This guy is a crook.

[Fred]

He's found out that he can buy a reproduction M1910 bayonet scabbard from What Price Glory for about $40.00 and sell them for several hundred. Here's two links to his current auction and the one where he just sold another yesterday.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCARCE-ORIGINAL-M1905-US-BAYONET-SCABBARD-EXCELLENT-UNISSUED-CONDITION-/380734880278

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCARCE-ORIGINAL-M1905-US-BAYONET-SCABBARD-EXCELLENT-UNISSUED-CONDITION-/290985340165?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&nma=true&si=jShYqvS7GZG9eFrPL6fOPGBhMKU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here are two links to WPG's site with the same scabbard. They DO seem to be good scabbards though.

http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=134&cat=SCABBARDS+%26+KNIVES

http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=801&bc=no

[cfn1803]

Fred,

Are you sure? How can you tell the difference?

I can't stand these reproductions!!!!

Clay

[Fred]

Clay, the narrower swell at the throat of the scabbard as opposed to the wider swell on an authentic one, the look and color and condition of the leather tip as well as the webbing, the way he immediately obtained another such scabbard after selling the previous one, the way some advance collectors stayed away from the first and this 2nd scabbard even when the scabbards are basically in pristine condition. My gut feeling on top of it all too. I ordered one of these scabbards from WPG just the other day for $40.00 though because they Are really nice and are very superior in quality to any other reproduction M1910 scabbard on the market. All of the others are extremely cheaply made. I think that most people are catching onto this guys sales as they aren't jumping on this scabbard as fast as the previous one. It's a good thing to know what you are collecting if you're going to spend big money on it. One fellow who had put in the winning bid of $178.00 on an obviously phony M1905 RIA bayonet the other day that sells for $40.00, was one of the guys who tried to buy the first repro scabbard for big bucks. Whoever he is, he has no experience with the subject at all and is the sort of guy who crooks take advantage of. Sad.

[cfn1803]

Thanks Fred. I hate repros.........being sold as originals.

Clay

[Fred]

That particular type of repro isn't available anymore right now. Not that brand anyway that was made for WPG to retail out. THE owner of the company told me yesterday that he still has the scabbard with the Pea Green material or webbing that has a narrower and non authentic gage of wire hanger. It too is of better quality than the others of that type that are pure crap. However, it's sad to see somebody put out $280.00 or more on a repro scabbard that sells for $40.00 that they are led to believe is an original scabbard. I just bought an original M1910 for $198.00 that is pretty nice. it's not here yet, but it's the early type with the brass tube sewn in the flap that the hanger wire goes through. The webbing is immaculate and the leather and threading intact. Yea, I had to pay good money for it, but it'll keep appreciating in value. I got it on Gun Broker and needed it to harbor a nice bayonet that I bought recently too. I'll post a photo of the bayonet on my 1903 tomorrow on this thread.

[1mark]

Fred, with all due respect but what is the difference if some one buys a bayonet and scabbard at an estate auction for $45.00 and sells it for $300. I have done this several time but they all have been original and not reproductions. Now, I see he is not calling the scabbard a reproduction but original. This can be reported to Ebay. Just send Ebay the link to WPG. The price is not a factor.

[Fred]

Well, the point that I was making was that he is selling a reproduction bayonet scabbard that goes for $45.00 (no, the price doesn't matter, it's a repro) as an original scabbard. OK the fact that he sold the last $45.00 reproduction scabbard for $280.00 is just fuel on the fire. It's a shame that some guys bid on it because they thought that he was being honest. They thought that they were bidding on a really nice, cherry scabbard. Some poor guy out bid everyone else and won it. He will send in his hard earned money for it thinking that he was told the truth by the seller who admittedly, might believe himself that the scabbard is original. However it's suspicious that upon selling the last repro scabbard, the seller immediately, within minutes, put up another identical repro scabbard again, claiming that it too is an original scabbard. The buyers will show them off at a gun show or might even try to sell them now for a profit and they might be corrected if they're lucky or they might sell them to some other unsuspecting guys who will put out even more money for them thinking that they've got a real gem for their collection now.
Of course it doesn't matter what amount of profit anyone makes on an item that they sell. That's called Capitalism. That wasn't my point. It DOES matter though that the item they are selling as an original is a reproduction and they KNOW it.
My purpose in posting the auctions was to let everyone here see them and be aware of them so that they didn't get cheated if they decided to buy a scabbard from this guy.

[Fred]

Oh, here is my newly acquired and little used SA 1918 bayonet on an 03 Springfield of mine that has also been used and handled Very little from the day it left Springfield Armory in mid 1918. I thought that they make a good pair. Just something nice to leave one of my as yet unborn grand children some day.

[Fred]

I just like this picture, so I'm posting it...

[p246]

Very nice rifle and bayonet....l like that photo to.

[Dollar Bill]

I just like this picture, so I'm posting it...

Thanks for posting, Fred.

[Fred]

Very nice rifle and bayonet....l like that photo to.

Thanks. Yea, it's a good photo isn't it?

[Fred]

Thanks for posting, Fred.

My pleasure! I really liked it the moment I saw it.

[dave]

Has the blade been blued sometime in its life or was there a date/time when blueing blades started? I only own one but have seen many others---bright blades.

[Rick the Librarian]

IIRC, M1905 bayonets were blued in the 1914-1917 period and then Parkerized after that (including bayonets sent in for overhaul from earlier periods.

Here's a couple of pictures of one of my pre-WWI bayonets. Note the blued "band" near the crosspiece and markings.