UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons The BCN Bayonet Forum Third Purchase - K98 Bayonet

Hi everyone,

I'm posting some pics to my third purchase, and a problem I've encountered with this one (detailed in my second post on this thread).

I'm pretty confident that this is completely original, but there are some quality issues with it.

Some additional pics followed by a BIG problem I've encountered.











As you can see, the press catch appears to have snapped in half, so now the press catch is floating loose.

It seems that while I was checking for a serial number on the L shaped piece, it's snapped clean.

Is there anything that can be done? Should there have been a matching serial number on this piece?

Cheers,
Darren

There is a matching number - 3154.

That is a well used K98 bayonet that has rusted from bad storage. Very very common.

It was made by E&F Horster in 1943.

Not sure what can be done to repair it or if it would be worth it.

The press stud button fit much too loosely for an original with the shape not quite right, so I suspect that something happened to the bayonet much earlier. 1943 for some makers a time when steps were omitted which included numbering, agreeing that the cost/effort is probably not worth it unless there is an economical local source that can help. Best Regards, Fred

Hello same opinion as above, a normal well used 43asw -E.u.F.Hoerster,Solingen piece, in k range, looks like should be oiled the blade in area where was the scabbard spring, the locking nut was replaced as is not flashed with pommel and the press button is most real from czechoslovak Vz.24 bayonet, so not proper there, the grips should be examined too as in this range are reported light colored wood grips.b.r.Andy

Hi Dave, Fred and AndyB - thanks for the responses.

Dave: Yeah, I've seen a couple of bayonets with similar markings (repeated both sides due to the spring in the scabbard). I guess that should have been some kind of warning. In terms of repairing it, I'll leave it as is - I'd prefer it in it's current form than to mess around with it.

Fred: That's very interesting about the serial numbers. I'll keep this in mind when looking at my future purchases.

AndyB: I guess there were more than enough warning signs to tread carefully with this purchase. Seems that this bayonet has been pieced together - lesson learned.

All in all, I'm not completely disappointed with this purchase, but that's because I've gained some valuable insights into what not to buy.

Cheers,
Darren

Darren,

A little help with the markings:

1. A K98 with matching serial numbers has the same number on the top of the scabbard and one side of the blade, just as yours does- 3154.

2. The little squiggle below the 3054 is the 'range'. Some companies made hundreds of thousands of these bayonets but limited the serial number to 4 digits - 0001 to 9999, then repeated it with a letter underneath starting with "a". Yours is "k"

3. The year (43) and manufacturer (ASW) were stamped on the reverse side of the blade.

4. The little marks at the top of the hilt are inspection marks. There is a little eagle with a number underneath which identifies the inspector.

Dave

Certainly You should be carefully when invest money, anyway i personally would proof its atachable on rifle<, when yes, so it could be a war grip replacement, the condition of blade unsharpened and matching is ok, frog is late war and a correct one, so the major problem of press button could be replaced without problems by spare one.b.r.Andy

Hi Dave and AndyB,

Dave: I was wondering what the little squiggle below the serial was - I couldn't quite make it out, but I guess that explains the stamped K on the back of the frog as well. In regards to the Waffenamt code, it looks to be WaA519 (with the lower portion of the 9 missing), which matches up with E&F Horster. I can't make out the Waffenamt in the finial, but based on matching serial numbers, it *should* also be WaA519.

AndyB: Yeah, will definitely be a lot more cautious next time. I'd love to have a K98 to test fit this to, but don't...at least not yet. If I can find a press button, I'll definitely replace it, just to keep it as original as it can be.

Once again, thank you both for the help and the valuable info.

The K on backside of frog has nothing with the k letter under serial number. the frogs were delivered separatelly.b.r.Andy

Ahh - even more interesting. Any idea as to the reason for the stamp? Were they all stamped?

Cheers,
Darren

Darren:

These stamps are called 'waffenamt' markings and denote acceptance by the military inspectors, sometimes also denoted as 'WaA'. Different numbers were used in different production plants and are thought to identify the inspectors.

There is a great book identifying the WaA numbers and years of production by Mike Welser called, 'Reichswehr and Wehrmacht Bayonets 1920-1945'.

There is also another super book for any collector of bayonets, combat and dress, where the history and the evolution of these is discussed with many pictures for reference. It is by George Wheeler and is called 'Seitengewehr: History of the German Bayonet 1919-45'.

I would recommend both, with the Wheeler book as my first purchase.

John

Hi John,

Many thanks for those two book recommendations. I'll see if I can track them both down.

Cheers,
Darren