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First S84/98 Bayonet Questions

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Banjo1928

Active member
I previously posted a general comment on how amazed I was about the amount of information to be found in this forum. I had been searching for info on unmarked S84/98 bayonets as my wife bought me one for my birthday.

After all of my reading it turns out that apparently, the person she bought it from was talking about the frog not being marked. The bayonet itself is in fact marked.

This is the first bayonet of this type that I have had a chance to look at. My rookie questions are:

The “eagle 82” markings are they military acceptance marks or just identify it as German made?

If it is military, is there a reason why it does not have a flash hider?

It seems to be in great condition which actually makes me a little nervous fearing reproductions or refinished items.

The scabbard is also in great condition but appears to have been made by another manufacturer; are they close to having been made about the same time? The scabbard is marked 1937 and I think from what I have read that the bayonet with the manufacturer’s code rather than the name spelled out would put its manufacture date around the same time. I say that but am not sure.

Anything you could tell me about it would be greatly appreciated. For some reason I forgot to take photos of the frog. Most of the ones I have seen have four rivets and occasionally they will have a security strap pushed in and stitched. This one looks almost the same but it does not have the four rivets but oddly, the security strap is not stitched in but held in place with one rivet in the center. The leather is thick and looks vintage but again, I am not sure. I will try and get a few photos of it soon.

Thanks you.

Lft & Rt Side.jpg Markings.jpg Markings 02.jpgPommel.jpgLft & Rt Side Scabbard.jpg Scabbard Markings.jpg
 
It's postwar Yugo refinished, for some reason unknown to me they removed the flash guards. Also the grips are post-war Yugo, you can tell due to the coarse grain of the wood. If you look at the wood on an actual Yugo M48 bayonet you will see it looks very similar. They've added the numbers to the frog stud, and cross guard.
Most German wood grips were walnut with much tighter grain.

It probably has a Yugo frog. Tell tale sign besides the pattern is a Brass (Yellowish) stud for the strap. The bayonet would have been issued with a Yugo refinished German K98.
 
Amazing. Fortunately it was not a particularly high priced item. Thank you for the for the quick response. It did seem a bit too shiny so I was suspicious.
 
Interestingly the parts are correct marked for S/173K also Coppel and 1934 production, as E/82 proofed, that is not obvious by yugoslavian reworks, the scabbard looks like only serialed with new yugo serial, bayonet was reblued, and got new grips, by this was probably forgot to add the flashguard, this item is not needed on Kar98k rifles. Its already obsolete design. Jetter und Scheerer as maker of scabbard is a middle or lower range producer. Nothing rare here, as a start of S84/98 collection is this ok.
 
AndyB said:
Interestingly the parts are correct marked for S/173K also Coppel and 1934 production, as E/82 proofed, that is not obvious by yugoslavian reworks, the scabbard looks like only serialed with new yugo serial, bayonet was reblued, and got new grips, by this was probably forgot to add the flashguard, this item is not needed on Kar98k rifles. Its already obsolete design. Jetter und Scheerer as maker of scabbard is a middle or lower range producer. Nothing rare here, as a start of S84/98 collection is this ok.
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Obsolete? What are they going to use to drive in tent stakes now?
 
hard to say, but i assume there was a axe on platoon level certainly, the use of flashguard in wartime period speaks for non ability to simplify the bayonet construction as the flashguard had no reason after not use of Kar98AZ carbines. there would be needed change of bakelit grip forms and various other technological changes. In continued production by various firm it would be rise many difficulties so probably continued in production of older configuration as it was ordered in early 30ies. Only changes were done on quality of surface finish and numbering.
 
In the case of this specific bayonet, it is not a reproduction or fake. It simply is what it is and anyone familiar with this area of collecting would spot it for what it is.

My question then is this, are bayonets from this period faked and augmented with additional markings as much as the rifles? I know if I have learned nothing else from you fine folks it is that I would never buy another K98 without running it past the group. In fact, I would probably only buy from within the group. Are bayonets the same way? That is, besides simply being well educated on what to look for, does one need an expert to look at the item before purchase?

I don't want to come back to y'all saying look what I got! It's SS marked with three death head stamps and a swastika burnt into the grips and only cost me $750. How bad is it out there in buyer beware land?
 
This bayonet from collector point is not much valued, firstly because postwar using by Yugoslavia and secondly by the refurbishment which removed some period components and replaced it with a new ones. So in comparation with untouched period matching piece to sample S/173K it could reach only 25/30% of value. Much better are pieces in untouched non cleaned or reworked condition, a study here in forum could help to orienting in the area.
 
Banjo1928 said:
In the case of this specific bayonet, it is not a reproduction or fake. It simply is what it is and anyone familiar with this area of collecting would spot it for what it is.

My question then is this, are bayonets from this period faked and augmented with additional markings as much as the rifles? I know if I have learned nothing else from you fine folks it is that I would never buy another K98 without running it past the group. In fact, I would probably only buy from within the group. Are bayonets the same way? That is, besides simply being well educated on what to look for, does one need an expert to look at the item before purchase?

I don't want to come back to y'all saying look what I got! It's SS marked with three death head stamps and a swastika burnt into the grips and only cost me $750. How bad is it out there in buyer beware land?
Click to expand...
Yes, S84/98 III bayonets are faked and augmented. Check out our "Bayonet Turd Alerts" https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/bayonet-turd-alerts.48834/

There are more embellishments such as an etched/engraved S84/98 III. They look cool, with some elaborate origin story attached to them when some huckster tries to sell one. Straight fake!
What you read and see on this forum about bayonets is pretty much the Gospel. You won`t find any group more knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge.
 
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