Pudge067 Posted July 7, 2020 Share #1 Posted July 7, 2020 Found this in my father's closet after he passed. Was hoping someone could provide some information about it. Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted July 7, 2020 Share #2 Posted July 7, 2020 Looks like a cut-down M1905 bayonet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctorofwar Posted July 7, 2020 Share #3 Posted July 7, 2020 Cut down M1905 or M1905E1 bayonet- blade appears shorter than 10” so could also be a cut down M1 bayonet. Still has the latching mechanism- would have originally mounted on a M1903, M1903A1, M1903A3 or M1 rifle. This particular one was made by Union Fork and Hoe (UFH). I haven’t seen this type of blade point on a cut down bayonet so I do not believe it was done in any official capacity by the government. Possibly done by your Father to salvage a bayonet with a broken point? Yours also appears to be chrome plated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 7, 2020 Share #4 Posted July 7, 2020 This is a cut-down, M1 or M1905 to be used as a shorter fighting, or utility knife. The locking mechanism has been removed. Parkerized finish could have been buffed off. Not an official modification, just utilitarian. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctorofwar Posted July 7, 2020 Share #5 Posted July 7, 2020 Whoops, missed that the latch had been removed- I just saw it still had the mortise and muzzle ring intact unlike some other modified bayonets. I stand corrected, thanks for pointing that out SKIPH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt14k Posted July 7, 2020 Share #6 Posted July 7, 2020 This is a cut-down, M1 or M1905 to be used as a shorter fighting, or utility knife. The locking mechanism has been removed. Parkerized finish could have been buffed off. Not an official modification, just utilitarian. SKIPAgreed. Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolWarrior Posted July 7, 2020 Share #7 Posted July 7, 2020 Interesting feedback. I have one (dated) I found at my rental home while cutting grass about ten years ago. I asked around but no one seemed to know anything about this similar bayonet. The overall length is right at 14.5" with the blade at approx 10" long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 7, 2020 Share #8 Posted July 7, 2020 SolWarrior- It's a WW2 cut down from a 16" blade to 10" blade. The original M1905 bayonet was made by Union Fork & Hoe, but the authorized modification to a 10" blade was done by Onieda Limited (OL). I'm just curious about those 4 angled lines. Never saw that before. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolWarrior Posted July 7, 2020 Share #9 Posted July 7, 2020 37 minutes ago, SKIPH said: SolWarrior- It's a WW2 cut down from a 16" blade to 10" blade. The original M1905 bayonet was made by Union Fork & Hoe, but the authorized modification to a 10" blade was done by Onieda Limited (OL). I'm just curious about those 4 angled lines. Never saw that before. SKIP Thanks, Skip. I often wondered what the OL was for. I'm also curious about the two symbols. In the first photo, the circle within a circle and lashes between the U and the S, and in the second photo, the "flaming bomb". What is their significance? Thanks - Felix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 7, 2020 Share #10 Posted July 7, 2020 SolWarrior- You've got some great questions, so I'm gonna get you pointed in the right direction. Go to this web site Frank Trzaska's "US military Knives, Bayonets & Machetes", enter the site, and the go to our late friend, Gary Cunningham's "Bayonet Points", you will see a variety of bayonet subjects, go to the M1905, M1 bayonet sections, the scroll down to the appropriate page. Gary did a wonderful job on this site, and it led to an excellent book. Read up on what interests you, and receive a wealth of information. It's a great read! You'll receive more knowledge than I can give you over a few threads. Everyone will recommend that site. Check it out! SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt14k Posted July 7, 2020 Share #11 Posted July 7, 2020 Thanks, Skip. I often wondered what the OL was for. I'm also curious about the two symbols. In the first photo, the circle within a circle and lashes between the U and the S, and in the second photo, the "flaming bomb". What is their significance? Thanks - FelixThey are both flaming bombs. Acceptance mark I believe. Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt14k Posted July 7, 2020 Share #12 Posted July 7, 2020 This is the link to the site Skip mentioned. It is full of informationhttp://www.usmilitaryknives.com/Table%20of%20Contents.htmSent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudge067 Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted July 8, 2020 Thank you all for the information. My father served in the Navy during Vietnam War. Is it possible this was issued to him? Or is it older? Not Navy issue? Unfortunately I never saw it when he was around to ask about it. Sorry for all the questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SolWarrior Posted July 8, 2020 Share #14 Posted July 8, 2020 Thanks, Skip and Capt14k. I found photos of the markings on Bayo Points 23. Capt, both flaming bombs, huh? I would read about the flaming bomb markings and thought it was only one so the other had me confused. I'd think "Is it an eye?" Thanks to you and Skip for clearing that up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 8, 2020 Share #15 Posted July 8, 2020 Pudge067- I doubt your Dad was issued this, probably just something he found, traded, or picked up somewhere. In the 60s, Mi bayonets, M1905 bayonets were really cheap & plentiful. I paid $3.50 for a PAL, cut down, with scabbard. The M1905s were about the same price range. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pudge067 Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share #16 Posted July 8, 2020 27 minutes ago, SKIPH said: Pudge067- I doubt your Dad was issued this, probably just something he found, traded, or picked up somewhere. In the 60s, Mi bayonets, M1905 bayonets were really cheap & plentiful. I paid $3.50 for a PAL, cut down, with scabbard. The M1905s were about the same price range. SKIP Thank you I appreciate the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit 45 Posted July 8, 2020 Share #17 Posted July 8, 2020 Pudge067, One thing no one has mentioned is the scabbard. It was made by Detroit Gasket Co. They were originally made for the M1905/42 with the 16 inch blade. They were made of a different fiber glass than the Victory Plastics scabbard. They did not fair very well and would often break. Plus, they did not hold paint very well. So, to find one that was cut down for the 10 inch M1 bayonet is somewhat scarce. In addition, notice that the tabs on the metal throat are still present and bent inward. I don't think the Detroit Gasket Co. made the shorter scabbards. This may mean that this scabbard was cut down very early in the process due to the fact that it still has those tabs. Early in the cut down process, the tabs were bent outward in order to remove the throat. Then were bent back inward after the cut down scabbard body was inserted into the throat. This proved to be an unsatisfactory method, because the tabs would often break off. They soon discovered that they could cut the tabs off and pinch the metal together to hold the scabbard body. Your scabbard is not seen very often. Marv Also, the diagonal lines are found on some M1s. Here's my UFH M1 that has them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted July 8, 2020 Share #18 Posted July 8, 2020 Marv- Good point on the scabbard. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1563621 Posted July 9, 2020 Share #19 Posted July 9, 2020 The finish on the Detroit scabbard looks too good for a Detroit. Might be a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hyrax222 Posted July 10, 2020 Share #20 Posted July 10, 2020 I believe the diagonal lines on UFH bayonet in the ricasso area were formed when the shoulder at the bolster was milled. This was a hand-fed process and the milling cutter cut those scallops as its travel was reversed at the end of the cut. This is called ,"climb-milling" and tends to dig into the milled material once the pressure of material removal is releaved. I have only seen these on UFH bayonets. Perhaps this was a production expedient. UFH was the largest producer of M1905 bayonets and they had two factories in the same new England town. They were cranking them out in 1943! UFH made some very interesting transitionals...Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit 45 Posted July 10, 2020 Share #21 Posted July 10, 2020 5 hours ago, 1563621 said: The finish on the Detroit scabbard looks too good for a Detroit. Might be a replacement. You may be right, but I think I can see the typical DG brown scabbard body between some of the paint scuff marks. I'm also pretty sure it was repainted. Marv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1563621 Posted July 11, 2020 Share #22 Posted July 11, 2020 On 7/9/2020 at 10:50 PM, Misfit 45 said: You may be right, but I think I can see the typical DG brown scabbard body between some of the paint scuff marks. I'm also pretty sure it was repainted. Marv Repaint would cover up poor orig finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misfit 45 Posted July 11, 2020 Share #23 Posted July 11, 2020 What I think I am seeing in pudge067's photo is the dark brown fiberglass of a Detroit Gasket scabbard, especially when I bring up the photo on my phone which I can enlarge. Victory Plastic's fiberglass is a yellowish color. Below is a pic of a cutdown DG scabbard with no paint left on it. That's the color I think I see. The photo of pudge067's scabbard may show paint chipping, in addition to deep scratching, another characteristic of the Detroit Gasket scabbard. A much closer examination would be more conclusive. Marv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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