The original idea was scrapped for the rod bayonet when they changed rifles to the 1903 Springfield. 1:40 onward talks about this. Actual usage of the prototype Bolo bayonets was about a year. Was put into service 1912, decommissioned in 1920. Actual service life of Bolo bayonets was about 8 years, outside of the 26th Calvary.
My grandma used to have one of these, that is when I was just a kid in the Philippines in the early 90s. She had no idea that it was a bayonet. She used it for gardening. I noticed that it has US markings and she just simply said it was "Made in the USA" Last time I saw it, it was already rusted and the wooden grip rotted away.
In a way that is a good thing, tools are meant to be used and your grandmother used it. Maybe not for its intended purpose but that does not really matter. Of course, it is a piece of history but it is also a knife.
My dad was in the P.I. in the early 60s, he was doing survival training. The only blade they were issued was the bayonet, so he went to a village and traded some smokes for a machete. This machete was made from quality steel, most likely from a leaf spring off of a jeep. It has a teak handle and the blade pattern is a clip point style. The blade spine is thick near the handle (good for splitting wood) and thins out towards the tip, good for hacking. I never seen another like it.
I imagine out if necessity it was made as such. Having been to the Philippines myself, I can say a good machete capable of both splitting wood and chopping brush is excellent for the dense greenery there. Native population realizes this as well, and makes a suitable tool as a result. In other words, you won't find anything else like it because of geography!
@@FoxtrotFleet im a local and i can confirm what he said. You can find a lot of them only here and mostly on places they'd get used a lot (i.e. farms and jungle terrains)
@@kitthepotato3312 Oh, I didn't disbelieve the story. I was just interested in what a well used local machete looked like. Figured it might be a little different from tourist sale or commercial kinds. The original poster mentioned the quality material and that they'd never seen an equal, it intrigued me.
I was at Morong, Bataan, a few months ago, the site of the last mounted charge of the 26th. The charge went down the provincial road, by the ancient church of Morong (still there), and hit the unprepared Japanese around the churchyard, and into the very narrow streets of the town, through which there was a wild fight. The best account is in Ramseys memoir. Captain Ramsey led the charge, escaped Bataan a few months later, fought as a guerilla for three years and survived. One of the few survivors of the 26th. Most of the old soldiers of the 26th died in battle or in the Death March or the concentration camp at Capas. The Philippine Scouts, being Filipinos, were in the Philippine section of that death camp, separated fom their American officers. We were passing through Morong and stopped to see the church; by happenstance it was this little towns day of the Flores de Mayo (May Flowers), the customary annual religious procession of the young girls in their finest. They passed by the church, along the same road down which the 26th charged. What a difference between war and peace. This was not the same charge as that against the tanks, which happened much further north, weeks earlier. So the 26th performed not just the last charge in US military history, but the last two.
Years ago, I had a very old, and wonderful friend who survived the death march. He never said much about it, however there was an air about him that got your attention the moment you met him. He was a natural leader, very active in the Legion and Lions clubs, both of which I belonged to back then. I sat with him one day over a few beers at the legion hall and he did mention a bit about the march, but teared up and I dropped the subject. Last time I saw him, his wife had become very ill and I responded with the ambulance service (I was a member of that as well) and helped carry her out of their apartment. She died shortly after and he hung on for a couple of months before joining her. Can't say as I blame him, having just lost my lovely wife to cancer, I can see where he was coming from when he left this world to join her.
The idea that low production specialized army equipments usually dont work was because those actually did always ended up popularized. Tanks, sniper rifles, submarines etc.
'cavalry sabres are obsolete'... "how about horses?" 'nope, still up to date'. To be fair mules tended to be more useful for jungle transport than jeeps etc.
Tanks back then were downright primitive. America at this time was just starting to phase out its M1917 light tanks (a copy of the WWI Renault FT) in favor of the M1 "Combat Car" (named because the Cavalry by law couldn't own a "tank"), the Light Tank M2 and the CTL-3 (a Tankette for the Marines). Those vehicles were really slow; the M1917 did only 8 kph, the M2s and CTL-3 could do 36 kph (which is only slightly faster than a horse at full gallop), while the Cavalry's M1s could pull a blistering 72 kph... on a paved road, in the field it would likely be half that. These vehicles couldn't handle the same terrain a horse could, the Philippines is hills, mountains and jungle which is the worse place to take a tank in to. Up until WWII the horse cavalry actually seem to have a role, sabers were obsolete and traded off in favor of an autoloading pistol (pistol charges were doctrine at this time). If it wasn't for the advances in light tanks during the mid 30's it might have stayed that way for a while longer. It should also be noted that in WWII one of the biggest users of horses was the Germans, except for the elite Panzer Divisions most of their army moved on foot with horse drawn carts for the supplies and heavy weapons; one of the reasons the Germans were so disorganized after D-Day was that they didn't think that the Allies could support an offensive so fast and planed their defenses around the speed of a horse drawn cart not realizing all of the Allied logistical train was designed around trucks.
dentistguba cavalry were successfully used in WWII, so please, google it. It was already totally a mounted infantry, but who cares? Dragoons still count as cavalry. The image is stupid cavalrymen charging at tanks is so commonly used it is now like a "coward French" stereotype.
The Norwegian army still had horses for combatr duty in the seventies. It was used to haul stuff through forests and on mountains during summer. They figured after a while that men could do the same job, the few places left that a tracked vehicle can't travel. And in the winter we've always used skis (no horses), and later snowmobiles. It really is the operating cost, rather than the usefulness of horses that makes them obsolete in modern armies today. Most modern armies have access to more manpower than they can afford to equip, and horses are more expensive to feed and care for than soldiers. In a total war scenario (ww3), we would probably see a resurgence of horses in rough terrain. If it is not just a short nukefest, that is.
