Cof 44 info

O

oblivion

Member
New to this site. So wife was out on curbside giveaway and tells me she got a present. Presents me with a COF 44 serial number 6652 j. It matches up with scabbard.with frog. Someone tried sharpening it with one of those electric can opener knife sharpener combos I think. Deep scratches the blade. I was curious about the serial number specifically the letter J under the number. Also I'm good at refinishing blades but never had one from this time period. Should I leave it alone. Deep scratches and blueing sanded partially off or should I take out scratches and re blue. Any help would be great. Can't believe this was gonna be garbage the next day if she didn't find it.
 
Nice find; nice wife! I will try and assist with the serial number question. Your bayonet was manufactured in1944 by Carl Eickhorn of Solingen. Most of the producers (including Eickhorn) for these S84/98 bayonets issued serial numbers in "blocks" of 10.000. The first of their bayonets in 1944 would have been numbered 1 and went to 10.000. Ending the "no letter block" with the next bayonet being numbered 1a. The a block would have continued to 10.000a followed by 1b, etc. Your bayonet is serial numbered 6652J, the 6652nd bayonet in the J block. Or the 106.652nd bayonet of this type manufactured by Eickhorn in 1944.

Others may have thoughts on restoring or refinishing but some decent photos will be needed. Hope this helps .....
 
Post pics before you do anything to your bayonet. Usually, it is best to leave as you find it. Anything you do will only decrease the originality.
 
Moved to the bayonet forum.

J block are very seldom seen for some reason. Doesn’t add much, just interesting, They must have mostly went East.
 
Slash said:
Nice find; nice wife! I will try and assist with the serial number question. Your bayonet was manufactured in1944 by Carl Eickhorn of Solingen. Most of the producers (including Eickhorn) for these S84/98 bayonets issued serial numbers in "blocks" of 10.000. The first of their bayonets in 1944 would have been numbered 1 and went to 10.000. Ending the "no letter block" with the next bayonet being numbered 1a. The a block would have continued to 10.000a followed by 1b, etc. Your bayonet is serial numbered 6652J, the 6652nd bayonet in the J block. Or the 106.652nd bayonet of this type manufactured by Eickhorn in 1944.

Others may have thoughts on restoring or refinishing but some decent photos will be needed. Hope this helps .....
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Thanks Lot man
 
grimlin13 said:
Post pics before you do anything to your bayonet. Usually, it is best to leave as you find it. Anything you do will only decrease the originality.
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Unfortunately the frog was so moldy it fell apart. I'm a leather worker so I'm gonna make a new one. If anyone needs a frog for their 44 let me know. I'll post pics soon. Thank you.
 
oblivion said:
Unfortunately the frog was so moldy it fell apart. I'm a leather worker so I'm gonna make a new one. If anyone needs a frog for their 44 let me know. I'll post pics soon. Thank you.
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Removing a moldy frog won`t affect the bayonet`s value, other than the loss of an original frog. You should apply a thin coat of light gun oil to all metal parts of the bayonet and the scabbard. Especially if you are handling it bare handed. The acids in the oils left behind from your fingers and hands can damage what blue is left and even cause rust and corrosion if left unattended. Try to wear nitrile or cotton gloves when you handle your bayonet.
 
The cof44 in J range is comparable with other series K, l or later, but i could confirm that 2 samples were found here in Slovakia. Anyway i have reported 17 samples so certainly not rare range.
 
grimlin13 said:
Removing a moldy frog won`t affect the bayonet`s value, other than the loss of an original frog. You should apply a thin coat of light gun oil to all metal parts of the bayonet and the scabbard. Especially if you are handling it bare handed. The acids in the oils left behind from your fingers and hands can damage what blue is left and even cause rust and corrosion if left unattended. Try to wear nitrile or cotton gloves when you handle your bayonet.
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There is heavy rust underneath the rotten frog, all blueing is off blade and there are deep scratches on the blade.
 
Post pics so we can evaluate the damage. There are ways to remove rust and stop further corrosion. Sounds like bayonet has been well used, not cared for or stored properly.
 
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