Postwar M4 bayonet by Kinfolks?

[tthen]

Greetings all,

I found what I believe to be a postwar M4 bayonet. It has a plastic handle with a cross guard marked US M4 K.I. and the flaming bomb ordnance mark. It is my understanding that Kinfolks did not make any bayonets postwar and the flaming bomb was discontinued in about 1948. Do you think this bayonet was made of leftover parts? or possible rebuilt WW2 bayonet. I suspect I didn't take enough pictures and the ones I did are kind of crappy. Any ideas with what is provided and value? It is in a good condition M8A1 sheath.

Thank you

 

Tom

[SKIPH]

tthen- Hate to tell you this, but it;s an M4 bayonet made by "Korean Industries". You will note the Ordinance Bomb is on the same side as the K.I. When Kinfolks made them in WW2, with leather washered handles, the Ord Bomb was on the backside of the guard. Also, the guard is a post war, wide guard. not the narrow WW2 type. I picked up a mint one, in a US type package w/ similar to US cage markings about 20 years ago, for $25. Found out later on it was a Korean made. As I recall the back cut of the blade is rounded like late US M7 bayonets. They're nice bayonets, just not US issue, also remember that the South Koreans were still using M1 carbines way after the Korean War. Still nice, functional M4 bayonets. SKIP

[tthen]

Hey Skip thank you so much for your response, You saved me from making an offer. I did notice the ordnance bomb was different than the Kinfolks I compared this one to but was unaware what that meant.

Thanks again for your expertise Skip, I was hoping you would weigh in on this.

Tom

[Misfit 45]

I am surprised and impressed with the nice starburst peen on the tang. That alone could fool someone. Most foreign M4s do not have such a nice peen.

Marv

[SKIPH]

Marv- That's a good point about the starburst. I'll have to check mine out later on, to compare. I don't recall that big a starburst, or any at all. Too early in the morning to dig through the safe. SKIP

 

 

Checked mine today, does have the starburst peening, only not as large as the one Tom posted. The back cut/ runout on my bayonet is of the late rounded out M7 type.