I am looking at a Lee Enfield No.5 (Jungle Carbine) bayonet. Typical prices for one in good condition seem to run in the 250-325$ range. What would sharpening do to the value? I have seen internet experts estimate the value reduction anywhere from "completely destroyed" to 1/3 to 1/2 off. What is a reasonable range?
How much does sharpening reduce the value of a bayonet?
- Thread starter David Scott
- Start date
I am surprised by the quote of "$250-$325" for a price range on a LE No.5 bayonet, I will do some research and the other more knowledgable
CGNers will no doubt be along shortly. I feel that a sharpened bayonet has not lost much value.
CGNers will no doubt be along shortly. I feel that a sharpened bayonet has not lost much value.
In my experience, it does affect the value. I know that if I buy a bayonet and it's been "improved" that way by a previous owner, I want to know for sure before I acquire it. It's a bit like a drilled and taped milsurp receiver - it's tampered with. If you have a Jungle Carbine bayonet, DON'T sharpen it.
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For price equivalents, consult cheap Chinese Bowie knives on Alibaba…
Eaglelord17
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Sault Ste. Marie
I have one sharpened bayonet in my collection. I never intended to buy it, but thanks to some bad angles (likely purposeful) on a ebay listing, I ended up with it (the angles also didn't show the horrible cold blue job someone tried to do to the blade). It was cheaper than the average bayonet, however it was missing its scabbard which I thought was the price difference. Now I have a bayonet that is next to useless as a collectable, and the sharpening job was crap so it is next to useless as a knife. I literally can't give the thing away.
So yes to answer your question sharpening does make a huge difference. It makes sense when you think about it, as no one use it for a practical purpose, the only reason to have it is to collect it. Collectors want things as close to original as possible, as usually (especially in the case of bayonets) it is just to show off with the rifle. 1/2 off is the minimum I think, however I personally wouldn't want one sharpened unless there was no other option (exemptions going to extremely rare bayonets which the No. 5 bayonet doesn't really count as).
So yes to answer your question sharpening does make a huge difference. It makes sense when you think about it, as no one use it for a practical purpose, the only reason to have it is to collect it. Collectors want things as close to original as possible, as usually (especially in the case of bayonets) it is just to show off with the rifle. 1/2 off is the minimum I think, however I personally wouldn't want one sharpened unless there was no other option (exemptions going to extremely rare bayonets which the No. 5 bayonet doesn't really count as).
The vast majority of Australian issued SMLE bayonets were sharpened at some point in service as they taught the slash as well as the thrust in their bayonet training and it was common for the ANZAC's to sharpen the bayonet just before going over the top during WW1.
The British did it too -
And the Germans as well
The British did it too -
And the Germans as well
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Big thanks!
Great pictures, much appreciated, that's why I'm an accumulator not a "collector", I'm not much for counting the number of angels that can fit on a pin.
The vast majority of Australian issued SMLE bayonets were sharpened at some point in service as they taught the slash as well as the thrust in their bayonet training and it was common for the ANZAC's to sharpen the bayonet just before going over the top during WW1.
The British did it too -
And the Germans as well
Great pictures, much appreciated, that's why I'm an accumulator not a "collector", I'm not much for counting the number of angels that can fit on a pin.
^?.
Coyote Ugly
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The vast majority of Australian issued SMLE bayonets were sharpened at some point in service as they taught the slash as well as the thrust in their bayonet training and it was common for the ANZAC's to sharpen the bayonet just before going over the top during WW1.
☺ Great History Lesson ☺
Thanks
jpc
☺ Great History Lesson ☺
Thanks
jpc
Great pictures, much appreciated, that's why I'm an accumulator not a "collector", I'm not much for counting the number of angels that can fit on a pin.
Yeah, worrying about bayonets being sharpened is like worrying about your milsurp rifle having been rebuilt/modified or converted to a sniper rifle in service. Sure they never left the factory that way but it was part of the way they were used/modified by their respective original users for actually combat use.
I have ex-mil combat rifles that have notches and initials carved in their stocks by their owners too, also I have a M1917 with red paint and .30-06 painted in red on it, are they all only worth 50% or less than one that was never issued or saw any field or combat use?
I guess these rifles would only be worth 50% a un-altered one too, as they were modified by their users in the field from how they left the factory -
At least with a sharpen bayonet you knew it saw actually combat use over a unsharpened one that never left a crate or barracks.
How could you prove the bayo was sharpened in the field for actual combat use? You can't. Could just as easily been post war by bubba for his hunting knife.
Factory original examples of just about anything are generally worth far more than refurbished/reworked/modified examples.
I'm not saying reworks or rebuilds aren't collectible but they aren't as valuable.
Factory original examples of just about anything are generally worth far more than refurbished/reworked/modified examples.
I'm not saying reworks or rebuilds aren't collectible but they aren't as valuable.
Most WW1 and a lot of WW2 sniper rifles were modified as such after leaving the factory as standard rifles, some like Finnish sniper rifles were made into snipers decades later after years of use as regular rifles. I would love a Finnish sniper rifle and dare to say it would be worth a hell of a lot more than a unmodified Mosin Nagant military rifle.
Obviously it depends on the particular piece and its likely history. A 1914 Pattern 07 bayonet that was sharpened long ago (from the patina) may well have seen front line service. Conversely, a Swedish bayonet is an obvious bubba job. In the doubtful cases you need to be able to read the physical evidence and make logical deductions; you either have the eye for it or you don't.
