UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons The BCN Bayonet Forum S71 and S98 sawbacks,where are you???

Hello All,
The postman has just brought me my very first kS98,a nice Erfurt piece,dated 1909
with K.S 8927 on the crossguard and numerous army inspection marks.I had almost given up
all hope of ever obtaining one of these,although one or two other forum members have them in abundance!!!

As these bayos were the first short sawbacks in German service,I'm now wondering where all the
long ones have gone.These,to me at least,have proved just as elusive as the kS98 has up to now.

It seems that all of the sawback bayos,apart from the 98/05 and the kS98 were considered to be NCO issue,although I believe there was never anything official about that.So,it seems,only the Unteroffiziere in
each regiment would have carried S71 and S98 sawbacks,a very small number compared to the standard plain
bladed versions.I guess it explains their scarcity today,when there weren't very many in the first place!!!

I'm with Richie B regarding cameras,a nice bayo turns up every time I get some spare cash,quite apart
from that,I've looked up what will be involved and mention of downsizing images etc makes my head hurt!!!
Despite all that,I really would appreciate seeing any early sawbacks any of you chaps may have.It'll
give me something to lust after!!!

Chris.

Chris

Congratulations on your KS98.

Sawbacks are always going to be rare + expensive - I seem to recall reading that only 6% of each model were made with a sawback.

I do have an S71 with sawback but no S98 as yet.

I did buy an S14 sawback - the only one I recall seeing for years- just had to have it !.

Still no camera !

All the best + happy collecting.

Richie

Chris,

Sounds like you have a nice KS98 sawback issue bayonet. These are difficult to find. Is the scabbard also property marked the same as the guard?

Here is a private purchase KS98 sawback. This one has screwbolt hard rubber grips and is nickel plated. No maker or markings whatsoever. Now you will have to start looking for one of these.

A little closer shot of the sawback.

I'm sorry Chris, but you're not looking anywhere near hard enough if you think it's that hard to find these bayonets. I know where there are 3 S98nAS (sawbacks) for sale right now, and a few weeks ago, there was a super interesting S98aAS WITH a very rare Saxon Pioneer marking and FAG on eBay that sold for the cheap price of $800, it should have been $1000 given the rarity of S98aAS and any Pioneer markings found on S98s, let alone a Saxon one.

On top of that, I know of at least 5 kS98s for sale, and 2 S71mS for sale. The S71mS has been elusive of late. S14mS are also fairly abundant, especially those made by Samsonwerk.

The issue of sawbacks to NCO's has been blown out of proportion. It is, in fact, a myth in some respects. The reason junior NCO's wound up with sawback bayonets is because responsible men were chosen to carry them, and these were obviously often NCOs, though not always. By WWI, sawback bayonets were issued to anyone, as demonstrated by the numerous examples of period photos. The only official rule, as stated earlier, was that at least 6% of all bayonets had a sawback. There were certain units which were exceptions, most notably Pioneer units, where all bayonets had sawbacks. It is for this reason that the S98/05 sawbacks are far more abundant than S98s or S84/98nAS and other sawbacked bayonets.

Anyway, keep your eyes open and do more internet searches!! I've only been collecting Imperial German bayonets seriously for 6 years now, and I've managed to land some very interesting and very rare, often one of a kind examples. Of course, I'm poor, so everytime I find one I have to sell another to get it! If it weren't for the money I saved in Iraq, I wouldn't have much of a collection at all.

Senior NCO's (unteroffiziere mit portepee) carried swords with officer's sword knots. There are a few instances where bayonets were specifically directed to be carried by ranks above the lower enlisted, for instance, the kS98 issue to Telegraph units, in which they were issued to re-enlisted men, lance corporals, sappers, and cyclists (kapitulanten, gefreiter, pioneiere, und radfahrer).

