Question:
How can I tell if a bayonet is worth anything or not?

Answer:
If you can identify the bayonet, by the country and manufacture date, you can then tell it's collectability. The condition of the bayonet will add a great deal to it's price. Look for the quality of the patina, whether or not it has been sharpened, if it has a scabbard or frog, and all the mechanical parts are functional.

Question:
How can you tell what country the bayonet is from?

Answer:
You can tell a bayonet's country of origin from markings on the scabbard and the bayonet itself, the general style and design of the bayonet and comparing these to descriptions and pictures in various reference books.

Question:
Are bayonets sharp or not sharp?

Answer:
Bayonets have a dull blade as a rule so they can inflict more damage on the opponent's body.

Question:
What is a frog?

Answer:
A frog is made of various materials such as leather or metal. It attaches the scabbard to the soldier's belt or kit.

Question:
Where does the word bayonet come from?

Answer:
The bayonet was first used by the French Army in 1647. It was named after Bayonne, a town in Southern France. The bayonet was then a spear-like blade attached to a long conical piece of steel inserted directly into the muzzle of a musket. It was called a plug bayonet, because no shot could be fired until it was removed.

Question:
Why do you collect bayonets?

Answer:
I collect bayonets because they are inexpensive pieces of military history and I have always had an intense interest in history. The bayonet is a very personal item of an armed forces personnel equipment. That personal touch and the fact that one can place a bayonet at some point in history makes the bayonet for me great to collect! They are also far less expensive and less difficult than swords or rifles to collect.

Question:
Where would I find bayonets to start a collection?

Answer:
I have found them at flea markets, estate sales, yard sales, sporting goods stores, antique shops, military surplus stores and guns shows! Another source of bayonets is On-Line Auctions such as Ebay & Yahoo an web sites totally devoted to the sale of bayonets.

Question:
Should I have to worry if a bayonet has been used?

Answer:
Bayonets were produced throughout history by the millions for each countries armed forces. History alone shows statistics such as those from the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 that give two and a half percent as the overall casualty rate for spears, swords and bayonets. This percentage became even less with each succeeding decade to the present. For the average armed forces personnel the bayonet was used more, as a moral boasting tool that eventually ended up as so much surplus that only saw action when opening up tins of beans.

Question:
How did you know the Imperial German Bayonet that fellow was asking to identify on the Bayonet Club on Yahoo was a 98/05 and not a 1884/98?

Answer:
Just this collector's opinion. My sources are from my work, a Public Library that I have worked at for the last 17 years, and extensive world wide web references.

Question:
I have a ross marked 1907 spear point november issue as your pictures note. I am curious about the markings on it they read as follows 1.C.B. R.C.A. 370.

Answer:
Your Ross rifle bayonet is a Quebec Patented 1905 Mark 2 Spear Point version (Canadian 1910 Ross Rifle Bayonet MarkII).

Question:
I had a longer look at your web site today, and was somewhat envious of your Canadian blades- although where you live makes that a bit easier than Scotland. I kicked myself when I saw the 1943 Ross as I didn't bid on a "cut down" Ross that I took to be a post war civilian version and now I think is the 1943, it only went for $71. I assume that this would be a very cheap price as the blade looked perfect.

Answer:
Two Christmas's ago my wife bought me a cut down Ross Rifle bayonet and was going to throw it in the garbage!! She thought that it was a poor excuse of a bayonet and that it was too damaged to give me. Luckily (at the urging of one of my daughters) she put it in as a stocking stuffer. She was extremely happy when I informed her, that one like it sold for $300.00 on Ebay recently!! We are now both glad that she did not toss this bayonet out!. I have seen a better one at various rifle shows, and some fakes, as they were just cut down by someone and not by the American PAL Knife Company in '43.

Question:
Wasn't the 1884/98 still being made in 1917? Reference to the maker "remscheid" that tipped you off?

Answer:
Actually in the year 1917, a 1884/98 could have been produced, but most likely the production was for the "S1898/05 German Butcher Knife (Butcher Blade) Bayonet" as at this time war materials were just starting to run out for the Central Powers. Germany would be forced to use captured and re-conditioned bayonets, moving up to the Ersatz Bayonets. I am on a continual learning curve myself but I love collecting bayonets!

Question:
British #4 Unissued Bayonet and Scabbard. How rare is it and what is it worth?

Answer:
What you have is a descendant of the British & Commonwealth Spike Bayonets. Your Bayonet is the British No. 9 Mk. 1 Knife- Bowie Blade Bayonet. There seems to be quite a few of these on the market lately. Just like your bayonet, some are still even in the original packages and have the rust proof coatings that were used to store them on some armies supply depot shelves! I would pay no more then $25.00 - $60.00 U.S. for one that had the Scabbard and was in the original packaging.

Question:
My bayonet has the number 2- Stamped on Blade, POF 68 and 443 on the middle that fits over the gun.

Answer:
Your Number 2 Bayonet is a Pakistani G3 Bayonet. This bayonet is the Pakistani version of the European G3 British 1990 -HK9-or HK91 The European G3 Series Bayonet with a bowie blade is similar to the Pakistani/Commonwealth No.9 MkI SMLE (Short Magazine Lee Enfield) Rifle Bayonet. According to Janzens Notebook on bayonets, page 155, paragraph No.3, these pieces are quite common and have apparently been dumped on the U.S. market, by the thousands. As I said before, the only difference between the Pakistani and the European is the blades of these bayonets, and a slight handle modification.

Question:
Here is a very old military bayonet with its original scabbard. This is not my field of expertise and I have no idea what it goes to, or its time frame, so I will leave its history up to you. It has a mark on the bayonet shown below in photos. Condition; Has a few dents and scratches on the scabbard and someone has colored one side with a dark magic marker which should be easily removable. The bayonet has a nice solid hardwood handle in nice shape and the blade has slight discoloring, probably due to its age, with no chips or knicks anywhere on the edges. The blade is in nice shape. Overall measurement of bayonet with scabbard is 20 3/4 inches long and the blade measures 15 5/8 inches long.

Answer:
I can tell you that what you have is an 1897 Type 30 Japanese Bayonet & Scabbard. It could have been used anywhere between 1897 to 1945.

Question:
I have a FN-C1 bayonet, I just ordered on the way.It doesn't come with a frog, would you happen to have one, or could you locate me one. Is there different types of frogs for this bayonet, or is it the nylon one like you have in your picture gallery? Any way to get one in very good to new condition?

Answer:
I know of a couple of Canadian Military stores that will be able to help you out. They would be my choices for a FN-C1 Bayonet Frog. I know they are kind of Canadian biased but I'm Proud to be a Canadian, Eh?