Swiss Army Bayonet Surplus
Once a soldier’s weapon of last resort and now a collector’s dream, find out about the history of Swiss army bayonets.
Who could’ve thought that the Swiss Army brand would become a house hold name on a world wide level when the company began supplying its most famous officer’s knives to the Swiss army? Over the years the company launched an array of new products and has become one of the most revered and respected brands with its arms stretching in many different directions.
Swiss army products have die-hard fans. Amongst the things that are associated with the Swiss army are bayonets. These bayonets are every Swiss army product collectors dream. Although Swiss army bayonets date back to a long time ago today they are available as army surplus items and are quite popular amongst specialist collectors.
What is the bayonet and what makes it so special?
The bayonet belongs to the knife family. It is basically a dagger and can be considered to be a spiked shaped weapon that can be used in the battle field. It was a rather innovative creation as it was specifically designed to fit on top of the muzzle of a gun such as a rifle or the like. This transformed the rifle into a spear like weapon in the case of running out of ammo.
Hence the bayonet served a great purpose for the Swiss Army and many other armies as well through out its history. It gave the soldier in action a last resort to engage in combat and defend himself or attack the enemy even after having run out of bullets. The bayonet was a very effective innovation back in the days when warfare was relatively simpler than what it is today.
The practical benefits of the bayonet have declined with the advent of modern warfare techniques that are all trigger oriented. In this respect the bayonet has today become a classic collector’s item and is only sought after by those individuals that have a passion for Swiss army bayonets.
The changing nature of warfare has however not completely erased the use of the Swiss army bayonet. Its use is still prevalent in a number of countries but it does not hold the same significance as it did back then. The fact that it can be used as an independent dagger and need not be attached to a rifle is what makes it a versatile tool that can have multiple uses.
The Swiss army knife can serve the purpose of an excellent utility knife. At the same time anyone equipped with a bayonet during combat is bound to have a sense of security as well.
Today Swiss Army bayonets are available on auctions or from special collectors that seek to make money by selling an original Swiss army bayonet that they happen to have. The standard bayonet has a blade length of 9.4 inches and a handle that measures 4.8 inches. Interested individuals can try their luck at the army surplus shops or browse for them through the internet.