M1895 Scabbards
Dutch M1895 Scabbards can assist you in identifying your Dutch M1895 Bayonet.
The Dutch M1895 scabbards can be found in many models, versions and varieties. Like with the bayonets, different versions of the same model scabbards were tested and issued. Most of the M1895 scabbards are made from leather with a internal frog and initially all look alike. But when you take a closer look, you will discover many differences in models, versions, backgrounds and history.
Because the Dutch bayonets almost never carry regimental or corps markings
you are still able too see to what type of corps this bayonet was issued. To do
this you will need to take a closer look at the M1895 bayonet's scabbard.
M1895 Rifle Scabbards
The M1895 "Rifle" scabbards knows two different versions, a
Army version and a Navy version. The difference between these two is that the
Navy version has a longer integrated frog, the securing strap is place closer
to the mouth of the scabbard's throat and instead of copper wire the Navy
version was secured with pecked (oiled) wiring. As it was very common for
leather items used in the Dutch Royal Navy, the frogs often were issued with a
brass plate with the ship number engraved in it.
Above: M1895 Army "Rifle" version. Below: M1895 Navy "Rifle" version.
Left: ferule secured with pecked wiring of a
M1895 Navy scabbard.
Right: Brass plate with ship number on the backside of a M1895 Navy scabbard
(belt loop).
Above: M1895 Army "Rifle"
scabbard factory drawing.
Above: M1895 "Navy" scabbard factory drawing.
The first models of M1895 "Rifle" scabbards were stitched models instead of riveted ones. Unfortunately I do not know in what year the Dutch started to use copper rivets but since these stitched version are very rare, I assume that only the first made bayonets were issued with these stitched models (M1895 "Rifle" first model scabbard).
First model M1895 "Rifle" scabbard (stitched)
M1895 Carbine No.3 & No.4 Scabbards
There are four different models of M1895 Carbine No.3 & No.4
scabbards which are all slightly different from each other. Although the bayonet
remained the same, there were different models of scabbards. For the No.3
Carbine, the scabbard had a longer integral leather frog and also had a higher
places strap. For the Carbine No.4, issued to the Bicycle Corps, Signal Corps
and Machine gunners, a scabbard with a lower integral leather frog was issued.
The reason behind this was to prevent the scabbard from swinging into the spokes
of the bicycle wheels. The main difference between the Engineers version and the
Bicycle Corps etc version is that the belt loop folds down immediately after the
securing strap.
Above: M1895 Bicycle Corps, Signal Corps and
Machine gunners scabbard
Middle: M1895 Engineers Model scabbard
Below: M1895 Artillery Model
scabbard
Above: M1895 Carbine No.3 & No.4 scabbard factory
drawing.
M1895 Carbine No.1 NM Scabbards
The M1895 Carbine No.1 NM had a similar scabbard that was made for
the Dutch Combat Dagger called 'Stormdolk' (but with a longer frog). Basically
this scabbard is the same as the M1895 Navy scabbard but only a bit smaller.
Also the ferule was secured with copper wiring like the rest of the Army
scabbards.
M1895 Carbine No.1 NM scabbard
Above: M1895 Carbine No.1 NM scabbard factory
drawing.
M1895 K.N.I.L. Scabbards
In the beginning the M1895 KNIL bayonets were issued with steel
scabbards with a wooden lining and a leather frog. These types of steel
scabbards became a major disaster. Once they arrived in the Dutch-Indies it
became clear that the steel scabbards unpleasantly tinkled against the scabbards
of the 'klewangs' (and other equipment). As a result of this, the steel
scabbards were abolished and the bayonets had to be fixed permanently on the
rifles. In 1911 again a scabbard was issued, although this time it was made from
leather. The original M1895 KNIL leather scabbards were stitched with a
rectangular frog and belt hook instead of the pyramid shaped belt hook and frog of
the Carbine No.1 scabbard. Later the KNIL also 'imported' the Carbine No.1 NM
scabbards from the Homeland to fit their M1895 KNIL bayonets.
M1895 Steel K.N.I.L. scabbard
M1895 Leather K.N.I.L. scabbard
M1895 Scabbard Markings
Most of the leather scabbards were marked with the same serial number
as their bayonet but without the serial character. Many scabbards are also
marked with their production year. A lot of the scabbards are marked with either
"CW" (Delft) or "AI" (Zaandam). Once a leather scabbard
needed to be repaired (which happened a lot) it was send back to one of these
workshops. Normally the soldier received another (repaired) scabbard as a
permanent replacement. Once the leather scabbard got repaired the old serial
number was striped-out and a new serial number (for a new bayonet) was stamped
into the backside of the integrated leather frog. Some scabbards can be found
with other makers names, who were contracted to make M1895 scabbards (very
rare).
"CW" = 1679-1900: Artillerie Constructie Winkel, Delft
(Netherlands)
"CW" = 1900: Constructie Werkplaatsen Artillerie, Delft (Netherlands)
"AI" = 1900: Artillerie Inrichtingen Hembrug, Zaandam (Netherlands)
M1895 "Rifle" scabbard issued with a new serial number
Left: Contractor made scabbard,
dated 1908
Right: Construction Werkplaatsen Artillerie, Delft (CW) made scabbard
M1895 scabbards are most of the time also marked with inspection stamps. These inspection stamps can often be found on the end, close to the brass ferule. Sometimes they are located underneath the copper wiring. With the original KNIL issued leather scabbard they can be found at the backside of the belt hook.
Left: Inspection stamp
"Z" on a M1895 K.N.I.L. leather scabbard
Right: Inspection stamp "D" on a M1895 "Artillery" Carbine
No.3 scabbard
Fake & Reproduction M1895 Scabbards
Since the leather M1895 scabbard is much more vulnerable than the
bayonet, the scabbards are currently in much less quantities and conditions than
the bayonets. As all bayonet collectors know, a bayonet with scabbard adds a
much higher value to both their collection and the value of the bayonet. this
has resulted in the fact that fake / reproduction M1895 bayonet scabbards are
being sold on the market. Unfortunately in many cases Dutch M1895 bayonets are
being sold with these types of 'original' scabbards.
Fake M1895 scabbard (type 1):
The copper wiring on the finial is much thicker in diameter (almost half) than the original copper wiring. You can also observe that the scabbards end has a bit of a arrow shape which you will never encounter with a original one. Also the brass rivets which connects the scabbard with the frog are bigger in diameter. the original rivets are 7 mm in diameter while the rivets on this scabbard are 9 mm. the rivets on this fake model are also made in a much cruder way than it should. An absolute dead give away is of course the securing leather strap with the modern press button. Original scabbards have a copper/brass knob. At the backside of the scabbard you can see that the belt loop is stitched instead of secured with three brass rivets.
Left: Copper wiring that is much
thicker in diameter
Right: Very crude made rivets
Left: Modern press-lock button
Right: Bigger rivets (9 mm instead of 7 mm)
Fake M1895 scabbard (type 2):
This type has a aluminum internal scabbard liner covered with poor quality leather. This makes the scabbard also very rigid instead of flexible which it should be. The original stitched scabbards are very scarce but are stitched in a different way. The original stitched scabbards have stitching that are much wider from each other, while you can see that with this fake scabbard the stitching is much closer to each other. An original stitched scabbard has two rivets at the back, while this fake is again stitched to the frog. The poor quality and two-tone color leather gives it away that this is a definite fake.
Left: Aluminum lining covered
with poor quality leather
Right: Machine-like stitching without the two rivets in the back
Stitching seams are too close to each other
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