Bayonet Question

[kevikens]

I recently acquired a Rev War bayonet, original Brown Bess, marked 7 (7th regiment, Royal Fusiliers) and A (company). I have seen and handled and own a number of angular bayonets but his one is odd, I think, as the edges are razor sharp. None of either of the Revolutionary War or Civil War socket bayonets I have seen have sharp edges. Does anyone know if sharpened edge bayonets in the Civil War were around or is this one I acquired an odd ball for any period of angular bayonet from Rev War through Napoleonic to our Civil War? Thanks

 

[johan_steele]

I've only ever handled one sharpened angular bayonet and that was a broken & repurposed Lorenz bayonet.

 

[rob63]

FWIW, I have owned several Brown Bess bayonets over the years and none of them have ever been sharpened.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Bayonets (by design) are not meant to bear a sharp edge... It is counterproductive of it's intended use.

Going further, it is also interesting that one can argue that the more 'modern' bayonet vertical-blade orientation has been long antiquated.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

It would depend on what time period your Brown Bess bayonet is from. The very early Long Land Pattern Brown Bess bayonets were intended to double as a side arm. There are a number of period references stating that bayonets only were issued to shore patrols, etc. The early Bess bayonet with the "Shield" reinforcement at the shank is more often found with at least one edge sharpened, than not. These are very early, pre-1750, and there is documentation that the bayonets were to be sharpened for camp use.

Kevikens - If your Brown Bess bayonet is shield reinforced shank bayonet please know that it is in the very top percentile of Brown Bess bayonet value!
J.

 

[kevikens]

It would depend on what time period your Brown Bess bayonet is from. The very early Long Land Pattern Brown Bess bayonets were intended to double as a side arm. There are a number of period references stating that bayonets only were issued to shore patrols, etc. The early Bess bayonet with the "Shield" reinforcement at the shank is more often found with at least one edge sharpened, than not. These are very early, pre-1750, and there is documentation that the bayonets were to be sharpened for camp use.

Kevikens - If your Brown Bess bayonet is shield reinforced shank bayonet please know that it is in the very top percentile of Brown Bess bayonet value!
J.

I have to admit that I am not as familiar with bayonets as much as I am other weapons. The person from whom I bought it is a person who I have dealt with before several times . He knows his historical arms quite well. He showed me in a book on bayonets the markings of the inspector who began his role as inspector in 1771 so I am guessing that it was for the Second Model Bess. He too remarked that the sharpened edge was unusual. From the appearance of the edge it was sharpened very well, quite even, no nicks and the edge has the same color as the rest of the blade. It also has traces of what seem to be "tinning" which he said was done in the 18th Century to retard rust or corrosion, especially if exposed to salt water, so perhaps for a sea service Bess. If the interpretations of the "7" and the "A" are correct the regiment marched on the King's Highway, three blocks from my home, on its way from Philadelphia to Monmouth Court House in June of 1778. Thanks for that info about the camp use.

 

[kevikens]

I have to admit that I am not as familiar with bayonets as much as I am other weapons. The person from whom I bought it is a person who I have dealt with before several times . He knows his historical arms quite well. He showed me in a book on bayonets the markings of the inspector who began his role as inspector in 1771 so I am guessing that it was for the Second Model Bess. He too remarked that the sharpened edge was unusual. From the appearance of the edge it was sharpened very well, quite even, no nicks and the edge has the same color as the rest of the blade. It also has traces of what seem to be "tinning" which he said was done in the 18th Century to retard rust or corrosion, especially if exposed to salt water, so perhaps for a sea service Bess. If the interpretations of the "7" and the "A" are correct the regiment marched on the King's Highway, three blocks from my home, on its way from Philadelphia to Monmouth Court House in June of 1778. Thanks for that info about the camp use.

Oh, one other thing I discovered. It will not fit onto the two repro Besses that I have, one an Italian from the early 1970's and the other a Japanese from the late 1980's. The problem is the front bayonet lug which is too large for the opening in this bayonet. In doing some research on this I discovered that the lugs on the earlier Besses were smaller and were made larger about the time the second model came along.

 

[Craig L Barry]

Yep the lugs needed to be a little bigger to keep them on, since there is no retaining ring. Bayonets are an entire field of study unto themselves.