S&W M19 Yeah, I've read that that was one lesson we had to learn during WW1, then relearn during WW2. If I remember correctly, in both instances, the US military began ordering full brass shotgun shells to get rid of the swelling issue. Once shotgun shells began to be made out of plastic, however, the issue was solved once and for all.
Funny thing about the Polish Cavalry, though... There is apparently one incident where they did in fact charge a German tank unit. Thing is, it was while the Germans were dismounted, and the cavalry were on them so fast they managed to capture the Germans with barely a fight. Unfortunately they then had to retreat when another tank squad showed up, ready and raring for battle.
I have an oudoor/survival background and my opinion is that these look great. I'd have been happy to be issued such a practical tool and can understand why troops wanted to keep them.
Look up the Swiss model 1914 Pioneer sawback bayonet. Thing is literally a sword you can attach to a rifle, that doubles as a horrifyingly huge hand saw.
It reminds me somewhat of a kopis or falcata, though those were more dedicated melee weapons I would guess they could be choppy enough for the same task as a bolo.
Seth Moyer - You've been too much Chieftain. What you need is more dakka.... BTW Famous author George Macdonald Fraser (Flashman) stated in "Quartered Safe Out Here" (www.amazon.com/Quartered-Safe-Out-Here-Harrowing/dp/1629142034) that he carried a privately purchased kukri as a rifleman in the 14th Army in Burma. Like many in 14th Army he also hid a razor blade in his slouch hat so if he was captured and about to be interrogated by the Emperor himself, he could "present a neat and soldierly appearance"
i'm a little surprised that they didn't start making these again for the war in the pacific during wwii, probably would have been handy in all that jungle warfare.
The US army did issue bolo swords during WW2, except it was only to the 2 segregated all Filipino infantry regiments formed just outside of LA. They were initially issued bayonets, but were granted permission to use bolo swords instead. (Bolos can be both knives, with blades under 12 inches and swords with blades up to and sometimes larger than 20 inches.) The first weapon they used were Latin machetes, however machetes don't have the weight of short swords. Here is actual newsreel footage of the bolo swords the soldiers were later sent to battle in the Philippines under MacArthur: ruclips.net/video/9R_dvKlNyWw/видео.html
Sharpen it a bit and it would be great to cut bread and meat too. This really makes sense. Not that we have much use of bayonets on modern guns, but as a weapon of last resort it still beats wielding a plain knife.
On the subject of cavalry using bayonet's in combat, just a few weeks ago was the 100th anniversary of the charge of the Australian 4th Light Horse at Beersheba. The 4th was actually a mounted infantry brigade however they decided to surprise the towns Turkish defenders by conducting a cold steel mounted charge using bayonets rather than dismounting and attacking with rifles. The result was one of the last great successful mounted charges in history.
Fortunately, for the Australians, the Turkish troops failed to adjust their machine gun and rifle sights to the suddenly shortened distance and basically missed most of their targets until it was too late. It could have been a very different story with better trained and experienced defenders. However fortune often favours the brave and in this case the Aussies were brilliant, (and still are by the way). A clip from "The Lighthorsemen". ruclips.net/video/p7dm_nbjNjE/видео.html
Great film, George Lucas also used clips from it in a Young Indiana Jones episode called Daredevils of the Desert. A critical factor in the success of the charge that is often overlooked was the role played by batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery in suppression of Turkish machine gun positions during the action. You can't discount though the psychological impact of a mass cavalry charge with firsthand accounts detailing the complete breakdown of Turkish fire discipline as the Light Horse closed range.
Thanks Ian. I find these videos about the bits and pieces peripheral to actual firearms as fascinating and as entertaining as the actual firearms themselves. Well done, keep it up, and deep respect. :)
The 1911 was .45 cal. because of the Army's experience in the Philippines! The side arm in the early days of the US occupation was inadequate, and those troops who saved their 'Old' .44's got better results! And now I learn of this! THANK YOU!
the birds head on the end of the grip makes it definitely more convenient and saver to use. i use bolo machetes for over 20 years at work in the woods. they r a great tool, love em. u can cut branches up to 5cm (2") with one strike. my bolo is wider at the tip and also not so pointy. this way it doubles as my shovel when iam hiking.
Beginning of video: "Huh, a [description of weird, esoteric thing]? Well, I guess I'm not doing anything better with the next ten minutes..." End of video: "That's really flippin' cool! Get me a dozen of them!"
I have a World War I Marine Corps bolo knife that was actually dug up on a battlefield in France sometime in the 90s and it's not quite as nice as the one you were showing us but you know what it's perfectly adequate to this day for busting through thick brush.
*Before watching video* Eh...this is probably going to be boring, but I'll watch it. *After watching video* I am so sorry I doubted you, Gun Jesus. Please forgive me.
It's called Forgotten Weapons, not because these weapons are truly forgotten, but because people think history is boring. Probably saying "Too Long; Didn't Read."
I'm really annoyed by that stupid myth of Polish Cavalry charging German tanks. It's nice to know that you know that its myth. But funny fact is that there was actually cavalery that fight tanks, but they didn't use bayonets or sabers, but antitank rifles. Their main goal was to create blockades and distraction. Because horses where better with getting though rough terrain and they didn't make so much noises like eg motorbikes.
