Bayonet Development for the Lee Enfield No4 Rifle

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Having wrapped up our series on the major development of the Lee Enfield rifle in British service, I figured it would be a nice addendum to talk about the bayonets developed for the No4 rifle. These went through a substantial evolution, and are an interesting field for collectors all by themselves.
During World War One, the British used the Pattern 1907 bayonet, a long blade type essentially copied from the Japanese Type 30. By the 1920s, this was being reconsidered - the long blades were expensive, fragile, and perhaps not really necessary. When the No1 Mk VI rifle was put into trials, it was given a new bayonet style. This was inspired by the Swiss cyclists' bayonet, with a cruciform spike instead of a true blade. It was only 8 inches long; this was determined to be long enough for virtually all use cases and being short minimized weight and bulk.
As World War Two progressed, the spike bayonet was simplified several times. Before the initial production of the first standard model (No4 MkI) was completed, the cruciform pattens had already been abandoned for a much simpler (and faster and cheaper) round body spike with a screwdriver-like point at the end. This was in turn simplified by separating the socket and spike into two parts for easier production, and then further simplified by casting the socket instead of forging it. After the war, the spike was replaced by a short blade-type socket bayonet (the No9), although this was rather short-lived because of the adoption of the SLR (FN FAL).
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[@JimoftheSlim]

>description "Swiss cyclist's bayonet." Damn, the Tour de France used to be crazy hardcore.

[@509Gman]

Esp the 1940 one 😁

[@voiceofraisin3778]

After this year i think theyre getting lances for dealing with spectators.

[@Klaaism]

I'd watch that.

[@MrCommanderPyro]

@@voiceofraisin3778 your arm needs to be pretty strong to use a lance though :D

[@509Gman]

@@voiceofraisin3778 I see what you did there

[@grahamhaller8181]

My father drew one of those Mk9's from stores when he did his basic training back in the 50's. It was brand new, as it came covered in a black paint that prevented the bayonet going rusty while it sat in the stores. So troops are on parade with bayonets fixed to their rifles and along comes the inspecting officer. Officer: "What's that on your bayonet solder", Dad: "It's paint sir, put on it to prevent it going rusty." Officer: "Well clean it off, if you where to stab some one with that bayonet you might give them blood poisoning."

[@captainswoop8722]

Something stark and deadly about a bayonet optimised just for stabbing, no pretending it's any kind of knife or tool for anything else.

[@jubuttib]

The main weapon of war across human history, for thousands of years, was the stabbing kind of spear. It makes perfect sense that that's what you'd eventually optimize the bayonet to be as well. =)

[@A-G-F-]

Making them look like swords made no sense to begin with, most of them were pretty dull or had a 1mm thick edge

[@HellecticMojo]

@@A-G-F- I believe sword like appearances are usually for ergonomic reasons.

[@irwintorres220]

Bayonets "just for stabbing" have been around since the 18th Century!

[@jacobwong7486]

@@jubuttib “the main weapon of war, for thousands of years, was the…spear”? The bow shot arrows far and fast. Bows were multicultural. There were archers in the dark ages after the fall of the Roman Empire. Wardens were masters of the longsword. Inb4 “For Honor?” Wardens today are prison wardens but originally wardens kept people out. Vikings had bows, wooden shields, axes and a short sword. The samurai were horseback archers and adopted the katana later. Flanged maces were meant to dent armor.

[@m0ndial534]

"I got me stabbin' licence right here mate." *B y t h e q u e e n*

[@oddball_the_blue]

Only after 1952... Just saying.

[@boingkster]

Seconds earlier: Hey! HEY! *Oi!* Priiime-ministaaah! Where's me bloody stabbin' tool ya cheap sod?! . Oh... alrighty then I'll be on me way then. Thanks guvna! **Affixes bayonet**

[@jimmehjiimmeehh9748]

"Well a loicense is a loicense. Sorry mate, can't interfeah."

[@m0ndial534]

@@jimmehjiimmeehh9748 Bloody'ell...

[@SlavicCelery]

But do you have a fish license for your pet 'alibut named eric?

[@TBreezy17]

Surprised there wasn’t a Phillips head version.

[@alec0062]

oh yeah? wasn't the early crucifix shaped one just that?

[@stephenduffy5406]

🤣😂

[@martingardener90]

@@alec0062 Maybe it was a Pozidrive!

