Markings on Swedish Bayonets

Content
1	General
1.1	Manufacturing
1.2	Markings
2.	Manufacturers
3.	Bayonet makers and stamps
4.	The inspection
5.	Unit markings
6.	References

1. General

1.1. General

The 18'th century bayonet was normally manufactured in three parts; the socket, the shank and blade, and the butterfly bolt. The socket was often made from scrapped musket barrels, that was welded to the shank.

Some of the craftsmen involved in manufacturing a bayonet:

Bayonet maker	The common name fo bayonet makers. Svetsare was responsible for the bayonet forging. (The were called 'svetsare' at Wira bruk. I don't know if it was a common name)
Bayonet grinder	The forged blade was passed on to the bayonet grinder bajonettsliparna. (They were called bajonettfilare from 1750 and onward [11]). (At the same time, wll into 1800s 'filare' are mentioned as a guild of their own. It is unclear how the areas of interest are separated.)
Bayonet filer	I believe the term 'filer' is incorrect, but I can't think of another term. I am not sure about the difference between bayonet grinder and bayonet filer either
Socket grinder (hölsefilare)
Scabbard maker	Leather works, scabbards

At Söderhamns arsenal ,there was in 1750:

1 bayonet maker (master), 2 journeymen and 2 apprentice.

1 bayonet grinder (master), 1 journeyman och 1 apprentice.

1 bayonet filer (master), 2 journeymen och 1 apprentice.

Here is a note from the visit by Antons Svab in 1796 at Söderhamn, about the manufacturing of a bayonet m/1791:
'Futhermore one bayonet maker was engaged, earning 12 skilling for each bayonet forged, one bayonet welder who attaches the socket to the shank, and shall have 3 skilling, and 2 bayonet grinders, that for grinding and polishing shall have 4 skilling.'

The bayonet makers where normally organized in guilds (e.g. pistol makers), but at 'Vira bruk', the bayonet makers had there own guild in early 1740s.

1.2. Markings

7 January 1704	Board of Ordnance wrote to all factories that they should mark barrels and locks with the factory stamp.
Late 18th century	Approved bayonets (or modifications) from circa m/1775 to m/1799 was marked with the inspectors mark on the arm close to the socket. The stamp was the signature with a crown over it, e.g. crowned 'A', 'B' or 'M'.
1822 inspection order	The inspection-armourer shall mark the approved bayonet on the side of the shank. An approved scabbard shall be marked over the catch.
1830 inspection order	3 inspectors, 1'st and 2'nd inspection officer and one inspection-armourer. The bayonet is marked on the side of the shank if it is approved.
1850 inspection order	The maker shall stamp his signature on the upper side of the blade, close to the shank. The serial number and year shall be stamped there as well. There shall be 2 inspectors. Approved bayonets are stamped by the inspectors on the shank at the same side as the mortise.

On the socket bayonet m/1867 there are inspection stamps on the opposite side of the shank. These are detail and final inspection stamps from Carl Gustaf Stad

It seems to be a difference of the maker stamps of 'Jönköpings faktori' and the inspection stamps. The characters in the maker stamp was 'raised', but in the inspection stamps they were stamped. [6]

2. Manufacturers

In 1620 the king, Gustav II Adolf, decided that the blacksmiths should move to certain towns, Norrtälje, Norrköping, Sundsvall, Söderhamn and Örebro. The blacksmiths still worked in their own workshop, but they operated in a arsenal ('faktori'). A "faktor" was responsible for the manufacturing (assemblance) of arms. The operations of the arsenals was in the beginning more of purchasing than actual manufacturing. After the Board of Ordnance was founded in 1634 the arsenals was subordinated the board. In the 1700s the state arsenals ("Faktorier") were better organized, the blacksmiths in these towns were forced to work for the arsenal.

See database for manufacturers and state arsenals

This text is kept until I get an Enlish translation of the database.
No further updates will be done here. Only the database will be updated.

Faktori	Marking	History
Arboga		Founded in 1551 Hans Ehrenpreuss, the 'factor' at Arboga from 6/12 1684 Owned e.g. Vedevåg and leased Kvarnbacka in the parish of Lindesberg.
Carl Gustaf Stads gevärsfaktori	crown over C	Eskilstuna In 1771 a tax-free zone for blacksmiths was founded in 'Carl Gustafs stad'. Founded in 1812, but still in business. In 1943 it became a part of FFV, and it was bought by Bofors some years ago.
Hedemora		Founded in 1706.
Husqvarna Vapenfabrik	H crown over H	Located to the town of Huskvarna. Founded in 1689. The small arms division was sold to FFV (Carl Gustaf) in 1969, and production moved to Eskilstuna in the early 1970s. It was privatized in 1757 and became company in 1867, Husqvarna Vapenfabriks AB (HVA).
Jönköpings faktori	crown over K dot over K	Located to the town of Jönköping. . Founded in 1613. In the early 1700 Husqvarna/Jönköping gevärsfaktori was the largest of the seven state armouries, with 1000 employees and a production of 11000 firearms a year. Most of the production was transferred to Husqvarna during 1790's.
Norrtälje	NT crown over NT	Founded in 1623 The factory and the whole town were burnt down by the Russians in 1719. Was transferred to 'ryttmästare' Jennings and 'brukspatron' Finlay in 1763. Shut down in 1843 by the present owners, the business house Tottie & Arvedsson.
Norrköping	Unknown Should be NK	Founded in 1620s.
Ronneby	Unknown Should be R or RB	Founded in 1679
Sundsvall		Founded in på 1620-talet.
Söderhamns faktori	crown over S crossed muskets over a boat	Söderhamn. Founded in 1620 The Russians captured the city 19/5 1721. The production was not started until 1725. The production was moved to Carl Gustaf Stad in 1813.
Örebro	Ö	Founded in 1620s. Aquired 1795 by Göran Ehrenpreuss and was incorporated in Jönköping-Husqvarna.

