UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons The BCN Bayonet Forum Eickhorn w/ Silver Painted T/O Slot?

Hi Guys,

I have this Eickhorn and was wondering if this is common or not - it has silver paint in the T/O slot. I think it's paint anyway. It has a frosted look to it, sort of like the finish you'd see on a zinc TR combat badge, if that makes sense. I was "camera challenged" when I took these pics, but I think you can see it pretty well. Any comments?

Thanks - Tim

Closeup #1

Closeup #2

The press stud isn't a great fit because the hole in the hilt was cut a little sloppily I think. I don't think the stud was replaced, the finish on it is consistent with the hilt, it's just the cut-out section of the hilt doesn't look like it was cut a straight angle and so there's a little gap. I don't think it's a big deal, but I'd have thought it would have been a tighter tolerance. Maybe it was a Friday afternoon near quiting time when it was worked on at the plant...

Looks like the base metal zinc alloy showing where the slot was masked during plating

Yes, that is just the unfinished undercoating that has not been polished. Here is an unfinished Carl Eickhorn hilt with just the flashcoat that you see in the slot on your finished bayonet.

Hi Tim,

I think it's perfectly fine. I would agree with the above explanations. In addition, I would say that two of my bayonets show the same "issue" that you are showing. Completely normal and nothing to be worried about. Aside from that, it's a nice bayonet

JAN

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies. It is tricky to capture on film...um, I mean bits. The silver color isn't the base showing through, it's something on the surface. It's bright and uniform. You can see where it was painted on and if you look in the end of the hole for the cleaning rod, you can see the silver isn't in there completely, just the center as if someone just touched it with a brush.

Here's another view where you can see where it was painted on.

I'm sure it was done as an embellishment and I'm wondering if that's something Eickhorn did or if it was done after it was purchased. Here it is next to a minty FLAK badge with a "frosted" silver finish. The color and semi-matte finish are almost identical. I suspect it's a type of paint commonly used at the time for decorations.

Here it is next to another bayo. You can see how the silver adds a cool effect in lieu of a felt plug. I take it this isn't a common factory option?

Here it is next to an IAB with another very similar "frosted" silver finish.

Hmm, now that I see more pictures, it does indeed look different than what I had described I observed with my pieces. I am not sure, but I would still be inclined to think that it is simply nickel plating on an unpolished surface. The reason it may be so much lighter could be due to the fact that a felt plug may have been present until recently. Just my 50 cents :P

JAN

Hi Jan,

I don't think the brightness is due to it being protected from oxidation by a plug. You can see where it was applied and it doesn't cover the entire inside of the T/O slot.

It's a different color than the nickel surrounding it and it's not applied everywhere (inside the hole for the cleaning rod for example). "Hmm" is right

IMO--a non factory paint in the slot--also a replaced lug-very poor fit,

quote:

Originally posted by Houston Coates:
IMO--a non factory paint in the slot--also a replaced lug-very poor fit,

The lug definitely doesn't fit like I'd expect to see. If it was replaced, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened at the same time the slot was painted.