WWII German Army K98 Combat Bayonet -
The German Army was made part of the Wehrmacht in May 1935 with the passing of the "Law for the Reconstruction of the National Defence Forces". Between 1935 and 1945 this force grew to consist of hundreds of divisions and thousands of smaller supporting units. Between 1939 and 1945 close to 16 million served in the Army.
The design of the bayonet consisted of a metal pommel which housed the rifle lugnut release button. Pressing this
would disengage the bayonet from the barrel of the k98 rifle.
The bayonet was produced with a variety of handles. The ones featured here are made of bakelite, usually attributed
to earlier production pieces.
The handles were secured using two screws. The cross guard was basic in design. It had a semi-circular cut at one
side that was designed to let the barrel of the rifle fit better.
There were multiple designs and applications for the K98 bayonet. Some of them did not involve combat.
A dress version
was available for wear during special occassions such as dinner parties, parades, weddings, etc.
Depending on the financial means of the soldier it was possible to outfit the dagger lavishly with
etched blades and
stag handles .
|
This page is a recognition and identification guide for German bayonets. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out specific
points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my German bayonet worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the Nazi bayonets is
reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of the police sword in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
MilitaryItems.com,
a company dedicated
to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and
collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
|
|
The base of the blade has two sets of markings. One side reads F.W. Holler. The other side has the serial number
6895 with a small letter h below it. Holler was a well known manufacturer of edge weapons during the Nazi reign.
The scabbard also shares the same serial number as the blade. In the collectors's business this is known as
matching numbers and increases the value of the piece by 15 to 20 percent.
The pommel had two waffen marks stamped. These marks are composed of small lines which roughly form the shape of
an eagle.
Many German edge weapons are currently
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other edge weapons of the Third Reich, you can do so by going
to our
WWII German daggers and Swords
identification guide, Where we cover blades from the Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine), Air Force
(Luftwaffe) and other organizations.
|
Swat the Shopping Bug to view related military items!
