trajan Posted 9 March , 2014 Share Posted 9 March , 2014 There are two threads up already on Austrian ersatz scabbards for M-N 91 bayonets - see http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=190569&hl=ersatz#entry1862746 with link there to the earlier one, so I thought I'd start this new one on the German scabbards for these. Mind you, what I am about to show is pretty nasty and certainly all three need a fair amount of TLC when I can get around to it! Briefly, the story begins with the capture by the Central Powers of so many M-N rifles and bayonets, which did not come with scabbards except in very rare cases (the bayonets were almost always kept on bayonets, but Russian leather scabbards are known). The Germans and the Austro-Hungarians (but not to the best of my knowledge the Turks, who got the rifles fighting in WW1 on the Caucasus front) made scabbards for these captures, mainly of zinc-coated steel. The German ones almost all have the round frog-stud, the A-H ones the long narrow frog-stud. At least 10 variations of the German pattern are known, and these ones here, with and without finial, seem to be the most common. What I found really intriguing is that some at least of these German ones were apparently made with a sewn-on frog... Yep, not removeable. That seems to be the case with my last one, which, unfortunately, has the frog badly bent out of shape, although it is still 'bendable' and so might respond to treatment - any suggestions? Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 9 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 9 March , 2014 Oh-oh, those did not come large enough sorry, technologically challenged me... Try again... and the last one, two more views... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscott Posted 9 March , 2014 Share Posted 9 March , 2014 Nice bayonets Trajan, thanks for posting. I like these bayonets as they were clearly involved in the fighting on the Eastern Front (as they were captured/ refitted etc). Are there any discernible markings on these? I'm no leather expert but there are quite a few threads suggesting a variety of approaches (from memory people suggested neatsfoot oil/ pecard etc). Cheers, J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 March , 2014 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2014 Nice bayonets Trajan, thanks for posting. I like these bayonets as they were clearly involved in the fighting on the Eastern Front (as they were captured/ refitted etc). Are there any discernible markings on these? I'm no leather expert but there are quite a few threads suggesting a variety of approaches (from memory people suggested neatsfoot oil/ pecard etc). Cheers, J Hi jscott, Yes, they are certainly fun in that they have a pretty good claim to be period bayonets that were actually used in the front line. To be honest I haven't really tried to do anything about cleaning or properly studying these yet although some have visible Russian serial markings. Thanks for the hint re: the leather, which I'll try to follow up. The other thing that bothers me, though, is how to deal with these scabbards in the light of their being zinc-coated... A summer vacation project looms ahead of me...!!! Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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