Bayonet knots (Seitengewehr Troddeln) were worn to denote rank (or company for lower enlisted soldiers). Troddeln were easy to see hanging from the bayonet frog. The notion of having a sawback bayonet denote NCO rank is kinda funny if you think about it! What good is having something denote rank which you can't see unless it's out of the scabbard?

Hello All,
Many thanks for all your comments,it's great to know I'm not the only bayo collector in the world.It has often seemed that way to me here in East Anglia,where there are many more chickens than there are people!!!

If,and when,you get a suitable camera Richie,you'll have to let me know how you get on with it.I can work out which way to point such a thing but that's about it!!!I picked up an S14 sawback at a local antiques fair a while back, the old guy that had it thought it was an 84/98,and the Gottscho "light bulb" mark on it meant nothing to him!!!

That is a very nice piece,Orpo,in the ordinary way of things I don't go for "dress" items.However,the kS98 I've just acquired,apart from an unmarked scabbard,which I guess means it's a replacement,also came with a "dress" frog.It might very well be a period item,there's certainly some age about it,brown leather,but with only one rivet through the back of the pouch section.I was thinking that I might get a suitable bayo to put in this,that's no doubt the reverse of the normal procedure,but I think a similar piece to yours,with three rivet grips and back to back squirrels might fit the bill.

Hello again,Nate,I guess I'll have to plead guilty as charged regarding my searching expertise,but the unlimited internet access I now enjoy is a fairly recent addition to my life.Financial considerations also mean that I need to restrict my search to the UK,I have debated venturing into Europe,but the edged weapons in which we are interested certainly don't seem to be any cheaper in their country of origin.There may also be some difficulties due to the current
furore here in the UK over teenage gang members stabbing each other and anyone else who happens to be around.I can just imagine the reaction of young,enthusiastic officers of HMRC when viewing a parcel of sawback bayonets at their port of entry.Officialdom does not share our interest I fear.

I have to agree with your thoughts on whether sawbacks were NCO issue,but it's certainly a widespread misconception that they were,they certainly seem to have been widely associated with NCOs for whatever reason.There were,I guess,always those intended for Pioneers but these were generally of a different type,the Pionierfaschinenmesser M1871 and
the shortlived 98/02 that replaced it.It's certainly something of a confusing picture,John Walter doesn't help at all,regarding the S98 he says "Many S98 can,however,be found with plain sawback blades with short medial fullers;they are generally considered as non-commissioned officers'issue,but were really simply infantry tools that were widely carried by the Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee"

Anyhow, regards to all Chris.

Hello Chris.

Well, if you're going to continue collecting Imperial German bayonets seriously, then I must highly recommend Anthony Carter's four volume series. They are difficult to find and expensive, but worth every penny and then some. What they lack in photos of examples they make up for 10 fold with the information they contain, information which you simply won't find in any other books.

Perhaps there's something I don't understand, but the idea of looking in the UK alone to save money seems a bit backwards to me. Prices in Europe are often higher, and with the value of the pound (although it has dropped lately), you've got a good deal of buying power in the US.

I would venture a guess that you purchased your new kS98 from the site antique-militariaco.uk, correct?? The listed price was 500 GBP, although you might not have paid that. Yet in the last 2 years, I have seen at least 5 kS98s with matching KS marking sell in the $600 range, 3 of which I have sold myself. I also believe the seller claimed that the frog was correct for Colonial service, which is total crap. It's a typical private purchased frog, the type you would find on private purchase kS98s from the period.

Prices in Europe, especially from the Germans themselves, are often ridiculous, borderline insulting sometimes. To be honest, my experience with fellow German collectors has been pretty awful. But that's just been my limited experience, and certainly not with all of them. Despite the negativity surrounding eBay, you'd do well to keep an eye on it every few days. Check out the US bayonet dealers as well. Even with the shipping costs, you'll spend less than you would in Europe. I would be happy to provide links. I sell bayonets from time to time too, so just let me know what you are looking for.

