New bayonet?

[Joseph Scott 0]

I was sent a bayonet which looks original, but new, which I cannot decide if it is real. It has a domed rivet and the angled cuts entering the lug slot like originals but has a cast appearance all over. Under a magnifier, even in areas that show machining marks, the surface shows cast finish, not cut machined surface. The other problem is the flat area is not flat but arched so that it does not want to go onto a barrel. The eye is off center and too much to one side. Color is sort of reddish park, not black/gray. I wonder if this is a new production run out of China correcting the obvious flaws on the first remakes. I will try to post pictures later. Has anyone seen such?

[Jim Peden 0]

This may indeed be a new Chinese or Pakistani variant, and if it is, the "domed rivet test" may be now history. You are correct to be suspicious, for if the "flat" side isn't flat enough to fit on a barrel, that strongly suggests that the manufacturer did not have a JSAR on hand to test his new creation.

My neighbor has one of the finest JSAR bayonets I've ever seen - very mint with an equally attractive sheath. I've never seen one better. There were a few, perhaps, that weren't used for tent pegs, but they appear to be quite rare, as are minty JSARs themselves.

I've no personal objection to militaria reproductions, as long as they are clearly identifiable as such and not easily transformed into pieces to be sold as originals. Indeed, as a Civil War Reenactor, I have a passel of weapons ranging from Colt and Remington pistols to a percussion Sharps carbine, and I am delighted to have weapons I can carry on the field without adding wear and tear to an authentic piece of history.

[Joseph Scott 0]

These are thumbnails of the questionable bayonet. Click on them and you can enlarge as you wish . #2 shows the warped handle against a straightedge, another shows the loop not quite going on. #4 is cast Texture all over.

[ArtR 0]

Joe

Looking at pics in high resolution, IMHO, appears "redness" may be rust.

The "warp", could that just be it got bent by accident?

And the "off center" eye just be a bad machine job?

And the "cast" appearance, wasn't the parkerizing done after machining?

ArtR

[ArtR 0]

A general question on JSAR bayonets:

Were they made from cast or forged steel?

[Jim Peden 0]

Yes on close examination, this looks more like an original that was rode hard and put away wet. High resolution looks more like rust pitting that has been cleaned up, as Art suggests. It might have been chucked in a vice for a vigorous wire brushing, wonder if rather than the hole simply being simply off center, part of one side was sanded down.. More vice chucking with heavy handed brushing might even have been able to bend the shaft.

[Joseph Scott 0]

On the side of the eye which looks like it was sanded, this area shows no signs of being sanded or ground. It has the same cast appearance as the rest. Areas which look like they are machined are not. I work too much metal not to know the difference. Under a 10x glass there is no signs of rust, even in the lowest areas. All of my known originals have different surfaces. I returned it to owner without trying to correct fit in case he may want to return to seller. Keep an eye open in case any more like this show up. Thanks for your input.

[ArtR 0]

Hi Joe

I sent photo links to a friend, and he thought maybe rust also, but that it had been cleaned up partially by sandblasting, giving the cast look to machined surfaces. He thought the re-park job might not have been all that good thus the tell tale signs of new rust in areas that were not fully cleaned before.

Just a thought

Art