I just bought a K98 bayonet - need your opinion

[Dr.X]

Hello everyone.
I was visiting Croatia with my family earlier this month and bought this from a street vendor, on a whim, for 150 euros.
From what I've found on the web, this is not a particularly rare or valuable piece.
But I don't know.
I'm not a collector, and I want to sharpen it. How much will this reduce its value?
Many thanks.

 

[Zeppelin5000]

They were never sharpened from factory, I'd leave it be. The numbers on the bayonet guard, along with numbers on the scabbard stud, are post-war. The triangle marking is post-war as well. Those additional numbers and markings was applied by another nation that used it.

 

[grimlin13]

Not much left value wise from a collectable point of view. about the only thing going for it, is the fact that it has not been sharpened. The scabbard is not the right type for this bayonet. It looks like a WWI scabbard.
Possibly a Yugoslavian reuse. Pretty sure Andy will know which country used this bayonet post war.

 

[bert.f]

Post-war renovation , Yugoslavia

 

[AndyB]

As mentioned already the scabbard is a yugoslavian M1948 with P44 triangle marking which is not proper, the bayonet was refurbished in Yugoslavia post 1950 by new serials added on crosspiece, the grips are from much earlier sample as 44cvl - WKC. 150€ is too much for this non real combination, the german yugo postwar reworks should be matching with scabbard are going already aften inflation in 100/120 range, the M48 bayonet configuration is even cheaper about 60/80 on market.
Sharpening of this thick blade profile, brings nothing, You should buy Yourself a nice hunting knife for 50/60€ it would be much better, all thickness of blade over 4mm is problematic to sharpen and hold the edge as is too thick.

 

[Dr.X]

Thank you all so much!
Bummer for me, though the bayonet itself is an original 1944 WKC one, right? Solingen. They just stamped a number on the guard.
I read up on the sharpening and general use of bayos. So I will not sharpen it. But I'll likely refresh the tip.

 

[AndyB]

The tip is already probably blunted, the blade lenght should be over 252/3mm, so when its shorter i would leave it as is.