Bayonets: Do you sharpen yours?

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marcus_bc

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Just curious if anyone sharpens their bayonets.
Garand manual says that the bottom blade edge and the first 5" on the top edge from the tip are sharpened. On original bayos (not repos), would sharpening degrade the value then?
 
Yes, it would. The chances of you needing a bayonet to defend yourself is next to nothing, and if you use one for day to day cutting things I'd recommend getting a knife made for that instead. I wouldn't sharpen any historical bayonet. A modern bayonet for like an M16/C7 or an M14, maybe if I was bored.
 
marcus_bc said:
If you can read, I mentioned that the Garand's manual gives instructions for sharpening the bayonet. "Poking" is not it's only function. Think about it.
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Ummm, obviously, I read your post. No need to be insulting.

Times have changed since the issue of the Garand. In WW2 and before, your bayo was your survival knife, now, not so much.

Sharpen your bayo if you like, what do I care? Do the unsharpened, unissued ones first.

Why are so many people on this forum such fu*king a$$holes? Sheesh!
 
I thought they were made dull so they did not get stuck in the poor sob's ribs when you stab him.
 
giwolf said:
I still shave with mine.
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me too. since i grew a beard, its just the legs and nose hairs now, so it lasts much longer between honings.

seriously though, bayonets were sharpened and used as knives (fighting and utility) in major conflicts. If you have a collectors piece you will detract from its value by sharpeneing, but if you want a sharp one, ans accept the consequences, go for it.

They were supposed to be shipped out sharp, but YMMV. The most recent Army manual for them is located at http://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-9-1005-237-23-and-P.pdf and does not mention shaving, that must have been in an earlier edition. as per the manual, inspect and lubricate every 90 days.
 
The majority of bayonets are not high quality steel and will never hold a good edge for very long. Some bayonets were made better for use as a knife, but really, if you need a good knife, then get one. The knives that i use need a curved edge, not a straight one. I personally wont buy a bayonet for my collection if its been sharpened, but each to their own.
 
Old Friend said:
Ummm, obviously, I read your post. No need to be insulting.

Times have changed since the issue of the Garand. In WW2 and before, your bayo was your survival knife, now, not so much.

Sharpen your bayo if you like, what do I care? Do the unsharpened, unissued ones first.

Why are so many people on this forum such fu*king a$$holes? Sheesh!
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+1, please sharpen your manners while you're at it
 
If I was a 19 or 20 year old private I would sharpen the bayonet issued to me just so I could use it for opening cans and (now) MRE's, hacking down saplings to build a shelter, etc. It may not be a great knife but a few soft throats would be OK if you were in a life & death skirmish.

If I had a collector's bayonet I wouldn't sharpen it.

All this without insulting anyone.
 
no, dont sharpen them, as mentioned it will lose it's value if it's collectable.

otherwise first consider what model/kind of bayonet it is. some are knives too, some are not. For example modern c7 bayonets are sharpened and they are knives as well as wire cutters, however the older c7 bayonets were only bayonets and are not supposed to be sharpened. same goes for ones like the SKS bayonets, dont sharpen those. Ak bayonets i believe are knives as well.
 
I ask a simple question and in return I get snide condescending answers.
Here's right back at you guys: "Why are so many people on this forum such fu*king a$$holes? Sheesh"
 
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