[@alec0062]

@@martingardener90 😂 yeah but a Pozidrive wouldn't be so pointy, it has a square point unlike Philips.

[@williamjones2027]

The Canadians would have wanted a Frearson.

[@johnwhite9760]

" They don't like it up 'em!" Lance Corporal Jack Jones Walmington - on - Sea, 1940.

[@shugo541]

DON'T PANIC

[@Rhynome]

A true hero.

[@51WCDodge]

Actually , :-) He carried an Enfield P17 . marked with a 2 inch wide red band painted around the stock to distingush it from the P14. The Bayonet was the Remington pattern 1907 sword bayonet, these have two vertical grovesin the hilt to distingush it from the SMLE bayonet.

[@peterclarke7006]

Spoilsport 😂

[@51WCDodge]

@@peterclarke7006 Sorrry :-)

[@kharak6204]

so basically the development process was someone asking "how about a pointed stick?"... the pythons were right all along

[@silverjohn6037]

Oh, you want a pointed stick? Too good for fruit are you?

[@SlavicCelery]

@@silverjohn6037 "Don't come crying to me when some lunatic comes after you with a pint of lingonberries!" - probably totally wrong on the quote, been a couple years since I've seen the episode.

[@silverjohn6037]

@@SlavicCelery The wonders of youtube. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jp-2ln5-o6eSoZo

[@CasparAbelmann]

Better quality here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGWzi4uroJiHqa8

[@kharak6204]

@@CasparAbelmann but none of those are the full sketches, i can't find that one anywhere anymore

[@blastershogun]

“The pointy end goes into the other fella.”

[@hansgruber9685]

Gal*

[@Klaaism]

This is gonna take ALOT of work.

[@cockneyzombie]

When I was a youngster in the army cadets we used No4 rifles and knew the spike bayonet as the Pig sticker.

[@benm5407]

I used the no. 8 rifle as a cadet

[@kaylt.7864]

Not to burst your bubble but every large stabbing implement gets named "the pig sticker"

[@MrHws5mp]

Signs you're in an existential war #36: when you go from a sword to a shiv in two steps before you've even got production scaled up...

[@brucelee3388]

During WW1, my grandfather was fined 2/6 (two shillings and six pence) because he shortened his 1907 pattern bayonet by engraving his monogram into the abutments of the bridge he was 'guarding'. (the old Brooklyn railway bridge at Brooklyn NSW, the abutment is still there - ASA in a large shield)

[@matthayward7889]

1:53 “what do you actually need to stab someone?” Ian’s delivery of that line was perfect!

[@andersjjensen]

It is, however, a perfectly valid military question :P

[@Klaaism]

Reinventing the knife since 10,000 BC

[@jamesgilbert124]

That No. 4 Mk III looks like it was welded by a half-in-the-bag Geordie with a stolen car battery and a pair of jumper cables. Kwality(tm) work right there, bois.

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

That be what up north we call Patina me lad

[@davidgillon2762]

Canny job, like.

[@lesjames5191]

@@davidgillon2762 wye aye man.

[@ronhall9394]

nigh enough for pit work marrah...

[@cgi2002]

Don't be silly, all the Gordies were already deployed yelling insults at the Germans by this point, they are masters in psychological warfare. I know we should have sent the scousers to do it, but that would have been needlessly cruel, besides that would have meant exposing the rest of the army to them too.

[@keithallardice6139]

"So ... just to round off the whole Lee Enfield series here are the bayonets... ALL the bayonets!!" On behalf of all of Ian's disciples I'd like to thank the collector who made this possible, and Ian, of course, for presenting everything so clearly and concisely. Many thanks, gents!

[@minhducnguyen9276]

@@lostalone9320 I wouldn't want to eat with that thing. You don't have much clean water and soap in the trenches to clean it up after a trench raid. Imagine eating your dinner with a bayonet you used to stab someone early morning.

[@rogainegaming6924]

@@minhducnguyen9276 mmmmmm....i'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

[@minhducnguyen9276]

@@rogainegaming6924 Just wipe it with your bloody mud caked uniform (The mud probably has some rat dropping in it) and you are good to go.

[@rogainegaming6924]

@@minhducnguyen9276 the rat droppings add flavor to your rations and help to boost your immune system. Be a man about it.