As I understand it, there were also instances where the polish cavalry charged enemy personnel that was on foot, only to be fired upon by tank units that came to support the troops under attack.
It's a clever idea having a sharpened too and a bayonet in one, although sadly the norm now is for bayonets to be blunt besides the tip, the sa-80 ones only have the back of the clip point sharp to work as a wide cutter, meanwhile they issue jungle troops with either a "survival knife" that's balanced like a combat knife rather than a chopper or sometimes a bolo\machete, but usually the knife, they seriously need to consider permitting the use of a sharpened hybrid tool at the very least for theatres where it's practical utility is justified
As a rifle mounted weapon this has some real advantages. Firstly, the size makes for a great psychological weapon, that's a whole load of nope on the rifle. Secondly, that extra mass means that although it's not so much a thrusting blade it will still have excellent penetration due to inertia. Thirdly, that mass gives you more options. As a last resort it would be a reasonable halberd both effective at stabbing and, although not advisable, slashing. Of course, when all alternatives are off the table, any option is a better option than doing nothing.
Considering that most Filipinos of that era had probably grown up with a bolo in hand, they were probably very proficient swinging it as either a tool or a weapon
About gripping that handle: One does NOT grip thee bolo tightly when chopping. You hold the tool loosely ass you swing. The instant before impact you use your little finger to make the blade spin, adding to the speed. Impact = speed x weight. This is called a 'snap cut.'
I believe they were also given to civilians trained by the US during the war who proved to not have a minimal skill with a rifle, and so they were given a Bolo instead. Bolo is now a US military term, and I believe it’s exclusive to the Army for the most part, to describe someone similar in nature to a Marine Corps POG or FNG. Just something I thought was worth sharing.
I’m surprised you did not comment about how the term “bolo” has become common military terminology. For those not in the know the term “bolo” refers to an individual’s inability to qualify on a specific weapon.
Yup. The guys in the Philippine Army (when it was still being administrated by the US) would be given rifle training. Those who were crappy marksmen were pulled from the line and placed in the "bolo" units, who were issued bolo machetes instead of rifles as weapons so they wouldn't be able to waste ammo. The term "to bolo" survives to this day from that.
Can't wait until they develop an automatic bayonet that stabs at the press of a button. Or even an implement that fires bayonets at the opposing force. EDIT: In defense of that cavalry unit, the Japanese made their buildings out of wood and paper, they might have thought they'd be going up against paper-mache tanks, in which case becoming "bolo-lancers" seems a pretty apt counter.
Would be really handy if it had rechargeable little canisters that fed automatically after each discharge, and you could make the bayonets really small and attach them directly to the little canisters, and then to guide it you could have a long steel tube. I recon we could be onto something.
I have one of these bolos in our house. Didn't think it had a really great background.... Too bad the handle already broke due to aging and was replaced. Blade still good though.
I have a 1944 English Bolo "kokoda Machete" such an amazing tool. Only given to medics and gunners. My Grandad was a gunner. Used to clear a 5x5 for the 50 pounder or a medic to get to troops in thick forest. Great tool. Very sharp
There was also a Model of 1909 Bolo Bayonet. Seen one along eith its Springfield Model of 1903 Rifle. The 1909 Bolo Bayonet, had a lock mechanism similar to the Maiser Style Bayonet.
I have two of these. A lot of them wound up here?. I paid $15-30 for them. One has it's scabbard complete. These were made in the lower Midwest by tool factories. Mine are not bayonets, but Army issue bolo knives and dated 1918. I bought a pair of U.S.A. spurs from a Japanese antiques dealer over there. He made a pile unloading all their old furniture on Americans in the 1980s when Tansu (Japanese chests) became popular.
People please note that this blade didn't originated from the US but from the Philippines, after Philippine-American war, US troops captured this from Philippine katipunero troops and was just modified by US arms manufacturers.
It's essentially a scaled down pinute style bolo. Used for centuries in the Philippines for field chores as well as fighting. Still would be very good those tasks today....
8:05 the hock at the end of the grip on a knife like this is that you ... basicly dont just throw your knife. Because if you swing something with mass at the end, its still trying to travel even if you stop the swing.
I have a bolo bayonet .No spring loaded locking device . Small hole on top of guard . AC00 Chicago 1918 printed on 1 side . US MOD 1917 C.T. on the other . Appears shorter then the bayonet . Heavy as sin .Is this the knife you mentioned ?
I'd absolutely shapen that knife up and hit the bush with it. I find old blades generally to be much better than new production blades they cut corners on material and tempering.
Someone once worked out that since the American Civil War less then 0.001% of all casualties came from the use of the bayonet. Even during bayonet charges soldiers would sooner shoot the enemy then stab him with the bayonet. There are several reasons for this, not least of which is the other guys trying to do the same to you. Shooting him is much safer.
I remember..... Now, keep in mind I am the sonof a WWII MARINE combat vet. I am all so a MARINE combat vet. From about the age 10 to about 16 I worked gun shows and helped in gunshops. There was this MARINE WWII vet that used to setup at the shows. We became friends, he had one on his table. And told me the story of this bayonet. It was $60 (that was about 1978). A lot of money back then, especially for a 13 year old kid...... I miss that old MARINE, more then that deal.....
I seem to have read that the Polish Army still had Lancers in 1939... -They may not have charged tanks, but it would scare the crap out of a disorganized camp or column. Right until the MGs start up, that is.
