The K98k Bayonet Collector's Network
Bayonet Nomenclature
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GRADE 2 -- Excellent
GENERAL: These bayonets will show light signs of wear and aging while maintaining most of the original factory finish. These bayonets are usually unissued but marred due to handling or improper storage. All components should still have 75 to 80% of original factory finish.
STEEL: Steel components should still have crisp edges, showing minor wear or rounding in small areas only. The blade should have original blunt edges unless factory sharpened. Some minor discoloration and wear to blueing/parkerizing is acceptable but should be minor and not distracting. A few minor dings, minor scratches, traces of rust or very light buffing is allowed if not numerous. Heavy polishing, reblueing or parkerizing is not acceptable.
WOOD: Wood components should be clean with only minor dings and wear. Major stains, oil saturation, noticeable cracks and erosion around screws and rivets are not acceptable.
LEATHER: Leather components can be hard and dry from age, lightly stained, lightly worn and can have light creases from bending but should have original form with intact seams, stitching, checkering and stamped marks. Tears, crazing, flaking, oil saturation, open seems, heavy creases or restoration of such are not acceptable.
BRASS: Brass components can be tarnished or lightly polished and have a few light dings or scratches.
GRADE 3 -- Very good
GENERAL: These bayonets will show moderate signs of wear and aging while maintaining some of the original factory finish. These bayonets are usually issued and show the wear and tear from normal usage but still maintain the original shape without serious damage.
STEEL: Steel components can have worn and rounded edges and the blade may have some non factory sharpening but it should be lightly done without changing the original shape of the blade. Surfaces can be brown or gray from oxidation but some of the original finish should still show. Small dings, scratches, light rust and trace pitting are acceptable if not numerous. Touch up buffing, blueing or parkerizing are acceptable unless it is different from the original finish.
WOOD: Wooden components can have the following flaws in moderation as long as they are few in number, do not effect usage and remain solid or complete; wear, stains, oil saturation, dings, chips, cracks, worm holes and other minor defects. Cracks that effect usage, heavy wear, major chips or gouges, missing sections and heavy erosion around screws and rivets are not acceptable.
LEATHER: Leather components can be hard and dry from age, lightly shrunk or stretched out of shape, stained, moderately worn, creased, light crazing, light flaking and have moderate seem splitting. Tears, heavy crazing, heavy flaking and missing sections are not acceptable.
BRASS: Brass components can be heavily tarnished or moderately polished and have a few dings and scratches.
GRADE 4 -- Good
GENERAL: These bayonets will show heavy signs of wear and aging or heavy corrosion due to improper storage with no original factory finish remaining. These bayonets are usually issued multiple times sometimes by multiple countries and have simply been worn out. These pieces should still be identifiable and functional.
STEEL: Steel components can have heavy wear totally removing the original finish. The blade may be sharpened to the point of changing the original shape. Heavy rust over large sections, serious pitting, heavy dents, heavy scratches and moderate bends can exist as long as function is not seriously effected and all major sections remain intact.
WOOD: Wooden components can have heavy wear that changes the original shape, heavy cracks, heavy erosion around steel components and minor missing sections as long a function is not seriously effected and all major sections remain intact.
LEATHER: Leather components can be heavily worn, crazed, flaked, torn and heavy distorted due to shrinking or stretching. Minor sections can be worn or flaked away.
BRASS: Brass components can be heavily corroded, heavily dinged, heavily scratched, polished to the point of changing original shape as long as function is not seriously effected and all major sections remain intact.
GRADE 5 -- Poor/Relic
GENERAL: This condition is for bayonets so heavily corroded, worn or abused that identification may be difficult if not impossible and are no longer functional. These bayonets are typically dug up relics or abused to the point of destruction.
STEEL: Steel components can have complete corrosion, breakage and major bends resulting in major missing sections.
WOOD: Wooden components can be completely missing or just a remnant of the original.
LEATHER: Leather components can be completely missing or just a remnant of the original.
BRASS: Brass components can have complete corrosion, breakage and major bends resulting in major missing sections.
GENERAL
Bayonets falling between the grades can be denoted as 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 but no grade should be below 1 or above 5. Grading the grip and blade with separate grades is acceptable when large differences exist but normally an overall grade should be an average. For example, a bayonet with a grade 2 blade and grade 3 grip should be listed as grade 2.5. A scabbard's grade should be listed separately if not equal to the bayonet's grade. Missing parts (such as scabbard, press stud, screws, etc.) should not effect the grade of the bayonet but should be clearly noted in the description.