Eastern Germany AKM Type I

[Hombre]

I have this AKM Bayonet Type I and which I think are Eastern German...
Am I correct or am I out in the blue.... The bayonet have matching numbers...
As a beginner I really appreciate any help I can get...

Best,
Hombre
Sweden

[Mr. B.]

You are correct Stefan. It is an East German, (DDR), AKM 6X4 Type I bayonet and scabbard. It is correct with all the right E.G. accessories, insulator, hanger and wrist strap.
It does have matching numbers, but they are not the original numbers. They may not even be E.G. numbers. This bayonet has signs of being reworked/reconditioned at some point in time. This can be seen in the sharpening / recontouring of the blade. Normally these hand etched numbers are referred to as "forced matching" due to combining non-matching components. I have never seen re-numbering like this on an E.G. bayonet. This indicates to me that this bayonet may have been reworked or re-issued by another county. Very interesting!
Also interesting is the single digit mold number on the rubber insulator. E.G. used several different mold numbers, but most were the common 5998.
I can not confirm from the picture, but the scabbard may have a flat topped cutter plate pivot. If so this would be a rarer early version.
Mike

[Mr. B.]

Hi Stefan. This is a complete East German bayonet bayonet. To confirm if this item has original matching East German numbers you must know where to look. The bayonet should have hand etched numbers, ( 2 letters, 4 numbers), in the bayonet mounting slot in the pommel. This number would have originally been matched to a rifle. The scabbard would have been matched to the bayonet by hand etching the last three digits at the top front of the scabbard body under the rubber insulator.
Mike

[Mr. B.]

With either original matching numbers and/or the added matching numbers it is a very interesting and unique item. Mike

[Hombre]

Mike, thank you so very much for your help. As a beginner when it comes to AK Bayonets it is extremely important to get information like what you have provided me with. Thank you for taking the time to do so! Very much appreciated. When I come home I will take a look if my bayonet have a flat topped cutter plate pivot and also for other numbers.

Best,
Stefan

[Mr. B.]

Hi Stefan, I am still mystified about the "A1045" numbers on this bayonet and scabbard. They are not consistent with anything I would expect from East Germany. I would like to find out more about it. Perhaps a different country or user added these numbers? Possibly E.G. rework and reissue?
Did you find the original E.G. numbers or any other marking? If they are there, have they been crossed out in any manner?
Regards, Mike

[mill_speer]

The one shown is a repaired DDR M. 59 / 6X3
This numbering is not that unusual.
The GDR had various paramilitary organizations,
who did not necessarily adhere to the norms of the army, even in the NVA there were tolerated deviations from the norm - not everything was 100% the same.
The bayonet with this numbering is typical of the GDR border troops.
With the border troops, the bayonets were carried for 8 hours almost every day, and so there was considerable wear and tear, also due to improper handling.
About 60% of the repaired bayonets are from the border troops.
Depending on the type of damage, they were repaired with official spare parts.
Most of the time only the handles were renewed, if necessary the edges of the blade were reground.
When the handles were exchanged, the covers of the connecting screws were sealed with a wide variety of synthetic resins. Each grip is marked with a "Z" in a circle.
This is because official spare parts have been used and all grips are marked with a Z.
New unrepaired bayonets only have a Z below the handle as no spare parts were used.
The bayonets were repaired by the armorer of the troops or by the armorer of the "Mob" (mobilization) in Schwepnitz / Saxony.
Bayonets that were repaired by the mob, the numbers of which were deleted and handed over to the depots.

Das hier gezeigte ist ein Repariertes DDR M. 59 /6X3
So ungewöhnlich ist diese Nummerierung nicht.
Die DDR hatte verschiedensten Paramilitärische Organisationen,
die sich nicht unbedingt an die Normen der Armee gehalten haben, selbst bei der NVA gab es tolerierte Abweichungen von der Norm es war nicht alles 100% gleich.
Das Bajonett mit dieser Nummerierung ist ist Typisch für die DDR Grenztruppen.
Bei den Grenztruppen wurden die Bajonette fast Täglich 8 Stunden mitgeführt , und somit gab es erhebliche Abnutzungen auch durch unsachlichen Umgang.
Ca. 60% der reparierten Bajonette sind von den Grenztruppen.
Je nach der Art der Beschädigung wurden die mit offiziellen Ersatzteilen repariert.
Meistens wurden nur Die Griffe erneuert gegebenfalls die Kanten der Klinge nachgeschliffen.
Beim Austausch der Griffe wurden die Abdeckungen der Verbindungschrauben mit den verschiedensten Kunstharzen versiegelt. Jede Griffschalen ist mit "Z" im Kreis markiert.
Das kommt daher , da ofizielle Ersatzteile verwendet wurden und alle Griffschalen mit Z abgenommen sind.
Neue nicht reparierte Bajonette haben nur ein Z unterhalb des Griff,da keine Ersatzteile verwendet wurden.
Repariert wurden die Bajonette von den Waffenmeistern der Truppe oder auch von den Waffenmeistern der Mob (Mobilmachung) in Schwepnitz/ Sachsen.
Bajonette die von der Mob repariert wurden, bei denen wurden die Nummern gelöscht und an die Depots übergeben.

G.

[mill_speer]

more pictures

[Mr. B.]

Gerhard, Thank you for sharing such detailed information and excellent pictures. Learning about details such as this is what makes collecting so interesting to me. Always something new to learn. Also interesting to have a reason to re-inspect the items in our collections and learn more about them.
Best Regards, Mike

[mill_speer]

Addendum
Revised Russian 6X3 / DDR M.59
The GDR also imported Russian 6X3 bayonets, which were also repaired.
I show these repairs in the following pictures.
Image: 1st, 2nd Bayonet No .: 1. Russian. in original condition without weapon number.
Imported rus. 6X3 bayonets were all barely numbered.
Image: 3. Renewed handles with two "Z" in a circle
Image: 4. No .: 2. Pusher and scabbard were not exchanged.
Image: 5. The cutting edges of the blade have been sharpened.
Image: 6th, 7th not repaired soot. 6X3 with added wear parts.

Nachtrag
Überarbeitete Russische 6X3 / DDR M.59
Die DDR importierte auch Russische 6X3 Bajonette ,welche auch repariert wurden.
Diese Reparaturen zeige ich mal an folgenden Bilder.
Bild: 1. ,2. Bajonett Nr.: 1. rus. im Originalzustand ohne Waffen Nummer.
Importierte rus. 6X3 Bajonette waren alle fast ohne Nummer.
Bild: 3. Erneuerte Griffe mit zwei "Z" im Kreis
Bild: 4. Nr.: 2. Drücker und Scheide wurden nicht ausgetauscht.
Bild: 5. Die Schneiden der Klinge wurden nachgeschliffen.
Bild: 6. ,7. nicht reparierte Russ. 6X3 mit ergänzten Verschleißteilen.

[mill_speer]

more pictures

[mill_speer]

Russian 6X3 DDR imported with deleted DDR Number.

G.