I imagine that cavalry charge against tanks would not only be the final chapter in the use of Bolo bayonets in combat, but also the last chapter in the lives of most soldiers in the 26th cavalry. o.O
They didn't really charge the tanks with drawn bolos... they had bolos but they charged in attempts to throw grenades down the tank hatches. They also charged through infantry with 1911 pistols.
Hard to say when the last horse-mounted charge happened. 24 August 1942: Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" charged the Soviet 812th Siberian Infantry Regiment. 01 March 1945: 1st "Warsaw" Independent Cavalry Brigade charged the Wehrmacht 163rd Infantry Division. 28 November 1950 (?): Reports that a Chinese (Mongolian?) cavalry regiment charged the Turkish Brigade. 22 October 2001: American Special Forces Team ODA 595 charged the Taliban at Cōbaki.
"This equipment is really simple and effective. Let's phase it out asap."
Wait what?
From the vid, the original Bolo pattern was scrapped right after its creation with the Springfield 1903 rod bayonet.
TheInsomniaddict what are the improvements, or is it going for different doctrine?
The original idea was scrapped for the rod bayonet when they changed rifles to the 1903 Springfield. 1:40 onward talks about this. Actual usage of the prototype Bolo bayonets was about a year.
Was put into service 1912, decommissioned in 1920. Actual service life of Bolo bayonets was about 8 years, outside of the 26th Calvary.
@Class Act not again but over and over again
The Phillipine troops didn't want to give them up. That should have been a clue.
My grandma used to have one of these, that is when I was just a kid in the Philippines in the early 90s.
She had no idea that it was a bayonet. She used it for gardening.
I noticed that it has US markings and she just simply said it was "Made in the USA"
Last time I saw it, it was already rusted and the wooden grip rotted away.
if you ever come across it again, send it our way. We'll make it look like new
I don't have anything to say other than that's a cool ass story
In a way that is a good thing, tools are meant to be used and your grandmother used it. Maybe not for its intended purpose but that does not really matter. Of course, it is a piece of history but it is also a knife.
My dad was in the P.I. in the early 60s, he was doing survival training. The only blade they were issued was the bayonet, so he went to a village and traded some smokes for a machete. This machete was made from quality steel, most likely from a leaf spring off of a jeep. It has a teak handle and the blade pattern is a clip point style. The blade spine is thick near the handle (good for splitting wood) and thins out towards the tip, good for hacking. I never seen another like it.
I imagine out if necessity it was made as such. Having been to the Philippines myself, I can say a good machete capable of both splitting wood and chopping brush is excellent for the dense greenery there. Native population realizes this as well, and makes a suitable tool as a result. In other words, you won't find anything else like it because of geography!
You wouldn't happen to have a picture of it uploaded to imgur or something would you?
@@FoxtrotFleet im a local and i can confirm what he said. You can find a lot of them only here and mostly on places they'd get used a lot (i.e. farms and jungle terrains)
@@kitthepotato3312 Oh, I didn't disbelieve the story. I was just interested in what a well used local machete looked like. Figured it might be a little different from tourist sale or commercial kinds.
The original poster mentioned the quality material and that they'd never seen an equal, it intrigued me.
@@FoxtrotFleet they actually vary a lot based on which region. Especially the ones from the south from the moro islamic people
I was at Morong, Bataan, a few months ago, the site of the last mounted charge of the 26th. The charge went down the provincial road, by the ancient church of Morong (still there), and hit the unprepared Japanese around the churchyard, and into the very narrow streets of the town, through which there was a wild fight. The best account is in Ramseys memoir. Captain Ramsey led the charge, escaped Bataan a few months later, fought as a guerilla for three years and survived.
One of the few survivors of the 26th. Most of the old soldiers of the 26th died in battle or in the Death March or the concentration camp at Capas. The Philippine Scouts, being Filipinos, were in the Philippine section of that death camp, separated fom their American officers.
We were passing through Morong and stopped to see the church; by happenstance it was this little towns day of the Flores de Mayo (May Flowers), the customary annual religious procession of the young girls in their finest. They passed by the church, along the same road down which the 26th charged. What a difference between war and peace.
This was not the same charge as that against the tanks, which happened much further north, weeks earlier. So the 26th performed not just the last charge in US military history, but the last two.
Years ago, I had a very old, and wonderful friend who survived the death march. He never said much about it, however there was an air about him that got your attention the moment you met him. He was a natural leader, very active in the Legion and Lions clubs, both of which I belonged to back then. I sat with him one day over a few beers at the legion hall and he did mention a bit about the march, but teared up and I dropped the subject. Last time I saw him, his wife had become very ill and I responded with the ambulance service (I was a member of that as well) and helped carry her out of their apartment. She died shortly after and he hung on for a couple of months before joining her. Can't say as I blame him, having just lost my lovely wife to cancer, I can see where he was coming from when he left this world to join her.
Wait, specialized army equipment that actually works? *Madness*
The idea that low production specialized army equipments usually dont work was because those actually did always ended up popularized. Tanks, sniper rifles, submarines etc.
TIL submarines are army equipment.
TJtod Army submarines are the best kind!
Probably thwey tryed those not to work and, as assual, they failed in their mission
Every weapon has a context. This one's design happens to fit the context it was used in.
Jim: "Hey John, how many of these do we need to make?"
John: "Six thousand... aaaaannnddd two."
I thought that was a strange number myself.
I bet the odd two out were presentation pieces.
The extra two were for Rambo and Chuck Norris to duel wield.
Gloryseeking Spaceman bro, that would make 4 extra.
@@mikewatkinson1996 stupid, he meant they got the first one out of the 6000 and they made an extra two so they could duel wield. use your brain.
