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**Mark Sheffy** · 02-20-2006, 11:04 AM

I should add that it had a standard frog and plain chrome blade

**Raymond** · 02-20-2006, 02:33 PM

While I've never heard of an organization using gold colored hilts on their bayos,I have the same question as you do.I have 2 bayos with gold painted hilts but never found out if they were done during the period or post war.I hope someone answers this question.

**Mark Sheffy** · 02-20-2006, 04:03 PM

I hope so too Raymond. I looked in several books including Robin Lumsden's and nothing listed.

**Mark Sheffy** · 02-20-2006, 04:11 PM

I hope so too Raymond. I looked in several books including Robin Lumsden's and nothing listed.

**Mark Sheffy** · 02-21-2006, 08:33 AM

Just to make it clear as to what Raymond said,the one I looked at was not "painted" gold,it was the hilt plate color,a brassy gold tone. Maybe it was silver and the way it was stored turned the color? Anyone have any thoughts ?

**SCHUPO** · 02-21-2006, 10:20 AM

So-called "German Silver" finishes will turn a golden color when they tarnish. FP is the metals expert but that may be what you observed. Nicotine will also turn nickel-silver a golden color. Also, some tombak is a gold color alloy and looks rather bronze or coppery color. KS98 hilts are generally nickel plated steel or white metal though. I suspect that gold paint would be postwar applied as a protectorant. I hope this helps.

**Mark Sheffy** · 02-21-2006, 10:48 AM

thanks Schupo

**jerryrehr** · 02-21-2006, 12:53 PM

Guys it could be a varnish on the bayonet 60-80 years ago that turns yellow/gold with time. Just my 2 pennies worth. Jerry

**Frogprince** · 02-21-2006, 02:52 PM

A look at it in sunlight would probably be the most definitive in trying to figure out what it is that Mark saw, but there are several possibilities. As Schupo stated the hilts were generally nickel plated steel or zinc. And like nickel plated blades nickel plating on hilts might tarnish slightly and with the addition of a coating of nicotine can tint the bright silver appearance of the underlying metal. But would probably also have a brownish element to the golden "nicotine patina”.

And nickel silver which is a copper/nickel alloy but silver colored is another possibility. And as was mentioned tarnish (nicotine, etc.) will give it a darker golden hue, but will lack the bright shinny appearance of gold plating. Tombak/brass a gold colored copper/zinc alloy (as used in sword hilts) is not something I recall offhand seeing with dress K98 bayonets. But there was nothing to physically preclude them from making them. And they would or could be bright and shinny.

Gold paint: After the Germans went to zinc fittings for dress weapons they did use a gold colored paint (sometimes called “Brennlak”) as a substitute for gold plating. Even though it was baked on it was not particularly durable and should have raw zinc underneath the paint. But my experience has been that gold painted Third Reich artifacts (over other finishes) were generally for theater use or some other postwar effort to color the affected components gold. As for an aged clear varnish/lacquer that is also a possibility. But again speaking generally they tend to be more yellowish than gold.

Mark’s observation that it looked like “gold wash” does suggest however the possibility that perhaps the hilt was actually gold plated. Impossible to say for certain without seeing the hilt it could have been done when the bayonet was made. Or it could have been plated postwar. The gold plating would or should not have been on top of nickel plating. But without seeing the piece itself I think that it’s still a guessing game at this point. FP

**Mark Sheffy** · 02-21-2006, 04:25 PM

Thank you for the post FP,much info. I might just go pick it up and post some pics,$58.00 was the price if I remember,and maker marked blade.with frog.

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