While the S14mS by Samsonwerk are fairly common, the Gottscho S14ms are quite scarce. A good find for sure!

Privately purchased kS98s from the Imperial era were often used in the field and sometimes designed as such, so they're not really "dress" bayonets (although I tend to avoid anything private purchase). When officers and senior NCOs were ordered to return their swords to the rear and replace them with the 98/05 in 1915, many sought out kS98s instead, as they were lighter and considered to be a more "badass" design. Issued kS98s were of very limited issue, especially being discontinued in 1915, thus they wound up purchasing the myriad of privately made kS98s.

Anyway, I will attach some photos for your sawback viewing pleasure of some of the bayos I have in my small collection.

This first photo contains two bayonets:
S98/02,V.C. Schilling, FA05, with matching markings R.P.XVII.192. The Saxon 98/02s were the last to be issued, and it would appear from the few examples that exist, that because the S98/05aAS was being issued a year after, the Saxon 98/02s wound up in rear echelon units from all over Germany. Hence, you find markings to the 17th West Prussian Reserve Armee Korps as opposed to a Saxon unit. Thus far I believe this is the only recorded example of a Saxon 98/02 with matching markings. The gross majority of Saxon 98/02s don't have any regimental markings.

S98/05nAS, C.G. Haenel, W15, matching markings 2.A.F.8.110., a Fuss Arty unit. This is a neat example as it's an S98/05nAS, but has a matching older style leather scabbard, and because wartime regimental markings are scarce. Not to mention the rarity of Fuss Arty sawback 98/05s.

Two S98 sawbacks:

S98aAS, Erfurt W00, O.E.2.241. Certainly one of my more highly prized bayonets, aside from the rarity of S98aA sawbacks, this is marked to the Oberkommand of the East Asian Expeditionary Force. The East Asian Exp. Force were the first to receive issue of the S98 series (after the trials issue of course) and are certainly among the most sought after unit markings (for those who have interest in such things).

S98nAS, Erfurt W03, 115.R.7.14. This is a good example of why learning about unit markings is important. To many, this looks like just another Infantry Regiment marking, and it is for all intents and purposes. But the unit in question is the 115th (1st Hessian Leibgarde) Infantry Regiment. For whatever reason (I still don't really understand myself), Hessian units and their equipment are highly sought after. The 115th is even more sought after as it was a prestige unit, having their own pickelhauben and belt buckles setting them apart from all other Hessian units. As a Leibgarde, they were responsible for guarding the royalty of Hessia as well. This example is shown with a rare FAG scabbard variation with simulated stitching on the side, and a very rare Hessian NCO troddel.

PS: The attachment size limit on here ****s.

What? I can't say s-u-c-k-s?? That blows!

Two S84/98nAS examples:

S84/98nAS, Erfurt W15, G.M.G.A.236.127. After a CRAPLOAD of research between Jeff Noll and myself, I stumbled upon enough info to conclude that this is indeed a very interesting marking. At first glance, one would be right to assume that it's some kind of Garde Maschinengewehr Abteilung marking, which would be just fine as there are few units as prized. But both the numbers present are far too high, either for a unit number (clearly, as there were only 2 Garde MGAs) or even a weapons number, as there weren't that many personnel in the Garde MGA. It turns out that this marking denotes the Gebirgs Maschinengewehr Abteilung 236, waffe no. 127. In 1915, German command recognized a dire need for MG units specifically trained and equipped to deploy in mountainous terrain. Given the size of the MG08, this required a relatively large number of personnel to deal with the heavy equipment and get the MGs in place going up steep mountains. Command put such a precedence on fielding these units, that they received their training and equipment before everyone else at that time, regardless of the unit or if that unit was scheduled to receive training or equipment already. But after all of that effort, the Gebirgs MGA 236 existed as such for less than a year, being later attached to infantry regiments as an MG company. It is shown with a wartime grey strap MG company troddel.

