Bayonet WSC 1943

[Enfield trader]

Picked this up today - looks like 11 43 dated ?

[Flying10uk]

Nice un-messed condition. Did you have to pay a premium for it because it is WW2 dated? Some UK dealers come out with all sorts of rather irritating and annoying B.S. to justify an inflated price for a WW2 dated 1907 bayonet.

---------- Post added at 03:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 AM ----------

looks like 11 43 dated

and you got a partial dispersal code for Wilkinson.

[CINDERS]

Hmm ! just looking at the blade the finish is not smooth as it would have left the factory it appears to have been bead blasted hence the dimpled finish on the blade compared to say the cross piec and just after it where the makers stamps are located.
Just my ob's hopefully you did not pay to much for it, as I have a few '07 including a couple of Wilkinson's and none of the blades appear like that one.

See pic of some of my early blades showing the factory blade finish.
I can dig out an OA (Orange Arsenal, Lithgow) 1945 if ppl wish to view its finish anyway L ~ R 1916 Lithgow 5MD, JAC 1916 (James Arthur Chapman), Vickers think they are 1918 (Only 10,000 were made a rare manufacturer)

[Flying10uk]

"Un-messed" as in NOT being messed up by "collector" or "Civi-refurb" if you prefer.

[browningautorifle]

it appears to have been bead blasted

Splitting hairs...but a bead blast refers to silica sand glass beads which are fine and leave a clean satin flat finish. That's a full on sand blast, if left directed long enough can alter stampings and obliterate markings. The harshest of the lot. Hard to say when that was done.

[Flying10uk]

Hmm ! just looking at the blade the finish is not smooth as it would have left the factory

According to page 230 of Ian Skennerton's book, Wilkinson's WW2 production did include a "sandblasted" finish to the blade which is what I thought but I didn't want to say before I had checked.

Personally I wouldn't get too "hung up" over what finish a 1907 bayonet blade has because many have been refurbished, some more than once. As I've said the main thing is avoid getting one that has been "messed with".

[Enfield trader]

Thanks for that info - that is what I found searching today

[Sapper740]

"They don't like it up 'em, you know!" Let's see how many of you recognize this quote.

[Flying10uk]

Hard to say when that was done.

Apparently sandblasting was first banned in the UK in 1949. (Sand banned, not all the other grit mediums that are currently used before someone tries to suggest otherwise.)

Why Is Sandblasting Banned In The UK?

---------- Post added at 01:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:41 PM ----------

"They don't like it up 'em, you know!" Let's see how many of you recognize this quote.

Probably almost the entire population of the UK recognise that quote except, possibly, kids below the age of about 20. I'll leave it for people who are not UK citizens to answer.

[CINDERS]

However F10 you'll note the blade is dated 11 ! (Not sure those 2 bars are 1's) then 43.

The 39-41 were the dates that WSC had a sandblasted finish so I'll stick with my original assumption it's been messed with.

Interesting the little bit of OD paint could possibly be the EFD scabbard it has saw service in the tropics.

But as we have always said anything is possible in the world of Milsurps.