Australian M9 Bayonet

[porterkids]

Several years ago I purchased a Buck M9 bayonet with the blade marked BUCK / 188 / USA along with a "broad arrow" mark alongside the 188. There was no date code on the blade, which has a black oxide finish. When I purchased this bayonet it was in a white commercial box. I assumed it was an overrun blade that ended up being sold on the commercial market.

I have been in contact with a collector in Australia who informs me that he has Buck M9 bayonets that came from a military source there. He claims that they have a bright blade and this is how all of the Australian bayonets are.

How were the Australian bayonets finished? If they were bright, what is the dark bladed, broad arrow marked piece that I have?

 

[Joe Houser]

Hello,
I did some digging around and thought i had the answer. It looks as though we actually had some 900 overruns on the australian bayonet and they ended up as civilian models. I could not tell for sure, after reading the AUS. contract, what the blade finish was. I know that there are some black oxided versions out there but i do not know if they were the overruns. I have seen some with a bead blast finish as well.

I need to do some more digging.



------------------
Joe Houser
Director of Quality, Buck Knives Inc.
Buck Collectors club Administrator