S84/98nAS, Gebr Heller, no date, marked F(script)L.A.J.11. Few markings in my collection, if any, have drawn as much interest as this one has. Though there has been some disagreement (rightfully so), the general consensus held by those who are certainly the world's experts on Imperial German regimental markings, from both the US and Germany and other places, believe this marking to denote Flieger Abteilung Jagdstaffel (or Jasta) 11. The Baron Manfred von Richtofen's infamous "Flying Circus," without a doubt the most famous flying unit of WWI and arguably ever. But even if it doesn't denote Jasta 11, it's still a great marking and a wonderful example. The scabbard is a scarce 84/98nA variation with an arrow marked on the frogstud (as is the GMGA 84/98nAS) and the troddel is a Prussian Kapitulanten (reenlisted NCO) troddel for the 2nd Company.

My FAVORITES, the kurzes Seitengewehr 1898!!

kS98, Erfurt W14, matching markings S.B.2.2.100. Another marking that has taken a great of research. It denotes the (Bayerisches) Schneeschuhbataillon (Ski Batallion) 2, 2nd Kompagnie, Waffe No. 100. In 1915, 3 Bavarian Ski Battalions and 1 Wurttemburgisches Ski Battalions were formed and attached to the Alpenkorps. Another shortlived unit which served mostly in the Vosges mountains. If it weren't for a few photos showing Bavarian Ski Troops wearing the kS98 with wood grips, this would have been a difficult one to prove. As it stands, there is only one other Ski Batallion marking known on a kS98 scabbard. Certainly a very interesting marking! Shown with a Bavarian frog and a beautiful Bavarian NCO troddel.

kS98, Erfurt W14, matching markings 2.L.3.13. A rare Luftschiffer (observation balloon) unit marking, and another example where further research is important. The 3rd Company of the 2nd Prussian Luftschiffer Battalion was actually a Saxon company, the only Saxon Luftschiffer unit that existed just before the start of the war. This is a newly aquired kS98 and as such, I'm pretty excited about it. Shown with a beautiful slim frog and a Saxon troddel fur Kapitulanten, unfortunately the wrong company (9th), but will have to do until I can replace it with the correct knot.

Last but certainly not least:
kS98, Erfurt W11, matching markings 7.P.S.16. This is one of my favorite finds of all time. A simply beautiful and totally original rig that came right out of the foot locker of a WWI vet. The marking denotes the Searchlight Detachment of the 7th (Westfalian) Pioneer Batallion, another very scarce unit marking. As you can see, this was being carried by either an officer or a senior NCO. It has a private purchase style slim brown frog and a Prussian portepee.

Without a doubt one of the rarest of all Imperial German bayonets, here is a beautiful S14 Gottscho mS. According to records, between 10-20,000 were sold to the Bavarians, and 7,000 to Wurttemburg. making a maximum of only 1,620 (6% of 27,000) Gottscho sawbacks prodcued. Well below the numbers of other exceedingly rare sawbacks such as the S71/84mS or even the 4000 IS69mS Werder sawbacks produced. This is definitely one of the nicest examples I have seen, shown with a slim frog marked to the 13th Wurrtemburg Armeekorps and the 120th Wurt, Infantry Regiment, and with a beautiful Wurttemburg NCO troddel. Almost certainly the most valuable bayonet in my small collection.

Here is a selection of Imperial era privately purchased kS98s, showing the variations that existed.

The first (on the left) was prodcued by WKC (marked with a knight's head) and is clearly intended for field use. The blade (though it's difficult to tell) is not plated, but finished bright, and has been sharpened. The hilt has been darkened and the grips have a cleaning hole. The steel used is much higher quality than the "pot" metal found in many private purchase bayonets clearly intended for "walking out" or dress purposes.

The second was produced by Ernst Pack & Son most likely intended for field use, although the blade is plated this time, the metal is again of high quality and the hilt is again darkened.

