Curiously early bayonet w/ red bakelite handle

[landsknechte]

Just picked this bayonet up this weekend, and I'm rather pleased. I've always had an attraction towards the red bakelite, and I finally nabbed one. Good shape other than having been sharpened. Blade is marked WKC, and there is a Waffenamt (WaA 253) on the base of the guard that apparently corresponds to that company from 1937-1940. Curious, in and of itself, as that seems too early for this type of handle from what I understand.

[landsknechte]

#2

[landsknechte]

#3

[landsknechte]

...and lastly, on the scabbard, a little bit of evidence that it's "been there".

[Scott]

It certainly photographs nicely. The grips look perfecty mated to the grip (unless the crews look messed with) - the reddish composite grips do make a nice contrast with the blued hardware. Nice find.

Scott

[vestae]

Hello All,

nice blade !

congratulation

Sebastien.

[landsknechte]

It certainly photographs nicely. The grips look perfecty mated to the grip (unless the crews look messed with) - the reddish composite grips do make a nice contrast with the blued hardware. Nice find.

Scott

The screws don't seem to be messed with. I suppose it might have been an earlier stamp or an old part that somehow found it's way into a later production run.

There was a strange bit of luck involved in this bayonet. I guy that I work with knew that I was hunting for a red bakelite bayonet, and saw one at a local antique show. At the time, he couldn't reach me to see if I wanted it. I found this one on eBay a few weeks later from a seller in the same general area, and brought it in to work to show him. It was the exact same bayonet that he saw out there.

[Jim P]

Nice bayo! Having a WaA of 253 and being made by W.K.&C. it would have been manufactured in 1937,38 or 40. The last two digits of the year of manufacture should be stamped in the spine of the blade near the crossguard. Being an early to mid-war manufactured bayo it originaly should have had dark bakelite grips and the metal would have shown good to hi polish with very deep dark bluing. Having the later war,redish grips,signs of rough polish and the pale,greying blue,leads me to belive that this is a late war arsenal refinish. The grips would have been removed,bayo given a quick strip and rough polish and reblue. They would not have worried about keeping the grip matched to the bayo during this process as I'm sure this was done to a large number of bayos at once instead of individually.

Still a very nice period correct 84/98 3rd model (k98).

Jim

[Paul R]

I have always loved seeing the red/brown bakelite. I have a P38 with the same material. Beautiful bayonet!

[landsknechte]

I have always loved seeing the red/brown bakelite. I have a P38 with the same material. Beautiful bayonet!

One of the nice things about the red and the brown Bakelite is that it looks like Bakelite. Distinctly not a modern plastic, and that only helps to add to the historical "vibe" of the bayonet.