M9 Bayonet Blade Steel

Unbreakable

Unbreakable

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Sep 21, 2002
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I've had a want for an M9 lately. I love the shape of the knife and it looks like a real useful shape. But everytime I see one it's either 425 stainless or 420 modified stainless. Now I'm no expert on steels but aren't these junk... 420 is what those higlander swords and bud K swords is made of right? Is anyone making the M9 out of something like A2, or D2 or even AUS-8 or something. Or perhaps do I not understand that the 420 modified is actually a good steel if done right?
 
Well it really depends on who makes it, and what the heat treat is. Buck, Kershaw, and Leatherman for instance make excellent 420HC steel, properly heat treated and gives you alot of fexlibility (utility of use). SAK's use 425m - I absolutely love those blades - easy to maintain in the field, etc. Remember that much of what the military wants in a knife/bayonet is grand utility. It means it will never be great at one thing, but pretty good at alot of things. Therin lies the M9 Bayonet - the Camel of the knife/bayonet world - a horse designed by a committee. Those I know who have used it say just that - it is OK at what it does. It is OK at stabbing, OK at cutting, OK at prying, OK at sawing, OK to field maintain. You see, if they had a dedicated spike bayonet and a dedicated knife - twice as much stuff to carry - and the infantryman's curse is always how much crap he has to hump around. So what do you get with an M9 - you get a stainless (grunt proof for corrosion) camel!
 
Or you could go for Ontario's M10. Same blade design, improved(?) handle, carbon steel instead of stainless.

I'm not a knife pro, but I think I've got that all correct.
 
Even the Marines get in on the act - Their new Bayonet is an attempt to be all things to all people. It is a bowie style carbon steel .2 inch thick knife blade with serrations, that you can stick on the end of a rifle. It looks like an attempt to make a Marine Combat Knife into a bayonet. I'm not going to say whether this is good or bad, because certainly I have no first hand experience, but its all born of the same desires - compromises are made instead of accomadations etc. It is fun to have these debates/discussions though.
 
Ben0rz said:
Or you could go for Ontario's M10. Same blade design, improved(?) handle, carbon steel instead of stainless.

I'm not a knife pro, but I think I've got that all correct.
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Now that's what I'm talking about. Same blade but with tougher steel. I've owned ontario blades made of carbon steel before and though not the finest knives I've ever handled... they were pretty dang good and extremely tough. Anyone know if they got it in all black or OD?
 
I've been looking at getting one for a while now (waiting for one more price quote) and from what websites tell me it comes in a zinc phosphate finish. The OKC3S (marine model smash mentioned) comes in a phosphate finish while the M9 is black oxide non-reflective finish (according to the ontario website, which for some reason doesnt list the M10:confused:).

Don't ask me to explain what any one kind of finish means, I just google:p.
 
If I were going to purchase a bayonet, to use as a bayonet on an AR15 it would be the Marine, Ontario M10 (careful because I think the EOD model is called the M10, but is not carbon steel) or an M7. I got a bit of a kick out of a friend of mine, who was upset because he thought his bayonet training was the funnest part of basic, and now they won't issue him the bayonet! It really is going to depend on what you are using it for. I think the carbon steel bayonets will make better knives, but if its a collector the M9 is what it is.
 
Ben0rz said:
I've been looking at getting one for a while now (waiting for one more price quote) and from what websites tell me it comes in a zinc phosphate finish. The OKC3S (marine model smash mentioned) comes in a phosphate finish while the M9 is black oxide non-reflective finish (according to the ontario website, which for some reason doesnt list the M10:confused:).

Don't ask me to explain what any one kind of finish means, I just google:p.
Click to expand...

Zinc Phosphate is like Parkerizing on an AR-15 barrel. It's not a coating... it's a chemical change on top of the steel... much like Glock slides or HK slides. I'm sure this finish won't be quite that durable but it sounds nice. You can get a long way with parkerizing if you just soak it in CLP every 6 months.
 
Smash05 said:
If I were going to purchase a bayonet, to use as a bayonet on an AR15 it would be the Marine, Ontario M10 (careful because I think the EOD model is called the M10, but is not carbon steel) or an M7. I got a bit of a kick out of a friend of mine, who was upset because he thought his bayonet training was the funnest part of basic, and now they won't issue him the bayonet! It really is going to depend on what you are using it for. I think the carbon steel bayonets will make better knives, but if its a collector the M9 is what it is.
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I think that's always been my problem with the M9... I have no use for a bayonet on the end of my AR-15... but I've always liked the look of the modern bayonets as field knives... Now the got one made outta some good stuff so I'm on board.
 
Thers also the lan-cay m11a1, which is the survival knife version of the m9 bayonnet,with a regular aluminum guard like the phrobis navy knife,& it has holes in the blade to make it lighter.same sheath as the m9,too. theres one on ebay now if you do a search under lan-cay or m11a1........
 
Bayonnets are made for piercing. They are made to withstand high impact.
Stainless steels that have excellent edge retension usually don't withstand impacts well.
420HC might work OK if heat treated for impact resistance instead of edge retension, ie heat treated to be softer.
Carbon and alloy steels usually have a better combination of edge retension and impact resistance.

Don't think I would want AUS8 or D2 on a knife that is going to be used as a bayonnet. I might want them if I wanted a knife shaped like a bayonnet that was only going to be used as a knife.
 
Smash05 has told the truth: you get a stainless, grunt proof camel. I've met those who like the knife, others who deem it a boat anchor. One thing is sure: these are very tough knives that can, and have gone the distance. My phrobis still takes a good edge and would be a nice field knife for general use. I don't think the handles are very comfortable, but again, the military is not worried about such things. The M9 is a decent tool and performs the functions intented for such a weapon.
 
Stubai said:
Smash05 has told the truth: you get a stainless, grunt proof camel. I've met those who like the knife, others who deem it a boat anchor. One thing is sure: these are very tough knives that can, and have gone the distance. My phrobis still takes a good edge and would be a nice field knife for general use. I don't think the handles are very comfortable, but again, the military is not worried about such things. The M9 is a decent tool and performs the functions intented for such a weapon.
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Uncomfortable handle? Guess it's a good thing that they changed it with the M10 eh;).
 
During the first Gulf War I was issued a M9. I still have it. It saw no use, none - mainly because of two things - weight and size. Damn thing was a boat anchor. The space it took up on my LBE belt was better used for an extra canteen or ammo pouch.

I carried a Glock field knife (much lighter and handier) and a soldier SAK - much better options for what I had to do.

TR Graham
The Glocksmith
 
Ive wanted one of those for my mossberg 590 for a while now but havent been able to justify it.
 
Say Heah Boys and Girls, Happy Summer, I love my Buck M-9, It's also a Survival Knife made out of the 425M, which is 20% stronger than 420HC, Mine is still in excellent condition everything functions perfect and the reason, It's been retired from action. I think they only made 100 Black Blades so that makes it sort of rare.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
 
I can't tell you what steel the M9 is made out of but I have heard that many of the early production blades were prone with breakage problems and that the army started issuing the M7 again.

Never carried a M9 personally. Just M6 and M7. The M9 does strike me as being way to heavy for what you get.
 
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