I have a few nice Krag bayonets but am not real knowledgeable about some of the details about them historically. I have seen a few listings on ebay for "undated" Krag bayonets. Is there such a thing officially or have these just been altered or had the date polished off? Some have claimed that they are rare. I don't believe that to be true but thought I'd ask. I think that there are a couple on ebay right now.

Thanks for the input.

Mistaken ID on the part of the seller? I believe all US Krag bayonets were dated, but NOT serialed, which those others likely DO have.

I looked at a couple on ebay now and they are just rusted beyond recognition where the date stamp should be. I think you're right- just mistaken (or misleading) labeling by seller.

Sadly... there are some very unscrupulous sellers who will claim something is rare in the hopes of squeezing the unsuspecting buyer of way more money than the item is actually worth!  Unfortunately, integrity is gone the way of the Dodo for many (far too many if you ask me) people.

We've all seen those kind of sellers before!!

---

Hi Whig,

Recently I've seen a 'nice shiny' Krag bayonet on EBay listed as having no date which kind of piqued my interest about undated bayonets.

Checked my usual resources and can't find anything about undated Krag bayonets.

Most of my reference resources indicate that Krag bayonets will have the US and Date on the blade ricasso.

However, maybe a few slipped out the Springfield Armory back door without being stamped.

There is a European bayonet (Swiss?) that is almost a dead ringer for a Krag. To this day, at a show, if the lighting is bad, or the case is a bit jumbled, and especially if there is no scabbard, I sometimes have to stop and take a second look.

That would probably be the Schmidt Rubin bayonet - yes, Dick, it's Swiss.  Any serial number would be the first giveaway and the ratio of the pummel (?) to wood of the handle is another.  Also, the front of the pommel is at a slight angle to the wood - not at 90 degrees like the Krag.  Most of the first year of the Krags (1894) were struck a little on the light and small side, but the US was usually pretty strong.  The scabbards of the Krags were significantly different than the Swiss.  As Dick said, that will be a giveaway if there is a scabbard present.

Yup, a serial numbered Krag look-a-like would be a dead give away as to 'not being a Krag bayonet.'

Here's one of my go to places for bayonet referencing called 'World Bayonets':

  (You need to Login

  (You need to Login

You'll also find a short dissertation about the 'M1892 Krag bayonet in Picket Pin Scabbard' that Dick loves soooo much! :D

Thanks for the info and the references. Always a great help to get good answers when needed!

It is documented in early U.S. Chief of Ordnance - 'Annual Reports' that the bayonet for the U.S. Krag was copied from the contemporary Swiss, Schmidt-Rubin, bayonet, (for use with the Swiss model 1889 rifle).

The blade of the later, Swiss model K-31 bayonet, had a different two edged - 'dagger' profile.
IMHO, the Swiss may have borrowed the K-31 blade profile from the British Pattern 1888 bayonet, for the Lee-Metford & Lee-Enfield.

The K-31 bayonet grip remained like the earlier Swiss models.

(As a point of interest, In the early 1900's, when the British adopted the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield, they initially had a short bayonet. This was the Pattern 1903. It retained the Pattern 1888 blade, but, had a new style of grip. Later, they adopted the longer Pattern 1907 bayonet, which was copied from the Japanese Arisaka bayonet).

Attached Photo (top-bottom): Krag, K-31, Lee-Metford Pattern 1888 bayonets.

---

That "K31" bayonet is also known as the "model 1918".

Here's a comparison montage of a late US Krag bayonet to the Swiss 1889. (Early US production featured flush-ground rivets like the Swiss.) -

---

Nice comparison photographs - Thanks, Parashooter.