Question on this JWH 42

[Noah B]

Hello all,

I recently acquired this JWH 42 for $100. But it has me scratching my head, the scabbard matches the blade but it’s plated and I don’t know why. The frog does not appear to match the scabbard, JJH 4 maybe? Further information would help, the waffenampts are pictures below.

 

[grimlin13]

If any of it has been plated it was probably done post 1945. Most were plated by US GIs as a souvenir. Frogs were not serialized to match the bayonet.
With it being plated and the blade being sharpened, you paid what it is worth and I am being generous because it matches and is a JWH.

 

[AndyB]

The bayonet itself was cleaned which clearly visible,on edge probably light sharpened?, the scabbard was plated postwar when its a nickeling, jlh could be the frog code.

 

[Slash]

The frog does not appear to match the scabbard, JJH 4 maybe?

Maker information for frogs will not match that of the bayonet/scabbard. The marking on the frog is gjh > 4 for the firm of Rudolf Conte, Nachf., Theodor Seibod, Lederausrüst. u. Reiseartikel of Offenbach am Main (Hessen).

 

[Noah B]

Thanks for the input guys, this is my second German bayonet and I’m disappointed in myself for buying another sharpened one…also, it appears whoever sharpened it left these marks behind as well. Was it common for GI’s sharpen these in the field?

 

[grimlin13]

If you are trying to figure out if it was sharpened by a GI for use in battle, probably not. It was more than likely sharpened by some bubba right here in USA.
Pretty sure those marks were left by a file.
Not saying it is impossible to have been sharpened in field by some GI toting a file around, just highly unlikely. IMO he would use whatever knife he was issued or already owned. Something he was comfortable with and better suited for hand-to-hand combat.

 

[AndyB]

Unfortunally it was badly cleaned on crossguard and pommel too, bad as the France Chatellerault production is allways interesting as not extra large numbers produced, even matching here.

 

[Muncher 1953]

The piece has it’s own unique history, & though not ‘original’ condition, it still tells a story.(kind of like a russian capture)

If the plating bothers you, plating can be stripped by a plater (same plating bath, with polarity reversed) but is usually a 2 step process, as there may be a light copper plating under the nickel. (copper strike). Copper adheres better to steel than nickel, & nickel adheres better to copper.

A more do-it-yourself method might be to blue it. Birchwood Casey makes Super Blue, which will color the nickel plate, though the quality of the appearance will depend a lot on your technique. Not to be confused with Perma Blue, which won’t color nickel.

 

[AndyB]

the price is ok for similar piece. The handling with it bring not much better as the reverse process would bring problematic results, i would personally leave as is as a GIs refurbishment.