I have been asked about this bayonet several times.

To me, it looks like a bayonet produced by the Tokyo Arsenal, then was overhauled by the Kokura Arsenal years later. Every markings originally stamped on the pommel — serial number, inspection marks — disappeared during the refurbishment process and were replaced by the Kokura Arsenal inspection mark and a new serial number.

Usually, the new serial number is just a re-stamp of the old original serial number, assuming it's still fully readable. However, some of those "new" serial numbers are obviously wrong, they might be misreadings of original numbers too worn to be deciphered correctly, or possibly totally "new" numbers not connected to original ones.
Regarding your bayonet, the new serial number is different from the original serial number. I cannot tell if it's a failed or incomplete attempt to re-stamp an old illegible serial number, or if it's a totally random / arbitrary number. In any case, it turns out to be irrelevant in the end.

 

Didn’t know that you have seen this exact one before. So it’s pretty much an older one which was overhauled later by the Japanese to continue to be used up until ww2?

 

The earliest bayonets were serial numbered on top of the tang, and not on the pommel. That one has a "Ko" inspection stamp under the number, which would suggest Kokura arsenal, but Tokyo sometimes also used that too. Probably a Kokura arsenal rebuild.

 

Haha, Shabadabada and I chatted about exactly this bayonet. I think his theory is correct on a restamp, I just wasn’t sure exactly who did the restamp as it didn’t look like a Finnish font to me. Many times when you find a Finn used type 30 or 35, the pommel will be scrubbed and SN replaced with a Finn SN. Their stamp font is distinct if you’ve seen plenty of times. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is Finnish numbering. However, it does look somewhat like a Russian font. Could be Japanese renumber, Russian, Estonian, etc. The bluing gives away a rebuild as Tokyo and kokura bayonets were all bright. With the Kokura inspection marking, more than likely a Kokura rebuild and SN restamp as stated above. I still think it’s a really cool one. Nice grab!

 

Haha, Shabadabada and I chatted about exactly this bayonet. I think his theory is correct on a restamp, I just wasn’t sure exactly who did the restamp as it didn’t look like a Finnish font to me. Many times when you find a Finn used type 30 or 35, the pommel will be scrubbed and SN replaced with a Finn SN. Their stamp font is distinct if you’ve seen plenty of times. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is Finnish numbering. However, it does look somewhat like a Russian font. Could be Japanese renumber, Russian, Estonian, etc. The bluing gives away a rebuild as Tokyo and kokura bayonets were all bright. I still think it’s a really cool one. Nice grab!

What a coincidence that you guys were just talking about this exact one and I ended up getting. I would have loved for it to be Finnish but none the less it’s still pretty cool one which potentially saw use in both world wars. The seller originally wanted over $200 but I was able to get him to take $140. I was mainly looking for ones made by Tokyo or kokura because I knew that they were the ones who produced the more earlier ones and this one just happened to catch my eye.

 

Great addition to your collection and an interesting variant! I’ve become enamored with collecting by series, by serial number range and slowly accumulating experience on rarity of our bayonet space in the same way we have for years in our Japanese rifle space. If you look at the Japanese produced bayonets and lay them out by series, SN range and features, there is such a wide range of highly interesting, rare and collectible options with some features and SN ranges by manufacturer being real gems of extremely low production. It’s been super fun leaning into the education of it, especially with documentation being somewhere between spread out, sporadic, missing and many times flat wrong including in most books. It’s a fun subset of Japanese militaria. It’s also been fun getting to know shabadabada as he is definitely far ahead of me in this endeavor.

 

Thank you both for this very valuable information I definitely would have not figured that out by myself and also I didn’t see many forums discussing earlier type 30 bayonets being overhauled later on for further use and even potentially had use by the Russians as you stated earlier.

 

I may also pickup another type 30 bayonet which has the serial on the tang and also on the pommel it’s made by Tokyo arsenal and sold by a very reputable bayonet dealer and came from the collection of the person who wrote the book Bayonets of Japan. What’s your thoughts?

 

 

Interesting with the small micky-mouse ear cannonballs. I’d be all over that. Very early SN.

 

Yeah that low serial number along with the tang serial stamp caught my eye.

 

And also the fact that this is from J. Cheri who got most of his collection from Raymond LaBar who wrote the book “Bayonets of Japan” and he identified it as a LB-64 and rated it a 5 on his scale of rarity.

 

Indeed that is an early one. The original serial number is the one stamped on the tang. It was re-stamped on the pommel at a later stage in order to match the period updated standards.

Please, could you take a clear photo — as clear as possible — of the inspection mark located near the muzzle ring on the underside of the crossguard ? Could be a great help to my studies. Thanks in advance.

L

 

Yes I certainly will as soon as it’s delivered.

 

Thank you for the additional pictures.
Are you sure there is nothing on the underside of the crossguard ? See the red box area in the photo below. It looks like there is one.

The number 24 stamped on the side of the pommel is probably a rack number or account number or another local utility figure, very likely related to school or training use. These marks are commonly observed on very early bayonets, and a great number of them lived a second life as trainer or educational items just like many Japanese firearms.
The small faint marking on the left side of crossguard is a very stylized kanji 永, one of numerous Tokyo inspectors' marks.
That stain on the ricasso is caused by the scabbard band retaining screw.

L

 

Great bayonet and thank you for sharing. Very early! That's a keeper.