I would assume the 26th Cavalry charging light tanks on horseback would be better suited using the lesser known "Yolo" bayonet.
Good thing they were charging mostly light infantry.
Get out!
Hilarious joke but honestly consider the enormous steel balls those guys had
Well done.
You could destroy a japanese tank by looking at it hard enough, they were good in the jungle though
'cavalry sabres are obsolete'... "how about horses?" 'nope, still up to date'. To be fair mules tended to be more useful for jungle transport than jeeps etc.
Cavalries, or more precisely dragoons, are still useful now in certain areas where fuels are very hard to get
As dragoons dude. CIA and the northern alliance used horses against the Taliban in 2001.
Tanks back then were downright primitive. America at this time was just starting to phase out its M1917 light tanks (a copy of the WWI Renault FT) in favor of the M1 "Combat Car" (named because the Cavalry by law couldn't own a "tank"), the Light Tank M2 and the CTL-3 (a Tankette for the Marines). Those vehicles were really slow; the M1917 did only 8 kph, the M2s and CTL-3 could do 36 kph (which is only slightly faster than a horse at full gallop), while the Cavalry's M1s could pull a blistering 72 kph... on a paved road, in the field it would likely be half that. These vehicles couldn't handle the same terrain a horse could, the Philippines is hills, mountains and jungle which is the worse place to take a tank in to.
Up until WWII the horse cavalry actually seem to have a role, sabers were obsolete and traded off in favor of an autoloading pistol (pistol charges were doctrine at this time). If it wasn't for the advances in light tanks during the mid 30's it might have stayed that way for a while longer. It should also be noted that in WWII one of the biggest users of horses was the Germans, except for the elite Panzer Divisions most of their army moved on foot with horse drawn carts for the supplies and heavy weapons; one of the reasons the Germans were so disorganized after D-Day was that they didn't think that the Allies could support an offensive so fast and planed their defenses around the speed of a horse drawn cart not realizing all of the Allied logistical train was designed around trucks.
dentistguba cavalry were successfully used in WWII, so please, google it.
It was already totally a mounted infantry, but who cares? Dragoons still count as cavalry. The image is stupid cavalrymen charging at tanks is so commonly used it is now like a "coward French" stereotype.
The Norwegian army still had horses for combatr duty in the seventies. It was used to haul stuff through forests and on mountains during summer. They figured after a while that men could do the same job, the few places left that a tracked vehicle can't travel. And in the winter we've always used skis (no horses), and later snowmobiles.
It really is the operating cost, rather than the usefulness of horses that makes them obsolete in modern armies today. Most modern armies have access to more manpower than they can afford to equip, and horses are more expensive to feed and care for than soldiers. In a total war scenario (ww3), we would probably see a resurgence of horses in rough terrain. If it is not just a short nukefest, that is.
One a scale of 1 to "Definitely don't want to get stabbed by," I give this a 7
And what kind of a bayonet would make it a 10 for you?
Chainsaw bayonet?
+Alcatraz A tricorn or a trowel bayonet
That is a Wise decision.
No love for the type 30 bayonet :(
Seems like a Remington/Winchester Trenchgun with this as the bayonet (rather than the M1917 bayonet) would be an amazing jungle weapon...
+Warhawk I agree. It would make it even more imposing ;)
I don't think you could go bad with it but it may get stuck
also would have caused an awe inspiring bowel movement in your opponent.
Warhawk The marines really liked using shotguns in the Pacific but apparently they struggled with keeping the paper shotgun shells dry.
S&W M19 Yeah, I've read that that was one lesson we had to learn during WW1, then relearn during WW2. If I remember correctly, in both instances, the US military began ordering full brass shotgun shells to get rid of the swelling issue. Once shotgun shells began to be made out of plastic, however, the issue was solved once and for all.
there is like seven of these in my grandmothers hometown in pulilan and the old folks use em for cracking open coconuts
Can I buy one even if in really bad condition?
Grabe naman bro pabili nalang para mayaman ka na hahahahaha jk lang
Funny thing about the Polish Cavalry, though... There is apparently one incident where they did in fact charge a German tank unit. Thing is, it was while the Germans were dismounted, and the cavalry were on them so fast they managed to capture the Germans with barely a fight. Unfortunately they then had to retreat when another tank squad showed up, ready and raring for battle.
U.S Shovel bayonet, U.S bolo bayonet..
Whats next? Bayonet with bipod?
Scoped bayonet
Gotta stab from the prone position somehow
Afnan Zahran chainsaw bayonet
A coffee mill bayonet.
Bayonet with bayonet. As Chesty would have wanted it.
I have an oudoor/survival background and my opinion is that these look great. I'd have been happy to be issued such a practical tool and can understand why troops wanted to keep them.
holy shit, the good idea fairy actually didn't screw soldiers over for once
As Capt. Wise was in charge... As opposed to Major Frackup
Keep doing edged forgotten weapons, please Ian.
Nice to be Polish and to hear the "cavalry vs. tanks" story told as is it should be :)
Possibly the most intimidating bayonet I’ve seen yet.
Jackson Freed and the scabbard looks like a personal pleasure device.
I would say the serrated pioneer bayonet is much more intimidating
Have you ever seen the Schlachtmesser? That was a simillar blade with a sawback.
(schlacht=literally slaughter; battle or butcher; messer= knife)
Look up the Swiss model 1914 Pioneer sawback bayonet. Thing is literally a sword you can attach to a rifle, that doubles as a horrifyingly huge hand saw.