[@havareriksen1004]

@@minhducnguyen9276 Apparently, many soldiers just got used to there being blood and dead bodies everywhere that they didn't react to it any longer. So eating with a weapon or tool you have used to kill someone probably didn't bother them much. But though they got used to it at the time, in the long run it took it's toll on their mental health And quite a lot of the soldiers in the trenches had mental problems for many years after the war ended.

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

Hmm so size really does matter. Seems like eight inches is the sweet spot of length. Ohhhhhhh so that lady at the bus stop was talking about Lee Enfield bayonets with her friend on the phone the other day then. Phew thats one mystery solved heh heh. Cheers Ian

[@studentaviator3756]

Yes 8 inchs has the ideal amount of penertration.

[@boingkster]

I suppose the small diameter also makes sense then heh heh...

[@studentaviator3756]

@@boingkster when trying to penetrate, width is vital for effective use.

[@EDARDO112]

That sucks for me, mine has only 7 inches

[@JW...-oj5iw]

@@studentaviator3756 ... Not "penertration". Penistration.

[@aebirkbeck2693]

The British also fitted a steel end to the shovel/pick handle issued to the troops which looked like the muzzle of the No4 rifle which when had the bayonet fitted turned it in to a probe for finding mines.

[@AshleyPomeroy]

"If we should step on a mine, Sir, what do we do?", "Well, the normal procedure is to jump two hundred feet in the air and scatter yourself over a wide area".

[@aebirkbeck2693]

@@AshleyPomeroy As we used to say Wully is buried here and here and here and possibly over there as well

[@johnfisk811]

The change from spike to blade was greatly driven by the spike looking less intimidating and the biggest use of the bayonet was in guarding prisoners and dispersing riots. In the latter the action on the order to fix bayonets was to draw and flourish the bayonet so that the rioters could see what was being fixed, then fix it and hold it at the high port to be seen. Ideally with a shiny blade to be seen. Not some black spike that is all but invisible. The purpose being to frighten rioters into dispersing so that nobody is injured in either party. Ditto for the command ‘with one round load’. Where the rifle is held at the low port and the bolt worked sharply in four movements so that the rioters could see the action being worked and could hear it. The rifle being kept at the low port until the command to present when it is presented above the heads of the rioters awaiting the order to fire.It all required a tightly disciplined force to prevent inadvertent actions.

[@JW...-oj5iw]

Interesting information. Seems designed for dealing with ordinarily civilised persons who are still capable of reasoning. Try such actions in an ANTIFABLM riot, and the fire bombs come from all quarters. Savages all.

[@malteschaper3782]

@@JW...-oj5iw Nice dehumanization you got going there. Crowds of people are pretty much the same. If they are riled up, then these rather nuanced psychological tactics won't work. Same with Police on horseback or Police-Dogs.

[@JW...-oj5iw]

@@malteschaper3782 ... Is it your contention that I have somehow dehumanized anyone? I'm just an external observer. If I see something happen, does that mean I participated, or caused it to occur? You may have misplaced sympathies, but that doesn't mean you are right or wrong. The ANTIFABLM group has performed numerous violent crimes, establishing themselves as the savages they are.

[@Babayaga962]

Just found one of these at my local antique shop. The date has worn off so I’m glad I can use this video for reference. I like it when you guys do stuff like this. Keep up the good work

[@thesmallestminorityisthein4045]

My favourite one was a bayonet for an M91/30 Mosin listed as "German Bayonet" with a tag price of $90. I didn't have the heart to tell them.

[@tobiashagstrom4168]

The part of me that likes shiny swords gets kind of sad seeing bayonets get simplified into these dark, dull, glorified ice picks. If I can't fence people any more, I at least want to get a shiny li'l sword to put on my gun, is that too much to ask?

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Yes. The only time getting a lil' sword as a viable weapon is if your enemy is armed with a musket...

[@TheArgieH]

You would like the sword attachment for the Baker rifle.

[@voiceofraisin3778]

Webley with a sword be okay for you? kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqi7aIeFa9pplbM

[@shawnr771]

See Mad Jack Churchill.

[@Klaaism]

Sure but can it open 40s era canned food?

[@brianwingo6472]

In the early 1990s I did an insurance survey of a scout camp in Northern California. In a shed I d found a 20 gallon steel barrel of these spike bayonets. The camp was using them for rent stakes.

[@classifiedad1]

That’s pretty genius ngl

[@theprattman9157]

Based on the grooves in the wood grips and the cross guard, the long bayonet in the video appears to actually be a US Model 1917 bayonet. Very similar to the British Pattern 1907.

