kS98 bayonet

[Steve1871]

I know these bayonets had black pressed leather grips for colonial troops. Replacement grips were wood. On the western front,the German army had switched to wood grips on most bayonets. I am getting a kS98 with wood grips. I can not find out if for western front, any kS98's were issued with wood grips, or only replacement grips were wood

[Gernika]

I have both, leather and wood grip.

Unfortunally wood grips one is not regimental stamped so cany say where could have been.

I can say its an pristine considition and guess was born with riveted wood  grips.

the other one came from Afrika.

Dont know if this help.

Edited 25 January , 2019 by Gernika

[Steve1871]

Actually I am getting the same. An original leather grip one, KS..... Colonial marked, forgot the number off hand, and a second be, wood grip, no unit number but the scabbard is for a pilot or airman, unit  has.  F.F.K., there seem to be no place that explains either way, if some kS 98 were made with wood grips or were those solely replacements

[trajan]

As made originally, all kS 98 had the leather grips with three rivets. Wood grips with two screw bolts were introduced on 9th December 1913, and came into service in March 1914 - for cost reasons: wooden ones were 6 pfennig a pair, leather ones 70 pfennig. That's from Carter volume II - but I think I have copies of the actual German documentation somewhere on file.