Armorer Refurbished Bayonets

[Slash]

In light of a recent post here regarding an armorer refurbished bayonet thought I would share some examples from my collection. I have always thought these period refurbished pieces were interesting and have picked up quite a few examples over the years. They represent yet another example of the Wehrmacht's efforts to salvage, repair, and reissue as much damaged equipment as possible. There is some variation in how these bayonets were handled in order to press them back into service but if one studies enough examples a few patterns will begin to emerge. There are exceptions to every rule but most generally the following observations hold up very well regarding these armorer refurbishments:

- Bayonets will generally maintain their original serial number and will be mated with a replacement scabbard renumbered to match

- In the majority of cases the replacement serial number is simply stamped directly over the replacement scabbard's original numbers

- Some replacement scabbards will show evidence of filing or scrubbing of the original serial number prior to the stamping of replacement renumbering

- In a few very uncommon instances the replacement scabbard may have its original numbers lined or X'd out with the replacement numbers stamped beneath or above

- The usual practice was to restamp all four of the replacement serial number digits even in case where some of the original and replacement digits were identical

- The letter block stamping on the replacement scabbard is generally not altered or overstamped. In a very few rare instances overstamped letter blocks have been noted

- The original maker's name or code is not altered or changed on the replacement scabbard

- Examples in which a replacement bayonet has been renumbered to match an original scabbard's numbers are rarely encountered

- Those that are observed follow the same general rules as above as far as the renumbering

- Armorer refurbished pieces are usually of earlier (1934 - 1942) manufacture. Examples dated 1943 or later are uncommon

- During the refurbishment process other repairs might also be completed such as rebluing, and/or replacement of damaged parts; grip scales, press studs, flash guards, etc

- As one might expect the condition of these pieces tend to be a little rough as all of these bayonets and scabbards had been issued and experienced field use


Attached below are photographs of eight examples selected from my collection to discuss further in this message thread. I tried to include examples that were unique in some respect instead of a grouping of pieces with the same refurbishments. There is a group photograph and then closer pics to show detail and better illustrate the variations of refurbishment. There are four refurbished bayonets in each group shot with descriptions and detailed pics working from top to bottom.


Bayonet by Alexander Coppel GmbH, Solingen marked 42 fnj and serial numbered 8409l. Scabbard has been deeply stamped 8409 directly over the original serial number. The scabbard was made by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Solingen and is stamped WKC 1939. The original scabbard serial number was 1644i. No attempt was made to alter the original letter block.

Bayonet by Durkopp-Werke AG, Bielefeld marked S/238, dated 36 on the spine, and serial numbered 5948c. Scabbard shows evidence of light scrubbing to the serial number area and has been stamped 5948. The scabbard was made by Ernst Pack & Sohne Stahlwarenfabrik, Solingen and is stamped cul 1940. The original scabbard serial number is in the O block but the digits are illegible. No attempt was made to alter the original letter block.

Bayonet by Carl Eickhorn, Waffenfabrik, Solingen marked 42 cof and serial numbered 3432a. Scabbard has been deeply stamped 3432 directly over the original serial number. The scabbard was made by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Solingen and is stamped 42 cvl. The original scabbard serial number was 8470f. No attempt was made to alter the original letter block. Note that only the first, third, and fourth digits of the original serial number have been overstamped. The second digit (4) happens to be the same and in this case the armorer elected not to overstamp. A very uncommon exception to one of the dot points above.

Bayonet by Josua Corts Sohn, Remsheider marked Jos Corts Sn, dated 39 on the spine, and serial numbered 3100b. The scabbard was made by E&F Horster Stahl-u. Metallwarenfabrik, Solingen and is stamped 42 asw. The original scabbard serial number was 3706k which has been X'd out by the armorer and the number 3100 was restamped beneath. Although part of the replacement serial number is over the original letter block stamping no further modifications were completed. Very uncommon variation of refurbishment.

 

[Slash]

Second group photograph with closer pics to show detail and better illustrate the variations of refurbishment. Again, the descriptions and detailed pics follow from top to bottom.

Bayonet by Staatliche Waffenfabrik, Chatellerault, France marked jwh, dated 42 on the spine, and serial numbered 8207e. Scabbard shows evidence of scrubbing to the serial number/letter block area and has been deeply stamped 8207. The scabbard was made by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Solingen and is stamped 42 cvl. High quality refurbishment which virtually eliminated all traces of the original scabbard serial number with only a very small area of the letter block extant. No attempt was made to restamp a matching letter block.

