July 24, 20196 yr #1 Hello collectors! I see things are a little slow so I thought its a good time to ask a few questions! How far back did they start making saw tooth bayonets and what was the purpose! Were they for work? I have had some over the yrs! Longer ones! And I believe they were outlawed! Maybe some one like Sarge has some answers! I have to look for some pics if I can find! Lets see some pics and history about them! My uncle from ww2 gave me a very heavy longer model when I was small! PVON
July 29, 20196 yr #4 Good question PVON. The Germans developed the sawback bayonets as tool bayonets and originally issued them to Pioneer and Machine Gun units. Sawback S98/02 and S98/05 "butcher" style bayonets were issued to engineers (Pioneer) so they could use them in an emergency to cut small trees, foliage, etc. if they did not have a saw. Sawback KS98, like the one you show, were issued to MG units so they could cut down foliage in front of their field of fire when setting up their position. NCOs also took to wearing these sawback bayonets, particularly the KS98 short models. During WWI the Allies used them against the Germans in propaganda attacks saying they were inhumane as they inflicted terrible wounds. German soldiers actually became afraid to carry them in the trenches for fear they would be summarily executed if captured with a sawback bayonet. The German High Command eventually outlawed them in the front lines and ordered the sawbacks ground off front line bayonets. They remained in service in behind the line areas. One quick way to tell the difference between imperial KS98 bayonets is those with three rivets in the grip are usually WWI while those with only two rivets are usually (but not always) post-WWI.
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