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For more information about the auction or CLA: Contemporary Longrifle Association
Join the CLA Today Written by Heinz Ahlers
During our second year of commemorating of the War of 1812, the 2013 CLA Fund Raising Auction promises to be another significant event. Twenty-five generous CLA artists have stepped forward to create their art and donate it to be auctioned at our Annual Meeting and Show on August 17, in Lexington, Kentucky.
Everyone is in for a real treat. Not only will you be getting an advance preview of the 2013 fund raising auction items here, but you will have an opportunity to get to know these artists, learn a little about them and how they created this fine array of items for the auction. Individual works will be added to this site as they are received, so visit often to see these new exciting creations.
Plug Bayonet by Todd Daggett
Written by Heinz Ahlers
Todd Daggett is a carpenter by trade and a blacksmith for love of the art. He is an active member of the CLA and a member of the American Mountain Men since 1995. Todd strongly supports the CLA mission and says the Lexington Show is the only show he does all year.
The plug bayonet is an early form of bayonet that is associated with use by the Canadian militia forces and native tribes during the French and Indian War and later. This one is a close copy of an original French and Indian War piece displayed at the Fort de Buade Museum in St. Ignace, Michigan. The benefit of this style bayonet (which was obsolete in the military by the mid-eighteenth century), was that it allowed non-military smoothbore firearms the use of a bayonet. The handle of the plug bayonet could be inserted into the barrel of fowlers, trade fusils, and other smoothbore firearms which had no provision of a bayonet lug for the standard socket bayonets. By force fitting the tapered handle into the barrel, the knife could become a bayonet. Another benefit in addition to serving as a bayonet is that it could also be used as a knife since it had a cutting edge and a serviceable handle.
Todd’s plug bayonet has a blade and guard hand forged, drawn and packed from 1-3/8″ x 5/16″ spring stock, hardened and tempered accordingly on a coal forge. The other mounts are made from mild steel, shaped and polished with hand tools. The handle is hard maple stained using an aqua Fortis and gunstock finish with light aging. The rig is completed with a traditional sheath, a hard maple wood insert wrapped in vegetable tanned cow hide; hand stitched with waxed flax thread and mounted with iron tip with an acorn finial, top guard and stud, all lightly aged.
Todd said he chose this work to support the CLA auction because “it is challenging work on a coal forge but, when done well is of heirloom quality. The kind of quality that I hope will be handed down for many years, even after I am long gone.” This plug bayonet meets Todd’s goal.
Todd’s contact information is:
Todd Daggett 2465 N. Gonnam Rd. Morris, IL 60450 Home (815) 941-1231 Cell (815) 735-6664 Email: tdaggett@wildblue.net
Click here to see more images of the Plug Bayonet by Todd Daggett
The photo and text used here are from the CLA article with the same name. The sole purpose here is to benefit the CLA Auction in August. — editor