Huge trench knife/sword?

[DasHugh]

Hello all. I'm not exactly sure what I have here. I need some help.
A. Identifying the overall term for such a knife, or if it's a short sword.
B. Trying to pin down a time-frame for it.
C. Telling if it's a very well made theater piece or if there was any maker than can be attributed as to making such large weapons like these.

I know very little about it. I found it here in in the next state over from me in Florida, America. Honestly tho it could be from anywhere tho I suppose. It has a very odd blade type that is proving difficult to find examples of. It's a 4 sided blade that's is tapered 100% in a very gentle long curve down to a robust yet very strong, sharp point. It's massive. It measures 18 inches from tip to butt. The blade itself is just over 14 inches by itself alone. The blade appears purpose made as it has 4 very clean nice fullers down each side of the blade. The fullers also don't extend into the handle, nor go all the way to the tip tho. The stop about 1 inch from the handle and 2 inches from the tip. This makes me believe it's not a recycled blade. The blade is also blued. That in itself seems odd for most civilian daggers I see that are similar. The handle appears to me to be quite old. When I saw photos of it online before buying it I assumed it was a repaired broken blade or bayonet. After seeing it in person tho I can see that the brass wasn't melted to the blade like one would think. Instead it has a square hole in it and the blade appears to be friction fit and or pressed into the handle. The handle itself is very nicely polished. I can see no evidence of file marks. It seems to have been machined to some extent as everything is very semetrical. I didn't pay much for it. I bought it because it is one of the most sinister blades I've ever seen. It's so heavy it can work as a club, plus stab. Also the blade isn't mounted square into the handle. It's mounted so it has a 45° edge facing the directions one would strike with it. The edges even tho they're just 45° are still quite sharp and precise, I think they would still cut with brute force.
It seems no one here in America knows exactly what to think about it. I know the man I bought it from said he had it for 20 years+ himself. Other than that he knew nothing about it also. So I figured I'd ask around with people in your area to see if they knew more.
I'll attach a photo. I have many more but not sure if they'll be needed. I'll attach more if people need more information. I also made a YouTube video showing it to give a better idea of what it is, as it's a very hard to describe item. I'm unsure tho if YouTube links are allowed tho. So I'll wait to do that also.
Thanks

[Alex W]

Looks like it might have been inspired by a French 1886 Bayonet. Seems purely for thrusting and without a cross guard, your hand would likely slide onto the blade when used.

[Gwar]

It looks like a French Lebel cut down..

[DasHugh]

Yeah I've seen many other bayonets that have an + design blade. This one is square tho, like this □ rather. It being square that way makes it a very very heavy stout blade.
The lack of crossgaurd or handgaurd seems odd too I agree.
Are we allowed to share YouTube links? If so I'll send it and people can get a better look of it.

[AndyB]

About the blade, i couldnt say as no visible details, the handle differs from Lebel bayonet certainly.

[Gwar]

Better photos of the handle would be nice, if one had the wherewithal to dismantle / sever this piece, and the time frame of when this was altered is unknown, who's to say that the grip wasn't sanded with defined edges ?

[Anderson]

A square section blade is not common with bayonets, but was common with the concealed blade sword cane of the 19th century/ early 20th century. This blade at 14 inch is too short for a cane, but may have been a dagger with scabbard now missing. The thing about this type of blade is concealing what you've got. It's an interesting piece. I'm not sure whether the current grip is authentic, may be a later adaption.

[AndyB]

possible the blade is made from other sword type,when filled down from Lebel, it was then reblued?, the handle looks full material with rivets in side to hold the blade in. 2 rivets visible on second pictures.

[DasHugh]

This may help alot. It's a video I made and mentioned earlier. No one has said YouTube isn't allowed yet. If it isn't, I asked first and if it's an issue I suppose they can just delete the post. Alot of detail is lost when uploading to YouTube but I think it may help give an idea of what the brass looks like especially and people can see it has a nice old look to it.
I too wondered about if perhaps the tang had some marks. I suppose I could rig up a device out of some softer PVC pipe perhaps and use inertia to pull the blade out. Sort of on the principle of how the bullet pulling hammers work that reloaders use to disassemble ammo safely. Any suggestions on how to do this would be also appreciated. I'll save it as more of a last resort tho of course.
I too gave thought to the cane aspect. The walls on the two sides of the handle are too thin I think to lend itself well to a can like scabbard. I see no latches of any sort either. So I'm not sure about that but again I'm new to this and open to all ideas
I don't see any rivets no sorry, yet at least. I'll take a look with a loop again now that you mention that. I know they can hide rivets well in brass if the rivets too are brass. I didn't think about that. I'll check more thanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70N71VwKMSg&feature=youtu.be

[MAP]