[@michaelnewell9662]

Singer Manufacturing Company Ltd, Clydebank was the UK subsidiary of the Singer Sewing Machine Company

[@18robsmith]

An interesting story, with a family connection. One of my uncles was a manager in Singer's bayonet shop sometime in the mid/late 1940s.

[@slick_slicers]

It always puzzled me what they were thinking with the No9 ? The utility blade makes sense, but only if you have a handle on it. I notice that in older pictures of my school CCF, even bandsmen wore bayonets. They’d disappeared by my time (77-85).

[@ward1476]

I think the cross spike bayonets get stuck more easily than the knife-style bayonets. I'm no expert, but that might have something to do with it.

[@hansgruber9685]

@@ward1476 Bigger hole for blood to flow out of too.

[@F1ghteR41]

In my humble opinion, 'what were they thinking' is a common thing in British bayonet design since at least 1905. Hatchet point on a bayonet purely for the show of solidarity with the Japanese, the idea of attaching a bayonet to the all too short SMGs, SA80 bayonets and the horrendous way of attaching them to L129A1 - examples are abundant.

[@discerningscoundrel3055]

Round spike penetrates easily, but doesn't necessarily cause that much damage. Wider blade causes rapid blood loss meaning the target is disabled much more quickly, which is important if you don't want them to stab you back moments after you've stabbed them.

[@kazkazimierz1742]

When I was in the RCAF in the 60's we were still using No 4's for rifle drill. I only mounted a bayonet on a No. 4 once for a big handing over ceremony. It was a silver spike bayonet. There was no scabbard with it. The bayonet hung from a plastic hanger on our plastic belts. Webbing had been replaced by plastic by that time because, I assume, it was easier to care for.

[@kj3n569]

"Fix bayonets and charge! Give the buggers 'ell!"

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

lol. Ere boyz now wot we need is a good ard charge and get dem puny 'oomies with yer stabby fings. I dream of being an Ork warboss

[@tranminh-hm2nk]

FOR KING AND COUNTRY

[@Nomed38]

@@JamesLaserpimpWalsh WAAAAARGH!

[@kj3n569]

@Scott Reynolds Flex Seal?

[@KnifeChatswithTobias]

The good part is every part of the blade was stabby-pokey! Really great run down! Nice to see the history and development and how changed with the pressures of war. When the US cut their 16 inch bayonets M1905 bayonets down to 10 inches, the Marines and soldiers in the Pacific tried to hold on to the older ones as the Japanese Type 30 bayonets had a blade just shy of 16 inches and the Japanese believed in using them. The threat of a bayonet duel in Europe was not nearly as high. ANZAC troops were still using the sword bayonets well in WWII but this was because they were using the SMLE Mk III.

[@davehopkin9502]

You mentioned the difficulty in pulling out of a bayonet after sticking someone - in Bayonet Drills with the SLR we were told "if it sticks pull the trigger and shoot it out" - I always wondered by I would be f'ing about with a bayonet if I still had ammo in the mag!

[@clothar23]

Having only used a bayonet in practice drills I can't exactly say what difference is between meat and training targets. But during said Army drills I personally found no matter how stuck a good kick to the target would free it every time.

[@Yakkahboo]

"Guns for show, knives for a pro"

[@DevinMoorhead]

Little bit of pain never hurt anybody

[@damienelliott4906]

Color Sgt. Bourne: Mr. Chard, sir, patrol's come back. The Zulus have gone. All of them. It's a miracle. Lt. John Chard: If it's a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it's a short-chambered, Boxer-Henry .45 calibre miracle. Color Sgt. Bourne: And a bayonet, sir. With some guts behind it.

[@MrHws5mp]

"Hitch?" " Hitch I saw you. You're alive." "Oh am I Colour Sergeant? Thanks very much!"

[@damienelliott4906]

@@MrHws5mp fuck it ...I've gotta watch it again!... for the 1,000th time

[@abchaplin]

The shape of blade on those last two British developments eventually found its way onto the Commonwealth FALs.

[@TehBr0]

Excellent video, thankyou. I had my spike bayonet in my hand as I watched and followed along.

