serial number like this on a bayonet. I apologize in advance for the picture rotation being screwy. That's the way it was going for me today. I had two lines of thought as to why this may be. The first being that somebody has Force matched this blade and just started stamping serial numbers on it themselves. The second being that this was reissued down the road. The Scabbard is marked WK C 1939. It looks like any original Makers Mark on the blade was removed and the blade was perhaps reblued. I could probably see the original numbers on the blade with a little acid but I didn't want to do that. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 09-22-2017 03:43 PM

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**JerryB52** · 09-22-2017, 04:15 PM

There are still Waffen proofs on the pommel

**Anderson** · 09-23-2017, 01:19 AM

The blade has been reblued post war, the removal of the makers mark also strongly suggests a post war refurbishment. The serial on the scabbard "foot" and crossguard though different, to me suggest this is a Yugoslavia "re-work". Usually they would swap the bakelite grips for wood ones, but not always. The presence of WaA proof stamps means this was not supplied to a German State Authority, like the Police or Customs. Are there any marks stamped on underside of blade spine near ricasso?

**JerryB52** · 09-23-2017, 03:24 AM

Not that I can see. Even the waffen proof is barely visible

**Anderson** · 09-23-2017, 08:45 AM

Thank you Jerry. I'm going to hang my hat on post war Yugoslavia refurbishment of Third Reich military issue bayonet, with an outside chance it's a Czech "re-work".

Nice combat frog too, is that 1941? I can't read it.