It reminds me somewhat of a kopis or falcata, though those were more dedicated melee weapons I would guess they could be choppy enough for the same task as a bolo.
Not often something designed to do two things well actually works.
A dual purpose bayonet not designed by soviets that was actually good?
Blasphemy
thewiezman the words "good" and "designed by the Soviets" don't belong in the same sentence
+ted
Except for their rifles, aircraft, knives, tanks, rocket launchers, trucks...
Yeah, Kalashnikov's bayonet has like 900 purposes, but you surely still can stab people with it. And it cuts wire.
It cuts wire *without* getting you electrocuted, don't forget that.
"The Soviets designed great LMG's"
So are you implying the M240 (Medium MG I know, but makes my point) is a bad LMG? Because those are everywhere.
Seems like the good idea fairy actually had a good idea this time!
Well they basically took an existing knife and attached it to the end of a gun so...
"Well they basically took an existing knife and attached it to the end of a gun"
You mean they made a bayonet?
Seth Moyer - You've been too much Chieftain. What you need is more dakka....
BTW Famous author George Macdonald Fraser (Flashman) stated in "Quartered Safe Out Here" (www.amazon.com/Quartered-Safe-Out-Here-Harrowing/dp/1629142034) that he carried a privately purchased kukri as a rifleman in the 14th Army in Burma. Like many in 14th Army he also hid a razor blade in his slouch hat so if he was captured and about to be interrogated by the Emperor himself, he could "present a neat and soldierly appearance"
i'm a little surprised that they didn't start making these again for the war in the pacific during wwii, probably would have been handy in all that jungle warfare.
George Hilty well, they do carry separate bolos but no bolonets
@@Pulstar232 bolonets
The US army did issue bolo swords during WW2, except it was only to the 2 segregated all Filipino infantry regiments formed just outside of LA. They were initially issued bayonets, but were granted permission to use bolo swords instead. (Bolos can be both knives, with blades under 12 inches and swords with blades up to and sometimes larger than 20 inches.) The first weapon they used were Latin machetes, however machetes don't have the weight of short swords. Here is actual newsreel footage of the bolo swords the soldiers were later sent to battle in the Philippines under MacArthur: ruclips.net/video/9R_dvKlNyWw/видео.html
Sharpen it a bit and it would be great to cut bread and meat too.
This really makes sense. Not that we have much use of bayonets on modern guns, but as a weapon of last resort it still beats wielding a plain knife.
or using a rock....
"adobo sucks!"
"Bold of you to say for someone in bolo bayonet distance"
On the subject of cavalry using bayonet's in combat, just a few weeks ago was the 100th anniversary of the charge of the Australian 4th Light Horse at Beersheba. The 4th was actually a mounted infantry brigade however they decided to surprise the towns Turkish defenders by conducting a cold steel mounted charge using bayonets rather than dismounting and attacking with rifles. The result was one of the last great successful mounted charges in history.
Fortunately, for the Australians, the Turkish troops failed to adjust their machine gun and rifle sights to the suddenly shortened distance and basically missed most of their targets until it was too late. It could have been a very different story with better trained and experienced defenders. However fortune often favours the brave and in this case the Aussies were brilliant, (and still are by the way).
A clip from "The Lighthorsemen". ruclips.net/video/p7dm_nbjNjE/видео.html
Great film, George Lucas also used clips from it in a Young Indiana Jones episode called Daredevils of the Desert. A critical factor in the success of the charge that is often overlooked was the role played by batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery in suppression of Turkish machine gun positions during the action. You can't discount though the psychological impact of a mass cavalry charge with firsthand accounts detailing the complete breakdown of Turkish fire discipline as the Light Horse closed range.
Didn't know about the RHA's part in the battle, thanks for that.
Thanks Ian. I find these videos about the bits and pieces peripheral to actual firearms as fascinating and as entertaining as the actual firearms themselves. Well done, keep it up, and deep respect. :)
When you want to turn your rifle into a glaive.
The 1911 was .45 cal. because of the Army's experience in the Philippines! The side arm in the early days of the US occupation was inadequate, and those troops who saved their 'Old' .44's got better results! And now I learn of this! THANK YOU!
the birds head on the end of the grip makes it definitely more convenient and saver to use. i use bolo machetes for over 20 years at work in the woods. they r a great tool, love em. u can cut branches up to 5cm (2") with one strike. my bolo is wider at the tip and also not so pointy. this way it doubles as my shovel when iam hiking.
Beginning of video: "Huh, a [description of weird, esoteric thing]? Well, I guess I'm not doing anything better with the next ten minutes..."
End of video: "That's really flippin' cool! Get me a dozen of them!"
Capitan Wise? Sounds like 90s cartoon superhero :)
I have a World War I Marine Corps bolo knife that was actually dug up on a battlefield in France sometime in the 90s and it's not quite as nice as the one you were showing us but you know what it's perfectly adequate to this day for busting through thick brush.
*Before watching video*
Eh...this is probably going to be boring, but I'll watch it.
*After watching video*
I am so sorry I doubted you, Gun Jesus. Please forgive me.
It's called Forgotten Weapons, not because these weapons are truly forgotten, but because people think history is boring. Probably saying "Too Long; Didn't Read."
I live in the Philippines and I can attest to the usefulness of this bayonet
I'm really annoyed by that stupid myth of Polish Cavalry charging German tanks. It's nice to know that you know that its myth.