[@AlanEvans789]

When I joined the RAF in 1983 instead of issuing SLR's for drill they used old No4 stocks that had been fashioned to look like an SLR from the distance that the families of the recruits passing out would be. We were than issued with Nº4 Mk 9 bayonets with brightly polished blades. Yes they were pretty sharp still, and yes we did have at least one guy stab themselves in the armpit while learning to do the drill with the bayonet attached. That extra eight inches of length really made a difference when doing rifle drill.

[@englishoakrecruit]

If you want a very good, and very in depth history of the socket bayonet for the No 4. I would highly recommend getting hold of a copy of 'The Spirit of the Pike, British Socket Bayonets of the Twentieth Century' by Graham Priest. For what could be a very dry subject, he makes it an excellent read and it is well worth having in your reference library.

[@1982rrose]

Very nice collection. You can see where the SLR bayonet evolved from also. Thank you Ian & collector.

[@ethan5.56]

I need one of those 1907 pattern bayonets for my 1898 Steyr M95 turn bolt Indonesian contract rifle rebarreled for .303 British in the 1950s. Pretty big but cool muzzle device on it. Great video as always

[@leehopkinson6824]

Fantastic collection. Thankyou for bringing it to us all. Never seen them together before. 👍

[@BSE1320]

"Oi, you got a screwdriver license for that ya wally?"

[@Lunageldia]

"I gots me a loisense fir screwin' roight hea!"

[@sh4dowchas3r]

wait a minute... the 1st bayonet for the No4 Mk1 was called the No4 Mk1 Bayonet. It's not confusing and obtuse something has gone wrong somewhere. I demand an investigation. Ah later on normal service is resumed

[@pnkemp]

If you get a bit twitchy again look at the US TOE…M1 could be a helmet, sub gun, rifle, tank, carbine, mess tins etc etc etc

[@Klaaism]

I thought Mark I and so on was a Navy thing?

[@Sir.Craze-]

_"they used this, which is the pattern 1907..."_ "No, Ian. That's a sword..." _"...which is a giant, old, sword-style bayonet"_ "Alright, Ian. I trust you again..."

[@charleswoodward9225]

I came here for the "They don't like it up'em!" comment. Well done that man. I think the French got the whole bayonet thing right with the MAS-36.

[@badlaamaurukehu]

Until they found out they could dock more than just baguettes and eventually got their rifles stuck together. Typical French.

[@HootOwl513]

I have a Bayonet No 7 MK 3/L. It had a dull edge when I bought it, and I've never ground it down to be sharp. It does snap on to my Rifle No 4 MK I. Also stamped M478 on one side of the socket and Made in UK on the other. Obverse of the blade by the hilt is also stamped M478 but with a Broad Arrow overstrike.

[@andybelcher1767]

Very interesting Ian, thank you. I have a Number 9 that goes on the end the trenching tool when I go camping. Very handy.

[@apocalypsesioux]

Clydebank was indeed the same Singer sewing machine company as the parent US Singer Company from Elizabethport etc. Clydebank was one of the largest sewing machine plants in the world at the time. Many parts are marked SIMANCO - Singer Manufacturing Company - SMC. From high speed precision stabby things to purely manual personal stabby things....

[@HurBenny]

I cannot wait for the field test of these.

[@slobmarley9070]

really cool and insightful video

[@adventureswithducky4088]

No such thing as too much info on any type of Lee Enfield. Good work, Thank-you!

[@jakemarchbank]

If I'm guessing correctly based on the time and location you gave I believe the Singer company you spoke about is the Singer Sewing machine company that was based in Glasgow. It would make sense to me that they would be contracted for arms manufacturer as they had a large amount of tooling and capital at the time. Edit: as far as I can tell the Singer company and Glasgow and the US Singer company are/were the same company although so far I've only found info on WWI arms production in the Glasgow factory and of course the M1911s Ian mentioned in the video. I can't imagine that there was more than one Singer company in Clyde Bank, it isn't all that big a place!

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

Also experience in making sharp things. Smaller ones obviously, but still.

[@jakemarchbank]

Side note, many of the old singer sewing machines are still going strong around the world and they can be pretty common in lots of developing countries especially in Africa.

[@jakemarchbank]

@@gwtpictgwtpict4214 I suppose that a spike bayonet is just like a really big sewing needle. But for sewing people, violently

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

@@jakemarchbank Yup, my better half has one dating from the mid 1920's in working order. She's also got a modern machine for serious work but she does like playing around with the old one. As to the spike bayonet for sewing people, not sure how you'd thread it?

