Windlass 1907 Lee-Enfield Bayonet, Quick review
Feb 26, 2015 4:59:49 GMT
Post by Afoo on Feb 26, 2015 4:59:49 GMT
The story of how I got this bayonet is rather convoluted. I bought an original 1907 bayonet with a scabbard. I did not like using the original, so I bought a replica scabbard specifically to house it. I ended up with two scabbards by accident, so I bought a second 1907 to fill it. The scabbard was found to damage the nickle plating on the second bayonet, so I bought a third one (a jungle canvas version) just for that. That left me with with three scabbards and two bayonets. The OCD in me could not stand this, so I got the replica bayonet to fill it.
This bayonet was purchased from e-bay. The description did not mention a scabbard. However, it came with a scabbard anyways, so now I have 3 bayonets and 4 scabbards. Hmm. The particular version I got was the early version with the curved quillon, because it looked neat, and original versions can go for a lot.
This is not a review, as it is kind of hard to review an item like this. I can't really talk about its handling. Its a bayonet, and its pretty hard to mess up. I can't really talk about its real life utility either like I would another knife, since its not meant for use, but for display and collecting. What I will do is call out some of the differences between the replica and the original.
I should apologize now for the photos. The Windlass replica is in black, which is realistic, but makes taking pictures very hard - especially when placed next to a nickle plated original in all its shininess. Also note that there is a Windlass sticker on the bayonet, but its clear with black font....good luck getting a picture of that.
Bayonets side by side. The BLACK one is the replica. Overall, the Windlass is an excellent replica, with no glaring errors or inaccuracies. The general size, shape and feel of the thing is correct. The blade feels just as heavy and substantial, and the grip has the geometry bang on.
The Grips
The grip on the windlass is very well done. No cheap plastic or polymers here - the wood is smooth and well finished. It also has this lovely dark stain treatment which gives in a quality feel. The screws holding the grips to the tang are also accurate - no off-the shelf hardware screws here. The bayonet lug at the end also looks authentic. I did not take any specific measurements, but the grips do not appear to suffer from the same type of shrinking normally observed in Windlass pieces. Note that the Quillon and hand guard IS made of significantly thinner steel than the original, which is a good way to tell them apart.
The Pommel is again well done - very good match in terms of size and shape. The top could be a bit more rounded, and the shape of the push button is a bit off, but thats a very small detail. Overall, well done.
Markings
Next to the hand guard, we get a series of markings. The markings on the Windlass are much deeper and wider than on the original - almost look like trenches carved into the side of he blade. I know the nickle plating will reduce the definition of the markings slightly, but even so, I think the Windlass ones are still much too deep. The markings are also much larger in terms of actual area - this is most evident on the crown and the 1907 characters, which barely fit on the blade. The crown itself is missing some detail, but all in all not a bad job. Its definitely better than whats seen on other Windlass products
One minor detail is how the blade meets the ricasso - the Windlass has a steeper angle, as shown below. This is a very VERY minor point, but it *may* effect its ability to fit into scabbards designed for the original version
All in all, its not a bad purchase - asides from a few minor details, it mirrors the original almost exactly. However, this particular example cost me $70 plus shipping from ebay. The one with the later version of quillons will cost you a bit less. Its cheaper than an original, but not by much.
In the case of this example, it was worth it, since the early versions are quite rare. However, I do not see the point in buying a replica of the later version, since you can get a good example for under $100.
This bayonet was purchased from e-bay. The description did not mention a scabbard. However, it came with a scabbard anyways, so now I have 3 bayonets and 4 scabbards. Hmm. The particular version I got was the early version with the curved quillon, because it looked neat, and original versions can go for a lot.
This is not a review, as it is kind of hard to review an item like this. I can't really talk about its handling. Its a bayonet, and its pretty hard to mess up. I can't really talk about its real life utility either like I would another knife, since its not meant for use, but for display and collecting. What I will do is call out some of the differences between the replica and the original.
I should apologize now for the photos. The Windlass replica is in black, which is realistic, but makes taking pictures very hard - especially when placed next to a nickle plated original in all its shininess. Also note that there is a Windlass sticker on the bayonet, but its clear with black font....good luck getting a picture of that.
Bayonets side by side. The BLACK one is the replica. Overall, the Windlass is an excellent replica, with no glaring errors or inaccuracies. The general size, shape and feel of the thing is correct. The blade feels just as heavy and substantial, and the grip has the geometry bang on.
The Grips
The grip on the windlass is very well done. No cheap plastic or polymers here - the wood is smooth and well finished. It also has this lovely dark stain treatment which gives in a quality feel. The screws holding the grips to the tang are also accurate - no off-the shelf hardware screws here. The bayonet lug at the end also looks authentic. I did not take any specific measurements, but the grips do not appear to suffer from the same type of shrinking normally observed in Windlass pieces. Note that the Quillon and hand guard IS made of significantly thinner steel than the original, which is a good way to tell them apart.
The Pommel is again well done - very good match in terms of size and shape. The top could be a bit more rounded, and the shape of the push button is a bit off, but thats a very small detail. Overall, well done.
Markings
Next to the hand guard, we get a series of markings. The markings on the Windlass are much deeper and wider than on the original - almost look like trenches carved into the side of he blade. I know the nickle plating will reduce the definition of the markings slightly, but even so, I think the Windlass ones are still much too deep. The markings are also much larger in terms of actual area - this is most evident on the crown and the 1907 characters, which barely fit on the blade. The crown itself is missing some detail, but all in all not a bad job. Its definitely better than whats seen on other Windlass products
One minor detail is how the blade meets the ricasso - the Windlass has a steeper angle, as shown below. This is a very VERY minor point, but it *may* effect its ability to fit into scabbards designed for the original version
All in all, its not a bad purchase - asides from a few minor details, it mirrors the original almost exactly. However, this particular example cost me $70 plus shipping from ebay. The one with the later version of quillons will cost you a bit less. Its cheaper than an original, but not by much.
In the case of this example, it was worth it, since the early versions are quite rare. However, I do not see the point in buying a replica of the later version, since you can get a good example for under $100.