Post-War U.S. bayonet and scabbard production has posed significant challenges to researchers. Limited federal contract data has left many gaps and, at times, has proven difficult to interpret accurately. As with any story that is pieced together over time, there have been advances, as well as errors, made along the way. My research builds on previous work by noted authors/researchers: Gary Cunningham, Dan Morrison, Bill Porter, and Frank Trzaska. Gary’s and Dan's research can be found in their books. Gary, Bill's, and Frank's work is also found on Frank Trzaska’s great site, http://usmilitaryknives.com.
The following summarizes what appear to be the U.S. government contracts, building on what has already been published with additional research of my own. The information presented below shows the extent of 1960s M1917 Bayonet and Scabbard procurement discerned from publicly-available data, adds new details, and clarifies some details previously reported elsewhere. There remains much to still be discovered and explained through further research. If you are aware of any additional contracts or have information to add, comments and clarification are welcome.
| Post-War M1917 Bayonet Contracts | ||||||
| Contract No. | Contractor | Date | Amount | Contract Type | Purchasing Office | Notes |
| DAAF03-67-C-0018 | General Cutlery, Inc. | September 1966 | $24,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Contract details per NARA AAD. |
| DAAF03-67-C-0104 | General Cutlery, Inc. | June 1967 | $17,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Contract details per NARA AAD. Contract for M1917 bayonet per Cunningham and Morrison. |
| DAAF03-68-C-0050 | Canadian Commercial Corp. (aka Canadian Arsenals Ltd.) | May 1968 | $188,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Contract details per NARA AAD. 11/68 packing date observed. |
| DAAF01-69-C-0437 | General Cutlery, Inc. | February 1969 | $108,000 | Definitive Contract | Rock Island Arsenal | Contract details per NARA AAD. 11/69 packing date observed. |
| Post-War M1917 Scabbard Contracts | ||||||
| Contract No. | Contractor | Date | Amount | Contract Type | Purchasing Office | Notes |
| not available | Beckwith Manufacturing Co. | early 1950s? | not available | not available | not available | Nothing is known regarding this contract. Beckwith Manufacturing Co. merged with two other Beckwith subsidiaries to become Beckwith-Arden Inc. in 1955, so this contract likely predates the merger. Victory Plastics Co. was also a wholly-owned Beckwith subsidiary, but was not affected by the merger and continued operating under its own name until 1964. |
| DA-19-058-AMC-462 | Victory Plastics Co. | 1962-63 | not available | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Army Materiel Command was created in 1962, so this contract number wouldn't exist prior to 1962. Package with contract number and 10-63 packing date observed by Morrison. |
| DAAF03-67-C-0102 | Beckwith Arden Inc. | June 1967 | $14,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Contract details per NARA AAD. Since finding label for contract 0035, this contract was undoubtedly also for the M1917. |
| DAAF03-68-C-0035 | Beckwith Arden Inc. | December 1967 | $52,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | This contract for M1917 scabbard per image of 4/68 dated package label. |
| DAAF03-69-C-0711 | Viz Manufacturing Co. | May 1969 | $69,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Contract details per NARA AAD. 4/70 packing date observed. |
| Sources Cunningham: Gary Cunningham, U.S. Knife Bayonets & Scabbards (Pennsylvania: Scott Duff Publications, 2015) Morrison: Daniel Jay Morrison, The U.S. Enfield Bayonet, (New Jersey, Breed's Hill Publishing, 2017) NARA/AAD: Observations: Author's observations (unless stated otherwise) |
||||||
| Post-1965 Beckwith-Arden Scabbard Contracts That Analysis Suggests Were for M1917 Scabbards | ||||||
| Identification of the purchasing office for each contract helps sort out contracts that were likely for M1917 Scabbards vs. M7 Scabbards. The contracts for M1917 Bayonets appear to all have been ordered through Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal. Two of the three Beckwith-Arden scabbard contracts were also ordered through Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal. The other Beckwith-Arden contract was ordered through the New York Army Procurement Detachment in New York City. Procurement of the Beckwith-Arden M7 Scabbards was not done in connection to a procurement of M1 Bayonets, which had been superceded and long been out of procurement. While the reason for their procurement is not known, it makes sense that they were ordered ad hoc (perhaps for the NY National Guard or ?) and not through Army Weapons Command. | ||||||
| Contract No. | Contractor | Date | Amount | Contract Type | Purchasing Office | Notes |
| DAAF03-6-C-1644 | Beckwith Arden Inc. | June 1966 | $15,000 | Definitive Contract | New York Army Procurement Detachment | Probably M7 scabbards. |
| DAAF03-67-C-0102 | Beckwith Arden Inc. | June 1967 | $14,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | Since finding label for contract 0035, this contract was undoubtedly also for the M1917. |
| DAAF03-68-C-0035 | Beckwith Arden Inc. | December 1967 | $52,000 | Definitive Contract | Army Weapons Command, Rock Island Arsenal | This contract for M1917 scabbard per image of 4/68 dated package label. |
| Source NARA/AAD: Records of Prime Contracts Awarded by the Military Services and Agencies, created, 7/1/1965–6/30/1975, accessed January 30, 2022, http://aad.archives.gov/aad/series-description.jsp?s=492&cat=SB297&bc=sb,sl |
||||||
Collectors'
Network