[@sapiotone]

Having had the “pleasure” of shooting the MkIII with a 1907 pattern bayonet whilst visiting family in Florida, I’ve even more respect for the men who carried them in battle. That sword style makes the rifle so front-heavy! “Fix bayonets” could only mean “any fire is point blank from here on, lads”

[@oncameramastery]

Can anyone confirm: Do they really not like it up em??? 😂😂😂

[@bachtomin213]

The Chinese anal covid test... before it was cool.

[@pgtmr2713]

Woke militaries pay for it up em.

[@shugo541]

no substitute for the old cold steel Mr Mainwairing

[@akashahuja2346]

Empirical testing confirms they indeed do not like it up them.

[@shugo541]

@@akashahuja2346 you should have seen what those whirling Dirvishes were like

[@badopinionsrighthere]

5:27 You default to the 1911 production, my first thought was "the sewing machine folks?" I need to play with guns more...

[@thesaxophoneboy]

From what I can find online, I believe you're correct! In 1853, the company we now know as Singer Sewing Machines was called Singer Manufacturing Company, and they had a factory in Scotland! To be fair, these bayonets are basically massive sewing needles, so it should have been easy for them.

[@Klaaism]

Not only does it stab, but it will stitch you back up too. It even makes curly fries in 10 seconds!

[@shalashaska68]

The no7 knife/Beyonet was recalled and not used because when fitted to the rifle, the bullets would strike the slider and then the ring, which was completely useless and wasn't there to do anything unless it was to protect the users hand. As such they were only issued for ceremonial use because they looked more grand on the end of a rifle than a pig sticker. They came in a couple of shades of red/brown and black and the scabbards are harder to find than the beyonets because they were used on the no9 that came after it. They made less than 200,000 of them in total across 4 factories in Britain.

[@carlclifford64]

The long bayonet was very useful in hand to hand and for many non fighting uses, such as meal prep and security.

[@roberta.6399]

You Sir are an excellent educator. 👍

[@cnils407]

Nice Video. Finally a topic about things I can collect. Just two small details.The reference to the pattern 1907 bayonet you used a M1917 stlye with high muzzle ring. No.4 Mk III is not 'cast' but assembled from components (maybe some cast components ? ) fitted together and the quantity was to my knowlege a lot more than stated.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Ian .

[@StickyKleenex]

Very interesting video, thanks for the lesson!

[@Kumimono]

It does seem strange, that the bayonet-which-is-also-a knife is so specialized. Like, a soldier can use a knife for many useful things, if you can also use it as a bayonet, that saves weight, and probably manufacturing costs.

[@jameshealy4594]

Plus gives a much more functional and comfortable grip, improves balance etc. They make basically zero sense to me.

[@ilyaskr8048]

You should watch no.4 mk1 video. The British abandoned the bayonet-knife because British soldiers during WW1 preferred to use their own knives rather than service bayonets.

[@Kumimono]

@@ilyaskr8048 Same thing happened in Finland. Solution was to make the bayonet a good enough knife for the average Finn.🤔

[@captainswoop8722]

@@jameshealy4594 why do you need a grip on a bayonet?

[@509Gman]

@@Kumimono indeed, that’s where most post WWI bayonets ended up. If you’re issuing a field knife anyway, why not make it possible to put it on the rifle?

[@DJ_Pizano]

Gun Jesus, you’re awesome. Keep making good content. Love your channel.

[@danhoysted8854]

Are you sure the “C” is worn off? I have 2 and one appears to be stamped SM while the other says SMC,

[@rogueriderhood1862]

Good stuff. A great many years ago I had a No.4 Mk.1 and a No.7 bayonet. Wish I still had them!

[@biggerbehindthetrigger2814]

Very informative video. I have a Ishapore A2A1 and would love to get a bayonet for it for display porpoises only. I like to put some rifle's on my rifle rack when im reloading or shooting a video otherwise they are locked up in my safe. I'm going to have to get out the old trusty Enfield book and see what's available for them. Well here I go I found them. Time to hit the online ships to see what I can get for the best price. Thank you Ian for the great video. Now I can finish out that rifle. For some reason my dad loved that rifle. I could never beat him when it came to shooting over 1,000 yards but then he could never beat me when it came to shooting handguns. We would always gamble when we shot. We would get different 5argets that were games and we would play for money. Great times. I wish I had someone to shoot with other then my wife. I spend all my time helping her and she is getting good. She is 4'10" and 95 lbs and can handle a J frame .357 magnum with accuracy.

