I looked at that mark under a magnifying glass and it's a tiny scratch, not the remnant of a "1".
Polish AK47 bayonet, but no date?
Moderator: Mr. B.
Polish AK47 bayonet, but no date?
Just picked this up a few days ago. It does have the Circle 11 stamp, albeit filled in with some sort of white paint. However, it doesn't have a date stamp or any indication one was removed. The bayonet has an A-prefix serial number with the typical diamond stamp, although it's an incredibly clear stamp. What say the experts?
I looked at that mark under a magnifying glass and it's a tiny scratch, not the remnant of a "1".
I looked at that mark under a magnifying glass and it's a tiny scratch, not the remnant of a "1".
Re: Polish AK47 bayonet, but no date?
I am not sure what the experts will say. In the meantime, I believe this bayonet is the result of a standard bayonet that has been reworked / repaired. Both sides of the crossguard show evidence of being ground off. The right side, (1958), more so than the left, (oval 11). The crossguard pins / rivets are visible on both sides and may have been replaced. The crossguard on AK47 bayonets is installed from the front / point. The original crossguard may have been removed and replaced at some point due to damage or just the rivets replaced. when this is done the rivets have to be ground smooth. The original factory / arsenal installation is very smooth and with the bluing the rivets are not visible. Obviously, this work was done by a repair depot. Crude grinding marks and little, if any refinishing. The grinding is deeper and mor evident on the right side. Most of the "1958" stamping has been removed. Close examination shows the "1" is still visible. The top edge of the cross guard behind the muzzle ring is almost a sharp edge. It is normally more rounded like the opposite side. Much more metal was removed on this side.
The left side grinding was much lighter and focused on the front edge over the rivets leaving the oval 11 stamping more intact. I have no explanation for the white paint in the oval 11 stamping. The white coloring on markings is usually done to accent the markings for photography. I have used fingernail polish, model paint, or crayons in the past, but prefer to see them more naturally. Below are the original pictures with the discrepancies marked and pictures of an unmodified Bayonet for comparison. Mike
The left side grinding was much lighter and focused on the front edge over the rivets leaving the oval 11 stamping more intact. I have no explanation for the white paint in the oval 11 stamping. The white coloring on markings is usually done to accent the markings for photography. I have used fingernail polish, model paint, or crayons in the past, but prefer to see them more naturally. Below are the original pictures with the discrepancies marked and pictures of an unmodified Bayonet for comparison. Mike
Re: Polish AK47 bayonet, but no date?
Excellent points! Thanks for solving the mystery!