Trench knife

Trench knife

 Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

  Trench knife

 Trench knife

A Trench knife is a combat knife designed to kill or gravely incapacitate an enemy soldier at close quarters, as might be encountered in a trenchline or other confined area.It was developed in response to a need for a close combat weapon for soldiers conducting assaults and raids on enemy trenchlines during the First World War. An example of a World War I trench knife is the German Army's Nahkampfmesser (close combat knife).
With the outbreak of the Second World War, the trench knife, by this time usually referred to as a combat knife, proved so useful that armies continued to develop and issue new designs. On the Axis side, the Nahkampfmesser and designs developed from it were again widely issued to the ordinary soldier as general-purpose fighting and utility knives, while Allied armies generally restricted issue of trench knives to elite infantry units and infantry not otherwise equipped with the bayonet.

Early trench knives
With the exception of the German Nahkampfmesser (combat knife), most early trench knives were fabricated by hand by individual soldiers or ordnance blacksmiths for the purpose of silently eliminating sentries and other enemy personnel during trench raids.These early "trench knives" were often nothing more than shortened and sharpened Army-issue bayonets. One type of stabbing weapon, the French Nail, was made by cutting and pointing the steel stakes used to support the ubiquitous barbed wire protecting the trench lines. All trench knives share one common characteristic: they were designed specifically for military use in close combat encounters with enemy personnel. Some historians say that some trench knives models were inspired by the Bowie knife for its design.

German Army trench knives
The German Nahkampfmesser was the standard issue German combat knife during the First World War. It remained in service in modified form through the end of the Second World War.Most of these knives had slab wooden grips and metal sheaths and were sturdily made. According to one authoritative source, German-issued trench knives of World War I were "...conventional, general-purpose, cut-and-thrust knives..." with blades that were "...for the most part approximately six inches in length, single-edged with a top leading false edge...although double-edged blades are occasionally encountered." 
After the French Nail was employed against them, German forces on the Western Front also began to employ converted steel barbed-wire stakes into stabbing weapons for use by their own soldiers.

M4 Bayonet

M4 Bayonet

 M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

  M4 Bayonet

 M4 Bayonet

M5 bayonet

M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

  M5 bayonet

 M5 bayonet

The M5 Bayonet was adopted by the U.S. Military in 1953 to replace other bayonets for the M1 Garand. It uses the M8A1 scabbard.

Background

During the Korean War, the M1 bayonet and M1905 bayonet which mount to the M1 Garand, were proven difficult to remove with gloves on. As a result the U.S. M5 Garand bayonet was designed and issued in 1953. This was a total redesign and looks nothing like the original M1905 or M1 bayonets for the M1 Garand. The M5 is the only U.S. bayonet without a barrel mount ring on the crossguard, making it look more like a fighting knife than a bayonet.

Description

The M5 bayonet has a 6¾ inch blade, and overall length is 11½ inches. Weight is 11½ ounces. The blade has one side sharpened for its full length and three inches of the other side are sharpened. There is a relatively large push button release to deal with removal while wearing gloves.

The stud on the bayonet crossguard fits the gas cylinder lock screw under the M-1 Garand barrel. Locking grooves attach to the bayonet lug on the rifle. The M5 fits only the M-1 Garand and does not interchange with any other firearms.

There were three different patterns made: M5, M5-1 and M5A1.

The grips are checkered black molded plastic and all metal parts are a dark gray parkerized finish. There are no markings on the blade. The manufacturer name or initials and "US M5" (or other model) will be found stamped under the cross guard. Many M5 family bayonets were made in Korea after the Korean War and these will have "K" stamped in place of the "US". Manufacturers included Aerial Cutlery, Jones & Dickinson Tool, Imperial Knife, Utica Cutlery, and Columbus Milpar & Mfg. The M5A1 was manufactured during the 1960s and was the last bayonet made for the M1 Garand.

Scabbard

There are two variations of this scabbard, both with an olive drab fiberglass body with steel throat. The early version, designated M8, has only a belt loop, no hook. The M8A1 retains the general look and can be slipped over a belt, but also has the M1910 bent wire hook available. The model is stamped "US M8" or "US M8A1" on the flat steel part along with manufacturer initials. This sheath is correct for all post-war US bayonets including the M4, M5, M6, and M7. It was also used with the M3 Fighting Knife.

M6 bayonet

M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

 M6 bayonet

M6 bayonet

The M6 Bayonet is a bayonet used by the U.S. military for the M14 rifle. It was introduced in 1957, at the same time as the rifle itself.It is the only type of bayonet made for the M14, and the only other rifle it fits is the civilian version of the M14, the M1A.

Like its predecessor, the M5 bayonet for the M1 Garand rifle, the M6 was intended to serve additional roles as a combat knife and utility knife. The basic blade design was like the M4, M5, and later M7 bayonets, based on the World War II designed M3 Trench Knife.The overall length of the M6 is 11 3/8 inches, with a blade 6 5/8 inches long. Contractors who manufactured the M6 included Aerial Cutlery Co., Columbus Milpar and Mfg. Co. and Imperial Knife Co.

The M6 was replaced by the M7 bayonet after the Vietnam War, when the M16 Rifle was adopted by both the United States Army and Marine Corps as the standard service rifle. The most notable differences between the two are the diameter of the muzzle rings, the shape of the handle, and the locking mechanism. The M6 has a spring-loaded lever near the guard that when depressed releases the bayonet, and the M7's release mechanism is on the pommel. Both models are the same length, have the same black finish, and use the M8A1 sheath.

Today, the M6 is mainly used for ceremonial purposes, particularly by the Navy and Marine Corps, both of which still use the M14 rifle for exhibition drill.