Bayonet by Richard A. Herder Stahlwaren-u. Werkzeugfabrik, Solingen and marked Rich A Herder, and dated 39 on the spine. In this instance, the bayonet has been deeply stamped 5226 directly over the original serial number which was 6240e. Note that all four of the original serial number digits have been overstamped although the second digit (2) was the same on the replacement bayonet. No attempt was made to alter the original letter block. The scabbard was made by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Solingen and is stamped 41 cvl and serial numbered 5226h. Rare example in which a replacement bayonet has been renumbered to match with a serviceable scabbard.

Bayonet by Ernst Pack & Sohne Stahlwarenfabrik, Solingen marked S/177G (for 1935) and serial numbered 6787C. Scabbard has been stamped 6787c directly over the original serial number and letter block designation. The scabbard was made by Berg & Co., Soingen-Ohligs and is stamped 41 agv. The original scabbard serial number was 7589b. All four of the original serial number digits have been overstamped although the third digit (8) was the same on the replacement scabbard. Also note this is a rare example in which the armorer also restamped the letter block (c over the original b) to match.

Bayonet by Josua Corts Sohn, Remsheider marked Jos Corts Sn, dated 40 on the spine, and serial numbered 7926a. Scabbard exhibits significant file or grind marks to the serial number area and has been deeply stamped 7926. The scabbard was made by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Solingen and is stamped WKC 1938. The original scabbard serial number was 3516n. Note that all four of the original serial number digits were ground even though the the fourth digit (6) was the same on the replacement scabbard. The original serial number is still visible since the replacement numbers were stamped slightly lower on the throat of the scabbard. No attempt was made to alter the original letter block.


Thanks for looking and hope that you have enjoyed the pics and information. If anyone has additional details or thoughts regarding these interesting variation bayonets please post them here.

 

[Edmund]

This is very interesting! I'm wondering though, why would they have put all that effort into renumbering the scabbards? Why was this an important detail? Did it serve some purpose for tracking who had which piece of equipment, so that they could say "Hey Dieter, this isn't the scabbard that we issued you!" I would assume equipment was often lost or damaged and the soldier would just find a suitable replacement in his travels.

 

[Slash]

Edmund, I'm sure that what you describe did happen however those unofficial or "campfire swaps" of equipment such as bayonets or any number of other items were outside the control of higher authorities. Within control of the Wehrmacht, these items were collected, repaired, refurbished, or otherwise made serviceable and then reissued. For some serial numbered items such as bayonets this process included renumbering the pieces to match. And yes, these numbers were tracked. As an example, the Soldbuch for each soldier in the Wehrmacht includes a section to record the serial number of the issued Seitengewehr (bayonet). This section is even included in the Deutscher Volkssturm Soldbuchs issued during the final months of the war. I'm not sure why it was the important but if regulations required that a serial number be recorded, I suppose it makes sense the the numbers should match. My thoughts only .......

 

[grimlin13]

Hey Slash,
Can you tell if this bayonet was armorer refurbished. The blade is a 1936 S/174 (WKC) and in very good shape, not sharpened and retains better than 95% of it blueing. I don`t know who made the scabbard. I only have pictures of the bayonet and the scabbard is in a frog. I am trying to get the owner to send me pictures of the other side or at least tell me who the maker of the scabbard is.
Thanks,
grimlin13

 

[Gerard]

I had one I sold fairly recently. It was a 1939 Eickhorn I believe. I had to lower the price to sell it as people were skeptical. I think it had a different manufacturer 1939 scabbard, renumbered. This may be new territory and this is a very good thread. Mine was a vet bring back, with 3 or 4 other bayonets, that came from a very good source with no monkeying.

 

[Slash]

Hey Slash, Can you tell if this bayonet was armorer refurbished. The blade is a 1936 S/174 (WKC) and in very good shape, not sharpened and retains better than 95% of it blueing. I don`t know who made the scabbard. I only have pictures of the bayonet and the scabbard is in a frog. I am trying to get the owner to send me pictures of the other side or at least tell me who the maker of the scabbard is.
Thanks, grimlin13

grimlin13, Thanks for posting the pic of the bayonet. Hard to tell with any certainty from the single image. Additional closer pics would help, especially of the scabbard numbering. One can make some observations however regarding the scabbard. Clearly the third digit (6) has been overstamped (apparently on both the scabbard and bayonet). The first two digits (3 3) may also be overstamps; it is just hard to see for sure. You can see with certainty that the font and style of the two 3s on the scabbard are different than those on the bayonet. Note the difference in styles of the "flat topped" and the ""rounded top" 3s. Hard to tell anything on the fourth digit (2). The scabbard was made several years later than the bayonet. The face of the scabbard's frog lug is plain, without the four decorative lines. It varies from maker to maker however generally speaking, lines on the frog stud were eliminated in the the 1938-39 time production time frame. Hard to be definitive with the one pic but I do not see anything here that causes any alarms to go off. Nice rough-out frog also!

