March 12, 201214 yr #1 Bought a small bayonet collection today: it was hanging up on the wall in a custom made case in a dark garage. The guy had to get out the drill to take it down and then I looked it over in the somewhat dark garage. There was an M3 in very bad shape, but between the distraction of that and the darkness, the rest looked pretty good. When I got it home I set up the case on sawhorses outdoors to remove the bayonets, which were held in by small wires. In the sunlight it all looked pretty clear: The piece that had caught my eye in the garage was the 1095 model bayonet with canvas scabbard:
March 12, 201214 yr #2 Looks like you picked up a very interesting collection. A nice sample from a few countries. Not knowing what you paid I bet it was a good buy? The SA 1905 looks great, wonder what the M3 is and how bad is it ? Bet it was a good deal. Tony
March 12, 201214 yr Author #3 When I removed the wires holding this bayonet's blade I discovered a small notch (: The I tried pulling the blade out of the scabbard without first pushing the lock button: the inside came out and it appeared to be missing several inches: Ouch. Based on what I have seen some seriously beat up rigs like this selling for on Ebay, all is not lost and hopefully I'll find someone who thinks it will still make a nice display, albeit for maybe half of it would sell for without those flaws. Moral(s) of this story: Always carry a flashlight? Look before you leap?
March 12, 201214 yr Author #4 Looks like you picked up a very interesting collection. A nice sample from a few countries. Not knowing what you paid I bet it was a good buy? The SA 1905 looks great, wonder what the M3 is and how bad is it ? Bet it was a good deal. Tony It was a good deal for the seller! Had I found the flaws on the SA 1905 I would have negotiated much differently. Here's the Case M3 that distracted me: I have to say the display case also was a distraction: it's about five feet long and very well done and hanging on the wall it all looked very cool.
March 12, 201214 yr #5 That is a bummer. There was a local gunshow that used to be held at an old elks club that had terrible lighting, not unlike a poorly lit garage at times, I was subject to the harsh reality of daylight a few times with some of my buys. Live and learn to not get screwed another day lol ;-)
March 12, 201214 yr Author #6 Since the inner part of the scabbard is cut, it does offer a nice cross section view of the rawhide over wood.
March 12, 201214 yr #7 Dang... :crying: Oh well, whaddayagonnado? :dunno: I started carrying a flash light to the gun shows about a year ago for the same reason. Can't see crap in there. One thing, Bob...great close-up photos! :thumbsup:
March 12, 201214 yr #8 One thing, Bob...great close-up photos! :thumbsup: Always a light at the end of the tunnel.....huh, GB.....
March 12, 201214 yr #9 Dang... :crying: Oh well, whaddayagonnado? :dunno: I started carrying a flash light to the gun shows about a year ago for the same reason. Can't see crap in there. One thing, Bob...great close-up photos! :thumbsup: I picked up a great tool for attics, basements and the poorly lit shows: a flashlight with a headband. Made by energizer, two lights, a few different setting and you can adjust the angle of the light. It was $19.00 but so handy I'm glad I pick it up.
March 12, 201214 yr #12 Always carry a flashlight? Download a flashlight app for the iphone - tried several and finally settled on the one from ihandy.
March 12, 201214 yr #13 In my book as long as you got that Canvas bayonet cover you made off well, you can always buy a trashed scabbard and replace the cover with this one.... Nice buy!!! Leonardo
March 12, 201214 yr #15 It was a good deal for the seller! Had I found the flaws on the SA 1905 I would have negotiated much differently. Here's the Case M3 that distracted me: I have to say the display case also was a distraction: it's about five feet long and very well done and hanging on the wall it all looked very cool. So why did you decide to not leave them in the case? :think:
March 12, 201214 yr #16 Did someone in a past ownership try to put the bayonet, and scabbard through a band saw? That slice in the blade, and the end of the cut off scabbard sure look close enough to be done simultaneously (as in bayonet inside scabbard). Strange! What a waste. SKIP
March 12, 201214 yr Author #17 So why did you decide to not leave them in the case? :think: I bought them for resale and would have rather not have had to the case home but the guy insisted it had to go too.
March 13, 201214 yr Author #18 I've got the SA bayonet up on ebay now and someone there sent me an interesting note, which I've incorporated into this photo: After they told me about the notch I then noticed how it matched the cutoff length of the inner scabbard.
March 13, 201214 yr #19 Time and unthinking owners sure have been tough on militaria through the ages. Many years ago (Long before the computer and the net) my mentor Richard called a veteran on a classified ad in the newspaper. He asked to old guy all about what he had, and the condition of each one. I watched him making notes as the guy talked, and I heard him mentioning and saw him writing down notes..., HJ Knives, Dress Bayonet police, bone handle, badge, 2 dress fire department, "Navy Sword, ETCHED BLADE!!!" and "Water Customs, knot,frog", Fire Dept Hatchet belt and frog, and Railroad Officer black handle. (there were others, but I do not remember what they were. There was also some "Little stuff" He asked the old dude why he wanted to sell them, and the guy said he wanted to go to the Greyhound race track, and "he was feeling lucky". Now even 35-40 years ago you wanted to nail a deal down, and not have it sell while you are driving across town, so he hammered out a price for the group and took off to the bank and the guy's house a few miles away. Richard was shaking like a guy who had drunk 4 coffees too many, and he was in a really big hurry, so he cut the conversation short (As I was all of 18 years old) and he was GONE! I hung around the neighborhood until he came home. I was getting excited too, as I had seen very few Nice WW2 German items at that age. I also was waiting to see if the buckles , patches, and medals might end up in my little collection. When he got back to his house with the stuff, he told me he arrived at the vet's house and the guy was grinning from ear to ear. He was so proud of the job he had done sharpening them all up on the bench grinder, and buffing them so they would be nice and shiny too! He wasn't smiling a couple minutes later when he heard my friend's new revised offer for what parts were left that were not ruined. I got a really nice Waffen SS buckle, and a mint cased numbered silver star that day, for $15 total. I still have them both, and I wasn't even feeling particularly lucky that day.
March 13, 201214 yr Author #21 Download a flashlight app for the iphone - tried several and finally settled on the one from ihandy. I actually have a good flashlight app on my iPhone - where the light didn't come on was in my brain....
March 13, 201214 yr #22 I just did that again last week. Went into a warehouse and most of the flourescent lights were Tango-Uniform. I had a flashlight, but was in there so long I actually ran the AAs down to dim-only. I found a super-minty Thompson stick mag bag dated "42 for a cheapish price. I drove home at night all elated and when i looked at it at home there was a faint red felt tip name of some Delta-Hotel on the top of the lid. Who's the Delta-Hotel now? My $100 bag is now worth about $10 less than i paid for it................................................... Been there and done that and it probably won't be the last time because I guess I'm a slow learner!!
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