[@johnsamsungs7570]

16-inch bayonet thrust, twist and withdraw. Twist helps with getting stuck on bone etc!

[@Thisisnotmyname2309]

Recently bought a spike bayonet manufactured in the States as part of lend lease. Got it in a junk shop not so far from Glasgow where the Singer factory made the bulk of them! Chuffed to bits to get a USA produced example. It kind of adds to the interest knowing it's a very small example of the massive support we had from the bloody Yanks.

[@fluzwup]

"Should the bayonet become lodged, you may free it by discharging the weapon."

[@509Gman]

But if you have the ammo to do that, why the hell are you using a bayonet?

[@fluzwup]

@@509Gman Social distancing.

[@davidgillon2762]

@@509Gman Because some idiot with a posh accent yelled "Fix Bayonets!"

[@MichaelPoage666]

@@509Gman That's what I always wondered, but they still advised that technique when I went to Boot Camp in 1989.

[@Klaaism]

Wait a second...

[@wallaroo1295]

What a great goddamn series on the Enfields! Well done, Ian! Brrrrappp Vrrroooo!

[@worldlylifenl4362]

Found quite a few of them metal detecting. Simple Spiked and cruciform ones. Sadly the conditions were bad so markings are lost. Most interesting was the one i found on the entrenchmenttool handle. Indicating man to man combat or mine poking.. living on the former battlefield of Oosterbeek in the Netherlands.. 1st British Airborne division got slaughtered here after the battle of Arnhem was lost. 2100 British soldiers are buried here. Thousands captured and died in German stalags. Still a lot of remnants remain.

[@bushmansa518]

I never really paid attention to this subject, however once again I've learnt the fascinating story that goes with it.

[@oddball_the_blue]

Both my Grandfather's trained on the 'pig sticker' spike bayonets so probably one of the 30's style ones as part of their national service (as well a running drills on STEN guns). Fun times. Would have been interesting for one them to have the early pattern with George VI pattern on. Especially since he held King George's hat.

[@con6lex]

Thank you Mr/Ms Bayonet Collector!!

[@paulbervid1610]

Ian behind a table of bayonets. That is awesome

[@jared.p240]

Very cool bayonet design, I've got one somewhere in the safe.

[@robertagren9360]

Next to the chainsaw, I found some old rusty screwdriver you can use so that whoever gets stabbed will die a horrible death

[@havareriksen1004]

The fluting on the spike wasn't just to reduce weight. A round spike will tend to push tissue out of the way, which leaves less tissue damaged and produces less bleeding. The cruciform shape will penetrate more easily, since it has less surface area to push into the target, and the tissue is cut rather than pushed away. This leads to more tissue damage and more bleeding. But making it cheaper will always be a strong argument. As Stalin said it "Quantity has a quality of it's own."

[@austinsmothers6581]

My dad honestly has one of the number fours and for years I had searched for a bayonet and out of all places in an antique shop right down the road from where I live I was able to find a spiked bayonet similar to one of the ones that you showed today and it fit it looks like one of the first to spike vanepps if I had to guess.

[@petermach8635]

I collected bayonets for 20 years until I sold almost everything 20 years ago to start collecting stripper clips and chargers and despite living in the UK I never once had an opportunity to buy one of the trials spikes, that's how scarce they were. When I sold up all I kept were my collection of spikes, mostly because I like the simplification process but I was also a keen service rifle comptetition shooter using a No4 Mk2 ....... did you know that Belgium made their own spikes ..... and have you seen Graham Priest's book "The Spirit of the Pike" published in 2003 ?

[@nor0845]

5:29 Singer Clydebank was the Singer company who made sewing machines. During the war they made high quality aircraft parts and other war time supplies, and also bayonets.

[@Jenkins247-94]

Just found a number 3 mark 2 bayonet with its sheath at a nearby antique store :D got it for silly cheap too, I went to your video to see which one I had, the markings are either work off or scraped off.

[@McB33fy]

Can't wait to see the "At the Range" video! Demonstration of a bayonet charge with some dummies would be cool!

[@shawnr771]

There are two types of bayonet fighters. The quick and the dead.

[@bachtomin213]

"Show me your war face!" "Rahhhhhhhhaa!" " You don't scare me Show!. Show me your Real war face!". "Aaaaaaaahhhhaa!". "You don't scare me, work on it!"

