Here we have a German WW1 98/05 bayonet, commonly referred to by collectors as the “Butcher bayonet” due to its distinctive wide blade profile.

This example has a nice clean blade. It has been sharpened but remains bright and straight, with very sharp and intact saw-back teeth. The ricasso is stamped “Waffenfabrik Mauser A.G. Oberndorf a.N”, one of the well known makers of the period. The spine does show markings, although, very faint. (see photos).

The hilt features wooden grips with one side noticeable darker than the other, possibly due to how it has been stored over the years. Both grips show service wear and age, with some small dents and handling marks. The flash guard also shows some light dings. The rifle retaining button is fully functional, and both original grip screws are intact. A Waffenamt inspection stamp can be seen at the top of the pommel.

The scabbard is nice and straight, with only miner indentations and wear consistent with service wear. It retains the throat screw and bears Waffenamt stamps on both the throat and lower ball. Accompanying this is the correct WW1 leather frog, showing expected wear and age but still retaining its original stitching and all four rivets.

Historical Note:

The 98/05 bayonet was first introduced in 1905 for use with the Gewehr 98 rifle and quickly became the standard German bayonet of WW1. Its heavy, cleaver-like blade earned it the nickname “Butcher Bayonet” among allied troops. In 1917 Germany officially ordered the removal of the saw-back feature from new production, making surviving examples like this particularly sought after by collectors.