2.1. Other manufacturers

Faktori	Stämpel	Historia
A B BAHCO		Enköping BAHCO - Bernt August Hjort & Co 'Enköpings Mekaniska Verkstad' is one of the companies thas is part of what became BACHO. Made e.g. bayonet m/65.
E.A. Bergs fabriksaktiebolag	EAB	Eskilstuna, Erik Anton Berg AB. Since late 1950s part of the BACHO-group. Has now a shark as logotype (can be seen on e.g. trial fighting knife fm/64).
E.A. Naesman	E A NAESMAN	Eskilstuna. Subcontractor for Carl Gustaf Stad. Mainly manufacturer of door locks, but alse e.g. bridles and stirrups. As many as 150 craftsmen worked here. In 1881 the company with its 14 (!) employes was surrended by August Stålberg and changed name to E.A. Naesman & Co. In 1894 they changed name to 'Låsfabriksaktiebolaget'. Socket bayonets m/1867 with this stamp should have been manufactured some time between 1868 when Carl Gustaf Stad started manufacturing the rifle and 1881 when the changed name.
Johan Walén	J WALÉN	Located in the town of Eskilstuna. Subcontractor for Carl Gustaf Stad. The marking can be found on the back of the m/1867 socket bayonet blade.
Eskilstuna fristad	crowned over 'E'	Eskilstuna fristad
Ericson	ERICSON	Manufacturer at Eskilstuna fristad. Stamps with a crowned E over ERICSON. Manufactured bayonet m/1804 for jaegers. The maker "Ericson" is not known, but at the same period there was a manufaturer Anders Magnus Eriksson active at Eskilstuna Fristad. A M Eriksson moved in 1803 from Wedevåg to Eskilstuna fristad, he had been an apprentice of knife maker Krebs. He was one of the first to industrialize the production, and his shop grew from 18 to 42 journeymen and apprentices. His production comprised of e.g. bayonets and copper field bottles for the army and the navy. He moved to Stockholm at the end of the 1810s, badly in dept.
Eskiltuna Jernmanufaktur		Eskilstuna
Eskiltuna Jernmanufaktur	EJ AB over an anchor	Eskilstuna
Vira bruk		Founded in 1635.( Got there priviligies 28/4 1635) and lost there priviligies 1775. Closed in 1948. Since 1970 Wira bruk is a museum. In the years 1692-93 2000 blades was manufactured for bayonet m/1692. In 1791-1800 2280 bajonet blades was manufactured, and in 1813-1814 2000 bayonet m/1811 was manufactured.
Wedevåg		Was in production in 1720 and in 1730. Manufactured blades until 1755.
Graninge järnverk	No own marking (?)	Owned by Magnus Flemming (Vira bruk). Started manufacturing bayonets in autumn of 1707 under supervision of a master from Vira mill. At the end of 1709 had 716 bayonets (blades for assembly at Vira mill ?) been manufactured here.

3. Makers and stamps

See markings database for Makers and Masters

4. The inspection

There were a number of Armourers both at the weapon depots and at the Carl Gustaf Stad (CG) Armourers working as arms inspectors were called "Inspection Armourer". Apart from the Inspection Armourers there were a couple of inspection Officers at CG. During some periods other officers was ordered to serve as extra inspectors.

The table is in Swedish, but I will try to translate the titles and some common terms here in a separate table.

Swedish	English
Besiktningsofficer	Inspection officer
Besikningsofficersexamen	Inspection officer's examination
Rustmästare	Armourer
Besikningsrustmästare	Inspection armourer
Besikningsrustmästarexamen	Inspection armourer's examination
Rustmästare	Armourer
Förrådsofficer	Staff sergeant

See markings database for Inspectors stamps

6. References

References
[1]	Olsson, Roger. Uppsats i `Meddelande XXXXI-XXXXII Armémuseum', 1980-82
[2]	Lissmark, Bengt. `Svenska bajonetter 1696 - 1965', 1973
[3]	Kungsmark, Stefan
[3]	Johansson, Kjell B, Artikel i `Samlarnytt', 19??
[5]	Kiesling, Paul, `Bayonets of the world'
[6]	Stöckel, Johan F, `Haandskydevaabens bedömmelse', 1943
[7]	von Schreber, Tor Schreber, `Karolinska bajonetter och deras föregångare på kontinenten'. `Föreningens armémusei vänner Meddelande IV `, 1941.
[8]	von Goës, Nils, `Söderhamns gevärsfaktori 1620 - 1813', 1988
[9]	Wennberg, Kåa, `Svenska böss- och pistolsmeder', 1989
[10]	Janzen, Jerry L, `Bayonets of the Remington cartridge period', 1993
[11]	nn, `Vira klingsmedja och liebruk', 1985
[M]	Egen/annan samling