[@corneliussulla9963]

Makes you wonder what use is a knife bayonet if you dont have a proper handle attached to it. I thought the idea behind knife bayonets was its use also as a knife, a multipurpose tool.

[@fdsdh1]

my guess is that it was to standardise the blades between the Sten Gun, No. 5 and No. 4 rifles. Plus they might have thought it looked nicer, the war was over after all so that became a consideration again.

[@51WCDodge]

Troops were issued with a clasp knife, balde , tin opner thingy and marlin spike.

[@kennybaird4509]

There was a variant of the spike type scabbard made from the legs of Bren Gun tripods. There were quite a few scabbard variants including one made from plastic.

[@not-a-theist8251]

bayonets are so cool. I always found it intesting that spike bayonets like the first one have a similar blade shape as a typical smallsword. You dont need an edge for stabbing and these type of blades are light but rigid

[@ShimomuraTakezoWong]

Very much appreciate your 🇬🇧 bayonet history, always like the bayonet on my rifle most of the time...FN FAL, M16A1, Steyr Aug A1, my last service rifle.

[@nolanolivier6791]

... I'm guessing Malaysian military?

[@ShimomuraTakezoWong]

@@nolanolivier6791 thank you very much for the compliments 🤠

[@ShimomuraTakezoWong]

@@nolanolivier6791 my father at 18 served the 🇬🇧 colonial army 2 weeks before the invasion of Malaya as he was a military cadet in Victoria Institution K.L. as he needed no further training as a battalion radio operator, he was issued a SMLE/.303".

[@catfish552]

For just a moment at 1:27, I thought I'd see Ian snap that bayonet in half by hand.

[@comiketiger]

Interesting video!

[@captainswoop8722]

Number 9 was the bayonet we had for drill with the No4 rifle with the Sea Cadets in the 70s.

[@mickbutton3625]

The bayonets for the No.4's also fitted the WW2 pattern British entrenching tool

[@allanisaacs4835]

There was a pattern of British entrenching tool handle made (late war WWll) with a Spike bayonet fitting. Not sure whether for digging or fighting! Had one when I collected army surplus in the 70's.

[@pdallen8355]

I still have my father's cruciform pattern No4 bayonet he was issued before deploying to Korea in 1952. Despite not having a proper grip, he says it was good enough for dealing with enemy sentries when weilded like a knife.

[@TheTiDman]

It look like it would work, with an icepick grip, as it seem to have a nice place to put the thumb.

[@DABrock-author]

@@TheTiDman After trying it with both of my No4 rifle bayonets (No4 Mk2 spike and No9 Mk1 blade) it does feel like the icepick grip would work.

[@DEATH-THE-GOAT]

When they were about to fix the 1907 the command was *"FIX... SWORDS"*

[@Sawer]

Honestly love the bayonet videos!

[@joshuabessire9169]

I heard somewhere that bayonettes were actually used to open early canned foods. I believe it because I bought a surplus bayonette for my Mosin, and it still had a little kraut on it.

[@509Gman]

Booo

[@culshie]

Theoretically the cruciform cross section was supposed to provide better penetration through heavy fabric such as a greatcoat and make withdrawal easier, I believe this was from French Trials with the Gras, Lebel and Berthier bayonets. At one time No.4 bayonets were so cheap and unloved they were bought to use as tent pegs, I am suddenly very sad that the days of cheap war surplus are gone...

[@johnclark1925]

The adoption of a smaller blade post WW1 might also be because long bayonets were found to be unwieldy in confined spaces such as trenches.

[@albertawildcat3164]

My Uncle had what he called a "pig sticker" (spike) bayonet on his rifle (he was in the Canadian Army) but although he spoke about it often he never related a story in which he actually used it, Except for 'picking' apples in a Dutch orchard he and his men were sheltering in during the Normandy campaign.

[@elijahboesche6663]

I would love to see a video about puukkos used during ww2.

[@thni1703]

Really neat.

[@minuteman4199]

I find it interesting that the blade shape on the final Enfield bayonets is very similar, if not identical to the blade shape of the SLR bayonet. The scabbard looks very similar too.

[@lordsummerisle87]

Wouldn't surprise me if the MOD wanted to reuse all the No9 bayonet scabbards so save costs so made the SLR bayonet compatible.

[@richardbrown9069]

Will there be a lee enfield at the range video Ian?? I so need this 👍🍻 England needs this ✌