By far the most common private purchase kS98 with sawback found are these examples produced by Carl Eickhorn. These were clearly intended for walking out or dress purposes, being all plated and with lesser quality metal. However, this example has also been sharpened, and there have been others which have been darkened on the hilt, even some examples that have had their sawback removed, which clearly indicates use on the front lines.

Nate,
I don't know quite what to say,I need to take care what I ask for,I might just get it!!!This is a positively stupendous
array of incredibly desirable artefacts.It will take quite some time for me to take all this in,it would have taken me a week to type out all that you have to say about them.I am,however,planning to start using two fingers one of these days!!!

I do have several of the late Anthony Carter's books,he lived and had his books printed only 20 miles or so from where I live.I spent little time in the UK when he was most prolific though,and had not really acquired my interest in bayos then
I did spend the Christmas and New Year period in the U.S on two occasions in my younger days,once in the Levingston Shipyard in Orange Texas and once in Norfolk Virginia,which if my geography is correct,is not a million miles from your present location.

You're quite correct regarding the source of my kS98,I didn't haggle with him however, despite the unmatched scabbard and incorrect frog.No money changed hands either,I did a straight swap for a couple of TR pieces which he did not hesitate over.If they appear on his site,you may see why,I wanted his sawback though,come what may!!!This kind of arrangement,part exchange deals and more often than not,deposit and layaway, all became necessary when I decided to go for "upmarket" bayos etc.Hence my desire to restrict myself to UK dealers,it's got to be easier to arrange such things here,I can't afford any of these pieces really,but I can't allow such a minor detail to get in the way!!!

I don't have any unit marked bayo that can compare in any way whatsoever with those of yours,but I was ridiculously pleased,when those that I have, "told me a little about themselves" They're all very common,I guess,but the first one that ever "talked" to me is a 71/84 by P.D Luneschloss, dated 1888,it's marked J.R.141.M.G.35.If I've done everything right and checked the right info,this piece was issued to the Festungs-Maschinengewehr-Abteilung Nr3,Kulmer Infanterie-Regiment Nr141
formed on 1.2.1890,and based in Graudenz,in what was then,West Prussia,and part of XV11 Armee Korps.I love these things!!!

All the best Chris.

Hello Chris!

I'm really glad you enjoyed these pics of some of the few bayos I have in my humble collection. Compared to most advanced Imperial German bayo collectors, I have a nice little kiddie collection! But while my collection is small, I'd like to think that I do have some good quality bayos in it.

I actually started collecting 3rd Reich myself, back in 2000. Quite possibly THE WORST field of militaria for a beginner with almost no books to start out in, I got VERY lucky being friends with two guys who owned the only local militaria shop. If it weren't for them, their knowledge, their respect of my military service, and their honesty, I can't imagine how much money I would have lost on fakes! But eventually, the huge number of fakes, the animosity and ugliness that can exist between 3rd Reich dealers, those who collected 3rd Reich for more than just historical interest, and the fact that these objects really do represent a terrible empire, well, these things started to really take the joy out of collecting for me. Anyway, to make a long story shorter, I bought my first bayonet, a Czech VZ-24 for $10, fell in love with it, and soon after, stumbled upon what both I and the seller thought was an S98/05aAS for $150, only to later learn that it was a matching S98/02. After that, I was sold. And I sold off and traded my little 3rd Reich collection to focus on bayos.

As it happens, the bulk of my Third Reich collection did go to a dealer/collector in another country, and it was a very fair deal. I don't think that dealing in such a way (exchanges, layaways and so on) would really be that hard with a dealer in the US. The hard part would be finding a dealer who has the more advanced bayonets you are looking for and who also would be interested in 3rd Reich items, or even anything other than bayonets, as most of the guys who have decent Imperial German bayos only deal in bayos, or perhaps bayos and other edged weapons.

