House Cleanout - Bayonet. What do I have here?

Plastic blade? It looks like a Navy Mark I training bayonet. There should be markings on the ricasso (the metal portion of the blade next to the guard). The scabbard should also be marked Mark I.

The scabbards are fairly common but the bayonets themselves are rare.

it is a model of 1903 I got one too should be a stamp maybe utica ny or sa somewhere

starnbar said:

it is a model of 1903 I got one too should be a stamp maybe utica ny or sa somewhere

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No, it's a WW2 Navy Mark I training bayonet, with the plastic blade. The markings should be "U.S.N. Mark 1" on one side, and "B.M.Co." (Beckwith Manufacturing) on the other side.

They were issued with "rubber duck" type training rifles.

The breakage rate was high when they were in use, so intact ones today are rare. The scabbards, however, were standard (except for the marking), so they are common today. About half a million of the bayonets and scabbards were made, in total.

OP said there's rust on the blade, so it can't be plastic. Looks like a M1905 bayonet.

If you can measure the blade length and post it here OP, that would help. If it's an M1905, the blade length should be right about 16".

Just wipe off the metal parts with an oily rag. Don't try to clean it further. Original finish is preferred on historical pieces.

Mk-211 said:

OP said there's rust on the blade, so it can't be plastic. Looks like a M1905 bayonet.

If you can measure the blade length and post it here OP, that would help. If it's an M1905, the blade length should be right about 16".

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No rust on the blade, just the furniture. Also, the 2 big rivets through the guard are a giveaway that it is the Navy training model.
You can also see the mold lines on the cast guard crosspiece not present on the real combat bayonets.
I agree this is a Navy MK1. Quite valuable.

rust collector said:

I would agree that attempts to remove rust on a historical item may reduce the value. It's our nature to try to spiff interesting artifacts up, but the last thing you want is for it to look like new. Extra caution is indicated when dealing with solvents or lube around old plastics or composites.

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On the Mark I, basically the only exposed metal is about an inch of the ricasso portion of the blade. The rest is a Bakelite plastic. So wiping the whole thing with a light oil is about all that I would do.

And be careful, bakalite can be very brittle.

Unless cleaning reveals a "USN Mk I" stamp on the scabbard then the scabbard, alone, retails from US$85-95
The scabbards were often mismatched even in service, as, to increase production rates, the Navy Department dropped the scabbard throat marking requirement.

The M-1936 pistol belt, unless some good ink stamps appear, perhaps US$5-10

The USN Bayonet, Mk I, Training, with intact muzzle ring, and unbroken tip, ven with mild rusting on the metal, will be US$180-220.
Lifting the surface rust out with a bit of oil, and retaining the patina could add easily another US$50-100.

Now, some of these were issued to camp & shipyard guards and similar personnel, so that "the real thing" could go to war. So, every so often, really pristine versions will emerge.

The Training bayonet was only made from 1940 to 1942, but, a million or so were made.

Put the thing, as is, on eBay and you might clear some astronomical amounts with bidders chasing bidders.

The good "match" for this would be a Paris-Dunn Rifle, training--which is a wooden replica of the 1903 made in Canada as part of the 1940 War Preparedness Act. Those are available on eBay for US$250-400. A Rifle, Cal..30 Model of 1903, Drill, would also be a good match--but those are as scarce as honest politicians, and of similar expense.

They are a cool bit of history