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From my understanding, throughout LanCay's production history, small numbers of bayonets (or rather unassembled blades) were stored/misplaced/rediscovered in their facility. Most of these likely failed to meet Milspec for one reason or another. Over time, with the Army allowing simplifications in the design and accepting some minor deviations in specs, a small quantity of these blades were assembled into bayonets for the military. Most of the remaining blades were then utilized for commercial production subsequent to LanCay's first public offering of the M9, in the form of the "M9 Utility".
As interest in the M9 grew in the civilian market, and government contracts neared completion, LanCay began to offer bayonets in different finishes, color schemes, and commemorative markings. Some individuals or companies were able to contract for limited runs of bayonets; often utilizing some of the left-over blades. Others acquired components and assembled parts bayonets, which were often sold over the internet. The bottom line is it is possible to find a civilian LanCay bayonet in almost any configuration. As collectors, this offers a myriad of variants to consider. Read the thread on this Forum about the USMC M9-FT. It is a perfect example of what is mentioned here. BTW, some small numbers of "Historical Reproduction" M9-FTs also have blades without sawteeth...
Last edited by pwcosol; 03-08-2011 at 11:03 AM.
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