Sharpened bayonets

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albertacowboy

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I am told by some CF friends that they are ordered not to sharpen bayonets for the C7. Research on WWI, however, seems to indicate that the Pattern 1907 bayonet was sharpened when issued for overseas (read combat) duty. Does anyone have any information on this topic?
 
What about the Ross bayonet in WW1...many were shaped into combat configuration...was this a soldier thing or a regulated activity??

Nowdays soldiers are issued those Gerber multi tool to take care of cuting and other requirements.
 
It was regulated modification, round bladed point would not penetrate German Issue Greatcoats.
 
During Basic some of my fellow recruits said this. I asked them where they learned this and they just rolled their eyes and said it was common knowledge.
During Battle school someone asked a CQC instructor about this and he said that of course they had to be sharp; how else could they be used to kill and also to use as a utility knife.
There is no regulation against sharpening a bayonet. Some guys just raise this kind of issue to appear knowledgeable.

Sharpen those bayonets!
 
There might be several issues why various units are told not to, and I think I was told it was an weapon tech responsiblility ........don't hold me to that though

First and foremost economy

Most people don't have a clue how to sharpen anything and i can see alot of bayonets destroyed by some num tee with a grinder did they teach you in battle school?

now even with a sharp bayonet the only thing i have ever used one for (coming from a WOG here) is proding for mines during IBTS now the death techs and others also due CQC bayonet drills. if all these have super sharp honed edges they are going to become N/S alot faster
as for an actual field knife I always used something else.

so unless your in the sandbox ............

the other reason is probably safety........how many stabbings and self inflected cuts have you seen from parades? I have seen at least a dozen.
and those where not sharpened.

now I have HEARD all the other reasons ........they work better dull ...its against the "Geneva convention"........."improper modification" .......what ever.......I think have not seen any black and white regs and I think my view at least makes sense.

I have heard much bull Sh!t from smart people swearing it was gospel only because they also heard it.

ie. an AK chambered for 5.45x39 will chamber and fire a 5.56 round ........yeah what ever.

etc
 
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I'd be very reluctant to sharpen the C7 bayonet, the damned thing breaks enough as it is. The new ones are a different story.
 
I can tell in the early seventys with the 2.P.P.C.L.I we were told not to sharpen our bayonets and the reason was because when you pull a unsharpened bayonet from the body its like a big pucture wound,like a nail that was the law from 73-77 and I had junior and senior NCO'S check my bayonet to see if it was sharpened.
 
I can tell in the early seventys with the 2.P.P.C.L.I we were told not to sharpen our bayonets and the reason was because when you pull a unsharpened bayonet from the body its like a big pucture wound,like a nail that was the law from 73-77 and I had junior and senior NCO'S check my bayonet to see if it was sharpened.
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I have heard that as well.
 
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rottenfuher said:
I can tell in the early seventys with the 2.P.P.C.L.I we were told not to sharpen our bayonets and the reason was because when you pull a unsharpened bayonet from the body its like a big pucture wound,like a nail that was the law from 73-77 and I had junior and senior NCO'S check my bayonet to see if it was sharpened.
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A sharpened vs. unsharpened bayonet should not make much of a difference in wound profile. I've read that the edge was left unsharpened so that it would not cut into rib bones and get stuck - a dull one would come out more easily. Seems to make sense.
 
My opinion for what its worth... :)

If you let people sharpen their bayonets you'll end up with some guys sharpening them to toothpicks and reshaping the blades etc....

and in the years (decades) of doing more with less (prior to the decade of darkness) thanks to those liebral types that wanted nothing but a trained poodle or glorified police force for an army. :mad: We could not afford to be replacing any weapon, and it was politically undesireable to look too dangerous. :mad:

now you don't need to sharpen the new bayonets, :dancingbanana: they come sharp :runaway: :runaway: ouch my finger :D
 
For the new Bayonets we're using overseas, I'm not sure about. But, as for the old C7 bayonets with the plastic sheath, I've got an answer why not to sharpen them.

One of the guys in my troop a few years back had sharpened his, not thinking that it was wrong. We had a change of command parade, with bayonets attached. When it came to the General Salute, and went to grab the rifle after the slap on the barrel, he slipped a little. He went to re-grab it, but grabbed the sharpened blade of his bayonet as it was falling, which of course cut his hand quite nicely. He let it go, but not very well, because the butt swung out and the blade swung in, and gave him a nice cut below his Adams' apple. It was a clusterf*%$ of ugliness on that parade, and he got dragged off to get stitches, and then dragged back to be charged for modifying his weapon.

Really nice, eh? Those old C& bayonets are used more for ceremony and/or prodding for mines, so I'd say it's safe to keep 'em dull.
 
albertacowboy said:
I am told by some CF friends that they are ordered not to sharpen bayonets for the C7. Research on WWI, however, seems to indicate that the Pattern 1907 bayonet was sharpened when issued for overseas (read combat) duty. Does anyone have any information on this topic?
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You do realize you are comparing modern day tactics, and events with tactics, and events of 90 years ago... Apples and Oranges.

Also whoever said bayonets aren't made to be sharpened needs to have a good up close look at bayonets of the past 200 years, and including the pike which they replaced...oh they be very sharp. :D
 
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I was on a SSF change of command parade and was in back rank behind the Regiments marker and in the heat the lad in front of me passed out (weak!!) and speared the marker through the back of his shoulder.

I'm sure he would agree it was sharp enough.

Interestingly enough, you don't lose teeth if you are in the middle rank.
 
Oh, they got a point on them, no doubt about that, but every one of those C7 bayonets I've been issued/used had no real edge to it. Anything with a point can be pushed into a person, given the weight of another person behind it. Take for example a pencil, it can do the same as you've stated of the bayonet, stabbing straight forward. But does it have an edge to slice... No, it doesn't.

I wouldn't want to waste my time trying to sharpen one of those cheap POS's either; I've broken/ bent more than a few without even trying to do so intentionally. It's just not quality metal.

If I want to do something that requires cutting, I'll use my Muela, Spyderco, or Scrapyard Knife before using that crappy bayonet.
 
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