Plug Bayonet

LRB

LRB

Well-Known Member
I made this one of parts from "The Rifle Shoppe". The original can be found on page 33 in "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution" by George Newmann. It is listed as British, circa 1680 to 1700. The 12" kit blade is of cast 4140 steel, not a great knife steel, but adequate for this purpose. The blade was annealed and straightened, then ground, filed, and hand polished. It was heat treated to about 50 Rc. The brass was very soft and the wax castings much easier to clean up than I had anticipated. The wood is walnut re-turned on my mini wood lathe to as close as I was able to get to the original going by the photos, but shortened from the TRS semi-finished blank and the original bayonet, and stained dark. The finish is MinWax Antique Oil. The sheath is a center seam of 6/7 oz vege-tan, sewn with linen thread, hardened and vinegaroon stained. All the metal has been very lightly aged. I hope you enjoy a look.








 
Wick, great work as usual!

So what is the story behind the faces on this piece?

Some time you need to do a tutorial on making those sheaths with pics. You have got that down to an art, my friend! :35:

Do you line it to keep the blade from cutting through when it is being drawn and inserted into the sheath?
 
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The faces are soldier heads with helmets. Just arty type stuff from the past I guess. Here is a pictorial of making those sheaths. I've never had a blade cut through. They are wet molded to the knife, and cuir bouilli hardened, so I guess that prevents cutting. The wet molding sorta guides the blade away from the edges of the sheath. Since this one has a frog locket I was unable to flatten the seam but very little.

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/24616/t/MAKING-A-CENTER-SEAM-SHEATH.html#.Ua-FNozD-Lg
 
LRB. that is a very unique piece you have there I like it nice work, have never made a sheath like that one, I make nickel and silver sheaths, have made some for Bowie's making a case from thin carbon fiber and wrapping with thin leather with a meal throat and tip. Deane
 
I do metal throats and tips, but have never made an all metal sheath. Except for a very small one. I also do sword scabbards on occasion. I did one wood sheath covered in ray skin with NS tip and throat








 
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Awesome as usual Mr. Wick....Sometimes I get caught up in the historical aspect as much as the making....
 
Very nice work on your sheaths, what I found using carbon fiber over wood was it is lighter and it cuts the size down and is stronger, if some day you should want to make a full metal sheath get hold of me and will tell you what little I know about it.IMG_0200.jpgIMG_0201.jpgP1010055.jpg
 
LRB,
I would not like to get plugged with that!
For some dark reason, I always enjoyed reading about the history of the evolution of the bayonet.

Very nice work on this piece and I appreciate your interest in making this as historically correct as possible.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
oldknife said:
Very nice work on your sheaths, what I found using carbon fiber over wood was it is lighter and it cuts the size down and is stronger, if some day you should want to make a full metal sheath get hold of me and will tell you what little I know about it.View attachment 40634View attachment 40635View attachment 40636
Click to expand...

I did kinda make another wood sheath, but only the wood and cover. I had to make it to fit the original silver mounts. The wood had gotten wet in storage and rotted. I used cherry veneer with a thin tight weave cotton cloth cover, followed with 8 or 9 coats of black laquer, per the original. Where would I get carbon fiber? May be handy one day, but most of my customer base would balk at such a modern material.

 
LRB said:
The faces are soldier heads with helmets. Just arty type stuff from the past I guess. Here is a pictorial of making those sheaths. I've never had a blade cut through. They are wet molded to the knife, and cuir bouilli hardened, so I guess that prevents cutting. The wet molding sorta guides the blade away from the edges of the sheath. Since this one has a frog locket I was unable to flatten the seam but very little.

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/24616/t/MAKING-A-CENTER-SEAM-SHEATH.html#.Ua-FNozD-Lg
Click to expand...

Thanks Wick for that link! Your tutorial makes it sound easy. I am going to have to try one and actually see how easy it really is! :les::biggrin:
 
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