SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
Edged Weapon Survey Data
by Thomas J. Wiltzius
M-1904 Hospital Corps Knife
Year	Production*	Low Serial No.	High Serial No.
1904 (a)	295	264**	2,960
1905	2,905	3,053	4,333
1906	1,500	--	--
1907	450	4,616	5,749
1908	1,000	5,974	8,254
1909	5,938	8,351	12,224
1910	3,000	12,595	16,876***
1911(b)	2,300	16,407	21,843
1912	11,000	24,268	33,118***
1913	3,700	31,926	34,898
1914	4,700	36,079	40,637
1915	3,831	--	--

* Production figures from Arsenal Of Freedom, Wm. Brophy, and validated by Burton Kellerstedt with exceptions: (a) 2,705; and, (b) 2,000

** The first 236 M-1904 Hospital Corp Bolo Knives were originally issued without serial numbers. The Surgeon General asked that they be numbered and they Springfield Armory began numbering them beginning with 237 and forward. Although correspondence from the Armory indicates that previously issued knives were to be returned for numbering, no evidence exists that the were.

*** Indicates where serial number are known to overlap the presented (lowest known) serial number of the following year. This was caused when bayonets were dated at the end of the calendar year, then stored for straightening, inspection and stamping with a serial number. At the beginning of the calendar year, when bayonets in production were stamped with the new year’s date and sent to storage, it appears that some of the more recent bayonets were brought out before the slightly older ones.

Low/High serial numbers are from research in progress by author.

7-14-2007