 

[Slash]

I had one I sold fairly recently. It was a 1939 Eickhorn I believe. I had to lower the price to sell it as people were skeptical. I think it had a different manufacturer 1939 scabbard, renumbered. This may be new territory and this is a very good thread. Mine was a vet bring back, with 3 or 4 other bayonets, that came from a very good source with no monkeying.

Gerard, Sounds like an interesting piece. I suppose that some collectors are skeptical of these pieces as they have not seen or handled them in order to have a perspective on their originality. Others may be uninterested because they don't like the look of bayonets or scabbards with X out stamps, grinding, or big overstamped numbers. Perhaps some even confuse these legitimate period refurbishments with post war foreign reworks (small digits stamped to the hilt, electro-penciled numbers on the flash guard, aluminum rivet instead of screw at the scabbard throat, etc). In your example, these factors may benefit the buyer more than the seller. As far as availability, I personally see far more factory matching bayonets than refurbished to match pieces. Hopefully, over time these unique examples will be better appreciated and more collectable. This may be a small niche area of WWII German bayonet collecting but to some, still quite intreresting. My thoughts only ......

 

[AndyB]

Nice rework pieces.

 

[Slash]

Although not actually a refurbished piece thought this scabbard would make a good addition to the thread. This is an early armorer's replacement scabbard which at times were also used in the process of reworking bayonets for reissue. These scabbards were manufactured (probably by the more prolific bayonet producers such as Eickhorn, Horster, or WKC but not maker marked or serial numbered. The intent was to provide the scabbards as replacement pieces as part of the armorer's kit. If needed, these scabbards could be serial numbered to match a salvaged bayonet, completing the set for reissue.


Unless utilized as described above, the only marking found on these scabbards will be a WaA acceptance mark which identifies them as being produced/inspected for the Wehrmacht. These scabbards should not be confused with another group of unmarked examples that were produced under contract for Police, Civil, or other Para-Military, organizations. The scabbards for these so called "Commercial" bayonets will not have a WaA stamp.


The scabbard lacks almost all finish (or was unfinished) and has some light pitting. It is an early pattern with the decorative lines cut into the face of the frog stud. The scabbard is stamped with a down wing eagle WaA25 on the reverse finial ball (standard location). It is tempting to speculate that this might in fact be a poorly struck WaA251 or WaA253 as both of these acceptance stamps are well associated with S84/98 production. In this case however, the marking is WaA25 which is interesting. Other than bayonets produced by Josua Corts Sohn, Remsheider with the ddl code in 1943-44 the WaA25 code is not associated with these weapons. This scabbard was probably manufactured somewhere in the middle 1930s, perhaps 1936 or 1937. The down wing style of eagle proof also predates the the stick wing eagle found on the later ddl examples. It is possible that these armorer made pieces were inspected and approved at a separate location.

 

[AndyB]

The stamp is probably WaA253 with the 3 digits no visible. There are many similar samples in normal Wehrmacht production. The piece could be one of the replacement or one of the contract pieces to sample Portugal M937. But i assume its probably 1937-1938 production.

 

[Slash]

Found a couple of additional refurbished bayonets in the bunker to post up for this thread.

Although the bayonet has no maker's name or code and is undated it is profusely stamped with WaA253 acceptance markings (a mixture of drop and stick wing eagles). The bayonet conforms to those pieces manufactured by WKC. The obverse ricasso is stamped with the number 15 angled and off to the left side. It does not appear to have been scrubbed or ground but it has been period redipped with a commercial blue finish as part of the refurbishment process. The locking lug is an Armorer's replacement piece with a hidden stick wing eagle 63 (E63). The pommel also shows evidence of reworking, which perhaps became necessary during replacement of the locking lug and press stud spanner. The scabbard was made by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., Solingen and is stamped WKC 1940 to the reverse. The scabbard shows no evidence of a typical serial number to the obverse and is also stamped with the number 15; again tilted and off center to the left. Some collectors identify this style of bayonet as Police issue or even Military Police (Feldgendarmerie) but I have found no definitive evidence for this conclusion. Without extant Police acceptance markings I can only identify this piece as a somewhat unusual Army Depot or Armorer's rework/refurbishment.

