AFH M1 Garand Bayonet -- BROWN GRIPS --

[Got da Penny]

Last week i went by an Antique store where i have found things in the past..

 

Glad i decided to "Stop By" during my lunch.

 

I saw this AFH stamped bayonet in the small display case at the counter. It had $48.00 on the tag. I asked the lady if she would call the dealer to see if i could get "a break" in price.

 

I was put on the phone to confirm that the bayonet was WW2 Vintage to the lady and she asked "what do you have in mind"?. I said "can you knock 5 Bucks off the price?"... "Sure".... she replied

 

The counter lady spoke to her and I ended up buying the rig for $41.00..

 

with her telling me, "Im one of their BETTER customers".

 

Only after i got in my vehicle, i notice the BROWN GRIPS...

 

The Blade appears to be FACTORY. ((Look Closely at the Crosshairs)) near the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Got da Penny]

 

 

[Got da Penny]

 

[Got da Penny]

[CNY Militaria]

Wow! Amazing pickup! It looks to be in great condition! Are the brown grips significant of early war manufacture? I don't know.

 

Thanks for sharing!!

 

Justin

[Got da Penny]

Heres info i found on www.usmilitaryknives.com

 

 

 

 

 

The Grips:

 

Experiments had been made with plastic grip materials beginning in late 1941, and by April 1942 it had been determined that the grip material would be "a material similar to Durez No. 1905 with Rogers Board insert" (from United States Army Edged Weapons Report 1917-1945). Durez is a brand name of Phenol-Formaldehyde resin similar to Bakelite. Shortly afterward (June 29, 1942) this specification was written to include other similar thermoplastic resins as Plastic Bayonet Grips, Grade B of SXS-103 Phenolic-Molded Shapes for Small Arms Components. This material is often generically called Bakelite, although that is a brand name rather than a chemical name.

 

As this resin was expected to at times be in short supply, tests continued to be conducted of other plastic materials at Springfield Armory. Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (commonly called CAB) was allowed as an alternative material. After some time in field use, it was reported that CAB was not resistant to the solvents used to degrease the bayonets in the field and would dissolve the grips. About 100,000 CAB grips were manufactured before they were discontinued due to this problem in April 1943. From available evidence, it appears that most of these grips were used by AFH, with possibly some going to other makers. According to the edged weapons report quoted above, "Except for the disruption of production that would ensue for about one month while American Fork and Hoe Company was arranging for procurement of the other type of plastic, there was no reason for the continuing of cellulose acetate grips."

 

There are four makers of the bayonet grips in WW2 (possibly more, as one or two other marks have been noted but are so uncommon as to call into question their use in WW2). Three of the makers of the grips are identified only by a logo or initials molded into the plastic - the other is entirely unmarked.

 

 

**This is who made these Brown Grips on my Bayo pictured.**

 

As mine has the Re Enforced PLATE on the one Grip

 

CPP: Columbus Plastic Products, Columbus, Ohio

 

Columbus Plastic made two types of the red CAB grips, the earlier plain type and the second with a re-enforcement plate in the left grip in the area of the screw hole when the first type proved to be prone to cracking in that area. These have about 27 grooves per inch.

 

Click to see LARGE pic

[Greg Robinson]

Nice original AFH made M1 bayonet (NOT a cutdown). Appears to have original finish and those brown grips are a bonus in the eyes of most collectors. You often see those on AFH M1905's, not as often on M1's. And the scabbard looks good also so a great pick up, especially at that price

[Tenboremag]

That's a nice one. Mine also has brown grips. I wish that I could have

the same luck with my local antique stores. Never very much militaria

in them.

RJ

[gunbarrel]

Heres info i found on www.usmilitaryknives.com

 

Yup, the US bayonets info found in Bayonet Points ( http://www.usmilitaryknives.com/bayonet_points.htm ) by Gary Cunningham (our own "bayonetman") is priceless, as it is his book, "American Military Bayonets of the 20th Century." We are very lucky to have him as one of our moderators.

[cbuehler]

I believe one of mine has the brown grips as well, but never knew it was actually a different material from the black.

It always struck me as strange that the blades on most of these ww2 made bayonets are so crude. They have rough uneven finishes and very cursory sharpening that often has small nicks in the edge left on. They must have turned these out mighty quick.

 

CB

[hyrax222]

Many "accumulators" consider the brown scales a nice add. I like them too. A couple of different types.

 

As far as the quality of WW2 US bayonets and edged weapons in genera: US military edged tools  are more utilitarian.Quite different from what we see made in Austria, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, etc. in the same time frame.

US made some nice stuff until WW1. Ames in the 1800's was the golden age of US military cutlery, in my opinion.

 

hyrax222