Need I.D. help with Bayonet

[wazu013]

What can you guys tell me about theis Bayonet including all the markings if possible. It is in excellent condition. Thanks in advance.
wazu013

[jerryd6818]

I would say British as evidenced by the MoD broad arrow.

[rangerbluedog]

+1 to what Jerry D said.
Looks like the maker was R. MOLE.
The other stamps are arsenal acceptance marks I believe.
The big 'X' is a bending proof mark.
One of those is a manufacture date. I'm thinking it was manufactured in either '91 or '97?
Could possibly have seen some time in Australian service too. I can't fully make out the letters under the British arrow, but Australian stuff was marker "D (arrow) D".
See this page for more possible insight.
http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/brit_bayo.html

[Shearer]

Here is another site that tells you what the letters mean.
http://thearmouryonline.co.uk/Identification.htm

[gew8805]

It appears that you have a British P1888 bayonet. Why not show a picture of the entire bayonet so we can be sure? Hard to try to give information on an unknown quantity.

[jerryd6818]

Here's a boat load of pictures of the P1888. Now Waz, show full pictures of yours.

http://www.google.com/search?q=British+ ... 24&bih=603

[wazu013]

Here's a couple of full pics. One thing of note is the blade was never sharpened. It's factory dull on both sided. I figure the original owner saw as much action as Billy Carter, all beer cans aside

[gew8805]

Very nice, thanks for posting the pics. And a good link Jerry D.

As far as the edge? Keep in mind that the bayonet is sharp where it needs to be - the point. Bayonets are implements of war and were not intended to be used as knives. Unless unit regulations were relaxed by the commanding office, the bayonet was to keep it's factory edge. That why all British (and most other European) soldiers are issued pocket knives, then and now.

[Colonel666]

Hi. Lovely Lee-Metford Mk1 P1888 you have there. These were used in the Boer Wars. Here is another. Shiney... ain't?

[Owd Wullie]

Most all of the bayonets from WWII back that I've owned over the years were unsharpened as issued. I had a pretty mint AMES MFG. 1860 Cavalry Saber that was unsharpened as well.

Somewhere I read or heard that it was preferred to use a saber to break/smash bones rather than slice/cut. I also recall something about the Geneva Convention rules against sharpening bayonets.

Those are some nice ones. All of mine have found new homes.