I lean toward this second example as having been manufacturer or factory reworked/modified instead of something done post issuance or in the field. I may certainly be mistaken however. The bayonet and scabbard were a matched set prior to the reworking. Both were made by Ernst Pack & Söhne Stahlwarenfabrik, Solingen. The bayonet is stamped E. Pack & S. on the reverse ricasso and 38 on the spine of the blade. The scabbard is marked E. Pack & S. over 1938 on the reverse upper throat. The original serial number stamping was 4099 in the i letter block. This identical serial number is also visible on the scabbard. The original serial numbers have been overstamped on both components with a series of zeros (0) to include the alpha designation. The zero as the second digit in the original serial number has been left extant and untouched. Note the four handstamped zeros are slightly taller and in a narrower font than the original zero. Note also the difference in the placement and depth of the overstamps compared to the original 0 digit. Thus, the modified serial number has been changed to reflect four zeros in a row with a zero underneath. Both sets of serial numbers were stamped prior to the bayonet being blued and finished. In light of the serial number range, I suspect a mistake or error was made in setting the stamping dies which resulted in a duplicate or perhaps incorrectly numbered set. The only other nonstandard marking on this piece is an unusual digit 8 deeply stamped to the lower reverse ricasso under the maker's name. A matching numeral 8 is stamped to the center obverse of the scabbard body approximately four inches below the frog stud. This is a rather strange location for any type of marking and the meaning of the 8 stamping is unknown. The digit 8 stampings were also accomplished prior to the bluing and final finishing of the piece. Perhaps there was more than one example with incorrect or duplicate serial numbering and when located/corrected they were so numbered for identification? All other features of this bayonet and scabbard are as originally produced complete with numerous drop wing eagle WaA253 acceptance marks.

As always, comments and thoughts on these bayonets are most welcome. Thanks for looking .....

 

[RyanE]

Very interesting pieces.

The WKC is probably a police weapon, IMHO. It looks like a commercial bayonet to me with handstamped serials added by a police unit armorer. I doubt every police bayo was "officially" purchased by the Orpo and stamped with the police acceptance (E/B, E/D, etc.).

The EPack is more interesting. Your theory about a duplicate number seems reasonable though I think a depot is equally likely. I have seen several reworks that have a small one or two digit number is stamped on the bayonet, scabbard, and flashguard probably used to keep track of everything. Most that I have seen were matching but none of them had the factory SNs cancelled. However, cancelling old serial numbers with 0s is a typical practice on K98k reworks. Have you removed the flashguard and checked for an '8'?

 

[AndyB]

The Ernst Pack could be a postwar upgrade or reserial, i have seen some sample years ago, it could be too a rework of depot, all WaA intact? and probably it should be too look for stamps under grips, maybe new serials are there.
The WKC is probably a undelivered or spare piece, i personally dont believe on police piece marked with WaA253 in 1940. In the period police bayonets were normally commerzial ordered and accepted.Maybe later serialed and used by a securing duty or organisation.

 

[Slash]

Thanks for the comments guys! In answer to the questions regarding internal markings here is what I can advise:

A real mixed grouping of parts and markings on the piece with the WKC scabbard. Blade blank has drop wing eagle WaA253 stamping and also M8 and 52 under the grips. One grip scale, drop wing eagle WaA253, a partial assembly number of 48, and MPD code. The other grip eagle swastika WaA253, assembly number 1177, and MPD code. Flashguard partial assembly number of 45.

All of the WaA numbers on the E. Pack set are intact. All are drop wing eagle WaA253. As far as internal markings - Blade blank has drop wing eagle WaA253 stamping along with 570 however the 570 has been X'd out and 275 stamped beneath with the same set of dies. Both grip scales, same eagle WaA253 along with penciled 8880 and one grip additionally stamped 971. Flashguard stamped 85. Locking lug (hidden) drop wing eagle WaA253 to the top and 275 to the bottom. The X'd over 570 and replaced 275 blank stamping seem to indicate at least some level of factory reworking. No internal stamping of an 8 to be found anywhere however ......

 

[AndyB]

The WKC looks like a rework certainly with the various assembly numbers, probably same on the matching E.Pack 4099 i piece.The 8 is probably linked wit the zeroing of original serial numbers.

 

[Bob in OHIO]

S/175.g

Here's an F.W. Holler that appears refinished, and has a "46" on the frog stud and pommel. Wondering about possible period rework?

 

[RyanE]

Here's an F.W. Holler that appears refinished, and has a "46" on the frog stud and pommel. Wondering about possible period rework?

The small two digit numbers seem consistent with other alleged depot reworks I have seen. No 46 anywhere on the blade? Sometimes the flashguard will also have the depot applied numbers.

 

[Slash]

Nice piece, thanks for posting. I have no problems with this as a depot refurbishment. Possibly a period bluing redip as well. As RyanE noted it would be interesting to know of there are any similar stampings on the flashguard or under the grip scales. You might also push the press button spanner and look for "hidden" numbers stamped on the locking lug. Interesting that the 46 to the frog stud appears to be stamped upside down from what might be expected. My thoughts only ......

 

[Bob in OHIO]

FWIW.... the '46' on the stud is oriented the same way on the pommel. The frame under the grips is numbered '782' as are the grips (faint pencil) and the locking lug. Everything mentioned is E/68.