But yes, I LOVE unit markings too!! As if the great variety and aesthetics of Imperial German bayonets, with almost 200 Ersatz variations alone, wasn't enough, you've got these markings that allow you to trace your bayonet down to the very company, and you can know exactly where that bayonet was throughout the war, at least sometimes. I can't think of anything that can bring you closer to history than that!! Regimental markings are a great part of my collecting. My ultimate goal is to find one of each Imperial German bayonet from about 1860 on with matching unit markings. I put special emphasis on certain types of units, such as Colonial, MG, or Bavarian Chevaulagers. I must say one of the best parts of this is the amount of knowledge I have obtained researching various markings and then what the correct bayonet knot would be for that marking. I wind up learning about the size, structure, equipment and history of that particular unit, and then its parent units as well. I really enjoy coming across a photo of an identified company and knowing that the bayonet I hold in my hand is in that picture somewhere.

Enough blabbing, sorry about that.

Your close with your assessment of J.R.141.M.G.35. Certainly not a common marking! And Luneschloss 71/84s are fairly scarce themselves. At any rate, this marking does denote the 141st Infantry Regiment. However, the MG marking denotes that Infantry Regiment's Machine Gun company, which isn't a Festungs (fortress) MG Abteilung (detachment, usually, but certainly not always, smaller in size than a company). The S71/84 is the most common bayonet to find with MG markings, and what is interesting (to me at any rate) is that they were issued as sidearms, NOT bayonets. As MG units were issued the best equipment available, they carried, besides their MGs, P08 Lugers and Gewehr 98 models. There are even a few MG marked S71s recorded! But of course the 71/84 would be preffered due to its smaller size. This is why the second most common bayonet found with MG markings is the S84/98nA series. After which are the 98/05s, aushilfseitengewehr (ersatz bayos), S14, and then finally the kS98.

A brief little tid bit on Imperial German MG units for your pleasure:

Initial field testing of the Machine Gun in 1899 led to the first Imperial German dedicated MG units which began forming in 1901. These were called Maschinengewehr Abteilung. There were 2 Garde MG Abteilung, and about 8 other MGA's, not counting the Bavarian MGA and a few changes which occurred over time. These were highly specialized, prestigious units, which received the best in everything. Also during the first decade of the 1900's, 15 Festungs MG Abteilungen were formed.

During this time, each Infantry Regiment were assigned their own MG company. A typical Inf. Regt. had 3 line battalions with 4 companies in each, for a total of 12 companies. The MG company added made number 13, which is why the 13th company troddel is also reffered to as the MG troddel. Eventually, during wartime, more and more MG units were added and things were changed around drastically. But when it comes to MG unit markings, the most common you will find are those that denote an Infantry Regiment's MG company.

Each Army Corps (Armeekorps) possesed usually between 5-7 Ersatz MG Kompagnies. These operated in a number of different roles. They are the 2nd most common MG unit marking to find, especially on bayonets.

As the war went on, the need for more specialized MG units became quite apparent, and in 1915 the Gebirgs MG Abteilungen were formed. Then in 1916, the Maschinengewehr Scharfschutzen Abteilung/Truppen (Machine Gun Sharpshooter Detachments), MGSSA, were formed. These specialized units, and the original MG Abteilungen, are among the rarest and most highly sought after unit markings.

On a side note, the kS98 (kurzes Seitengewehr 1898), the bayonet I collect and study and am slowly working on a book of, was originally designed specifically for the new Maschinengewehr Abteilung, with the first kS98s issued cocurrently with the MGAs in 1901. The original name of the kS98 was "Seitengewehr fur Maschinengewehr Schutzen." Quite a mouthfull! Yet interestingly (and absolutely annoyingly for me!) enough for me, MGA marked kS98s are among the rarest unit markings to find on the kS98, with only 5 recorded examples at present.

OK, I have rambled on far too much!!

If you ever have any questions about unit markings, or if you want to send me a list of the bayos you are looking for, I would be happy to help!