But funny fact is that there was actually cavalery that fight tanks, but they didn't use bayonets or sabers, but antitank rifles. Their main goal was to create blockades and distraction. Because horses where better with getting though rough terrain and they didn't make so much noises like eg motorbikes.
As I understand it, there were also instances where the polish cavalry charged enemy personnel that was on foot, only to be fired upon by tank units that came to support the troops under attack.
It's a clever idea having a sharpened too and a bayonet in one, although sadly the norm now is for bayonets to be blunt besides the tip, the sa-80 ones only have the back of the clip point sharp to work as a wide cutter, meanwhile they issue jungle troops with either a "survival knife" that's balanced like a combat knife rather than a chopper or sometimes a bolo\machete, but usually the knife, they seriously need to consider permitting the use of a sharpened hybrid tool at the very least for theatres where it's practical utility is justified
As a rifle mounted weapon this has some real advantages. Firstly, the size makes for a great psychological weapon, that's a whole load of nope on the rifle. Secondly, that extra mass means that although it's not so much a thrusting blade it will still have excellent penetration due to inertia. Thirdly, that mass gives you more options. As a last resort it would be a reasonable halberd both effective at stabbing and, although not advisable, slashing. Of course, when all alternatives are off the table, any option is a better option than doing nothing.
It is a bolo first, a bayonet second. You may not need a bayonet in the jungle, but you will need a machete or bolo.
Considering that most Filipinos of that era had probably grown up with a bolo in hand, they were probably very proficient swinging it as either a tool or a weapon
Hey! My great grandfather was in the 26th!
Also, Dan Johnson Music made a song called Riding for the 26th, and it's AWESOME!
About gripping that handle:
One does NOT grip thee bolo tightly when chopping. You hold the tool loosely ass you swing. The instant before impact you use your little finger to make the blade spin, adding to the speed. Impact = speed x weight. This is called a 'snap cut.'
I believe they were also given to civilians trained by the US during the war who proved to not have a minimal skill with a rifle, and so they were given a Bolo instead. Bolo is now a US military term, and I believe it’s exclusive to the Army for the most part, to describe someone similar in nature to a Marine Corps POG or FNG. Just something I thought was worth sharing.
Yeah that's freaking cool. I can just imagine U.S. Calv. Charging Japanese tanks with that in hand.
I wonder how a tank would stand up against the sheer size of the U.S. Cavalry's balls.
If it's a little Japanese Type 96 then I think we're in business, boys.
Laird Cummings thanks for that note. That little info brings it all in perspective.
what a beautiful shape bayonet
Videos are always really good thank you for your time and I appreciate your efforts
I’m surprised you did not comment about how the term “bolo” has become common military terminology.
For those not in the know the term “bolo” refers to an individual’s inability to qualify on a specific weapon.
Yup. The guys in the Philippine Army (when it was still being administrated by the US) would be given rifle training. Those who were crappy marksmen were pulled from the line and placed in the "bolo" units, who were issued bolo machetes instead of rifles as weapons so they wouldn't be able to waste ammo. The term "to bolo" survives to this day from that.
Actually own a legit WWI bolo knife. Great condition, and has the letters J.O carved into the handle.
I love it!
Probably the best utility blade ever.
Hugh D and Wise . A blessed man it seems.
You mean that there was a US made dual purpose bayonet that works!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!
Spare the rod bayonet, Spoil the Bolo
Wow, what a fascinating history for a great knife!
My great grandpa served in the 26th. His son, my dad and I all served in the us military after
A good trusty blade becoming obsolete... yeah right.
Can't wait until they develop an automatic bayonet that stabs at the press of a button. Or even an implement that fires bayonets at the opposing force. EDIT: In defense of that cavalry unit, the Japanese made their buildings out of wood and paper, they might have thought they'd be going up against paper-mache tanks, in which case becoming "bolo-lancers" seems a pretty apt counter.
Fuzzy Dunlop so an automatic bolo atlatl? Hell, I'd pay money for one of those , just for the giggles.
Would be really handy if it had rechargeable little canisters that fed automatically after each discharge, and you could make the bayonets really small and attach them directly to the little canisters, and then to guide it you could have a long steel tube. I recon we could be onto something.
Your firing bayonet can be done by fixing a spetnaz ballistic knife to a rifle.
I have one of these bolos in our house. Didn't think it had a really great background.... Too bad the handle already broke due to aging and was replaced. Blade still good though.
After every video I get more terrified that one day.... he'll run out of "forgotten weapons".
You shouldn't underestimate humanity, there's always someone with an odd idea
It'll just become 'Lesser Remembered Weapons' - heading that way already TBH
That's a wicked looking bayonet. A good swing could cut off a limb, I'm sure, Especially given the leverage of a long rifle like the 1903.
Wow.... I had my suspicions. But that's crazy to think these videos were recorded about five miles away from where I live, Cool!
I have a 1944 English Bolo "kokoda Machete" such an amazing tool. Only given to medics and gunners. My Grandad was a gunner. Used to clear a 5x5 for the 50 pounder or a medic to get to troops in thick forest. Great tool. Very sharp
There was also a Model of 1909 Bolo Bayonet. Seen one along eith its Springfield Model of 1903 Rifle.
The 1909 Bolo Bayonet, had a lock mechanism similar to the Maiser Style Bayonet.
I have two of these. A lot of them wound up here?. I paid $15-30 for them. One has it's scabbard complete. These were made in the lower Midwest by tool factories. Mine are not bayonets, but Army issue bolo knives and dated 1918. I bought a pair of U.S.A. spurs from a Japanese antiques dealer over there. He made a pile unloading all their old furniture on Americans in the 1980s when Tansu (Japanese chests) became popular.
