African swords as tools?

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

In combat, "anything goes"! and when one is working and a certain tool needed is not available...same rule! I cant say how many times I've seen old bayonets used to dig up weeds.

All best regards,
Jim

Jim,

I was at an antique market last weekend and a seller had an actual bayonet shaped like a small, sharpened shovel. About 7" long and maybe 4" wide.

American Civil War. It fit the 45-70 rifle. It even had a scabbard with "US" on it.

He said that it was very rare because even though a number of them were made the troops disliked the idea of trying to bayonet an enemy with a small shovel on the end of a rifle, that they threw them away!

It was $1200 if anyone wants me to put them in touch with the seller. he had a lot of quality items and the shovel bayonet looked well made.

I have done a Google search and found that they are indeed rare. In fact in the immortal words of the "Highlander,"

"There can be only one!"