Cheerio!
Nate

Lo and behold, the first S71mS in quite some time, and an even more scarce Bavarian example at that!:

http://cgi.ebay.com/German-Model-1871-Sawback-Pioneer-B...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The seller has incorrectly ID'd this as a Pioneer bayonet (and if it were a Bavarian PFM71 with the correct scabbard, it would probably go over $3000). Not a matching example, but it does have the correct Bavarian scabbard (with a loop for the frog as opposed to a stud so that the recently developed IS69 Werder frogs could also be used with the S71). Bavarian S71s are also the most scarce S71s. As Bavaria had just developed the IS69 Werder, they pushed back adopting the 71 until 1876 (if I remember correctly). When the 71/84 rifle was introduced, it was almost instantly obsolete by the development of the French M.1886 Lebel and their smokeless cartridges. Thus the M.1888 Commission rifle was created. At this point, the Prussians, Saxons, and Wurttemburg chose to go back to the S71, which also fit the 88 Commission rifle, and the S71 was again produced all the way until 1900. But Bavaria, being Bavarians and often going out of their way to be different, chose to keep the shorter S71/84. So the number of years the Bavarians were issued S71s was about 10, while the S71 was used for over 25 years in the rest of Germany.

Hello Nate,
Many thanks for your emails and all the info,I did at least manage to get fairly close with the 71/84 MG piece.
It's the only bayo I have with a marking of any interest (up to now at least!!!)all of the others are just regimentally
numbered.Although,as you so rightly say, even these can tell their own story,it's most interesting to discover where they would have been garrisoned prewar and their likely deployments after 1914,I guess it's fairly safe to assume that the bayonets went with them!!!

I have never been a collector of items from the darkest chapter in German history,and I never cease to be amazed at the price tags on some of these things,especially when some of them are undoubtedly of far more recent origin.Having said that,I do have several daggers,these I acquired when I was despairing of ever getting another interesting bayonet.
I've since joined this forum and hope has burst forth anew!!!

I've taken your advice and started browsing some of the dealers sites in the US,one that I've noticed is the Bayonet Trader (bayonetsonline.com).I don't know where this dealer might come on an honesty and integrity scale,I note that he is a BCN member which I guess must be a plus point.It's not so much his stock items that I paid attention to,but rather that he was quite happy with 60 day layaway arrangements.This might well be the path to salvation for an impoverished,overly ambitious collector like myself,although he probably didn't envisage $200 perhaps,arriving in an envelope every week or two from the UK.I don't believe in any form of electronic cash transfer (call me old fashioned!!!)
it's the Queen's head on the notes and insured post for me every time,or in this case whichever President appears on $100
bills.I very much appreciate your offer to help me in my quest,and I have no doubt whatsoever that you would find me some
fine examples.However,I don't know that you would care to involve yourself in such a procedure,quite apart from the hassle
involved in posting things overseas.

There is,I fear,still one small cloud on the horizon and that's the attitude that may be adopted by the Customs
and Excise in this wonderful country of mine.It seems that every time there's an incident,and to be fair,that's quite often
these days,anyhow,whatever implement was used is next on the"banned"list.I have no doubt that they would look askance at
any pointed object arriving from afar,the presence of teeth merely adding to their consternation.I've started to look into
all of this,although there is no specific prohibition on bayonets,the decision on whether an item is an offensive weapon
is probably left to the officer concerned.These,it appears,may be imported if they are over 100 years old,evidence from a
reputable supplier is usually sufficient for this.If that is not available,evidence from a recognised antique authority in
the form of a Certificate of Antiquity should be supplied.You can see that all of this could well be a right pain in the
first bit of another name for an arms storage establishment!!!

I'm not planning on setting anything in motion before the start of the New Year,in the meantime I could perhaps
post a query in this forum.Another UK forum member may have some experience with this,perhaps there's some provision on the
customs labels on the package for any necessary information from the supplier.I am fairly sure lots of TR Daggers have come
over from the US in recent years.

Anyhow,All the best Chris.