Just noticed this video...very cool history.
I have a Cold Steel Bolo knife/machete. It works really well cutting through twigs and weeds to get to edge of streams and lakes.
i was wondering where my favorite youtuber was
I'm right here bro ;)
Beautiful shape. Fantastic
"Fantastic" if you're behind it, not facing it...
Costantino Andruzzi ahahahah hai assolutamente ragione Costantino, you are absolutely right Costantino.
It's a tiny but - literally - vital difference! ;-)
Costantino Andruzzi you don't think that a very aesthetic guy, dying by that blade, may have said "wow, this is really a well shaped bayonet!"?
Sure. And, exhaling his last breath, he'd surely say: "How lucky I am, being stabbed by such a wonderful cutting implement!"
I wish those were Australians. "That's not a bayonet, that's a bayonet!"
Ian, you shuld get your hands on one of those Austrian or German pioneer bayonets with sawblades on their backside.
www.full30.com/video/28f54e7873630d79356d3944009fdff5
Never mind :D
Thanks for the link!
This is my dream knife, and I swear I will own at least a replica one day.
THAT IS MEGA RARE! Saw one not long ago on GB sold for 3K+
The 1917 knife and the 1915 bayonet are not the same.
The history of the 26th Cavalry is even more fascinating than this blade xD
True that.
WOW!!!!
So interesting!!!
Thank you for that!!!
People please note that this blade didn't originated from the US but from the Philippines, after Philippine-American war, US troops captured this from Philippine katipunero troops and was just modified by US arms manufacturers.
Question, if 1905 bayonets could be fixed to M1s, can the bolo be fixed to an M1 as well?
Doesn’t seem like it’s obsolete to me, I’d love a reproduction model
It's essentially a scaled down pinute style bolo. Used for centuries in the Philippines for field chores as well as fighting. Still would be very good those tasks today....
8:05 the hock at the end of the grip on a knife like this is that you ... basicly dont just throw your knife. Because if you swing something with mass at the end, its still trying to travel even if you stop the swing.
Hey im pretty sure C&Arsenal was looking for one of those in their Springfield episode!
I have a bolo bayonet .No spring loaded locking device . Small hole on top of guard . AC00 Chicago 1918 printed on 1 side . US MOD 1917 C.T. on the other . Appears shorter then the bayonet . Heavy as sin .Is this the knife you mentioned ?
Can you do one on the OSS BOLO KNIFE. I enjoy most of your videos you do and try to watch them when they come out in the morning.
I have a pair of U.S. issue 1918 bolo knives. They are not bayonets, but U.S. issue bolos. They were made by Plomb tool co. These are M1917 units.
I have an original Krag Bayonet that we found in a barn about a decade ago
I have thought in the past about why such a bayonet did not exist and I am surprised to discover that they did.
I'd absolutely shapen that knife up and hit the bush with it. I find old blades generally to be much better than new production blades they cut corners on material and tempering.
Is this the type of Knife private Johnson from the Harlem Hellfighters used against the Germans by chance?
Someone once worked out that since the American Civil War less then 0.001% of all casualties came from the use of the bayonet. Even during bayonet charges soldiers would sooner shoot the enemy then stab him with the bayonet. There are several reasons for this, not least of which is the other guys trying to do the same to you. Shooting him is much safer.
I really enjoy your videos!
I bought 1 of these about 8 years ago for 150.00 had been looking for 1 for years .
Don't know if i would be happy to swap a saber for a knife. To be fair i aint crazy enough to charge a tank with either though. Brave men.
I remember.....
Now, keep in mind I am the sonof a WWII MARINE combat vet. I am all so a MARINE combat vet.
From about the age 10 to about 16 I worked gun shows and helped in gunshops.
There was this MARINE WWII vet that used to setup at the shows. We became friends, he had one on his table. And told me the story of this bayonet. It was $60 (that was about 1978). A lot of money back then, especially for a 13 year old kid......
I miss that old MARINE, more then that deal.....
I seem to have read that the Polish Army still had Lancers in 1939... -They may not have charged tanks, but it would scare the crap out of a disorganized camp or column. Right until the MGs start up, that is.
I have 1 of these still in rawhide canvases sheath in great shape.
I imagine that cavalry charge against tanks would not only be the final chapter in the use of Bolo bayonets in combat, but also the last chapter in the lives of most soldiers in the 26th cavalry. o.O
They didn't really charge the tanks with drawn bolos... they had bolos but they charged in attempts to throw grenades down the tank hatches. They also charged through infantry with 1911 pistols.
Next to the Yatagan bayonet this one looks the coolest to me.
Now that is a bayonet.
Ian's lookin' pretty blue.
Would this fit on the M1 Garand?
I think the 26th Cavalry was the first, or maybe only, unit in the Philippines to be issued Garands.
Some Philippine military units are still issued the equivalent of these bolos.
Awesome video.
Hard to say when the last horse-mounted charge happened.
24 August 1942: Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" charged the Soviet 812th Siberian Infantry Regiment.
01 March 1945: 1st "Warsaw" Independent Cavalry Brigade charged the Wehrmacht 163rd Infantry Division.
28 November 1950 (?): Reports that a Chinese (Mongolian?) cavalry regiment charged the Turkish Brigade.
22 October 2001: American Special Forces Team ODA 595 charged the Taliban at Cōbaki.
Looks like a very nice tool as well as a weapon. It's a shame these weren't produced more because I'd love to have one for less than 3 grand