Bayonet preferance

[jager17]

Out of curiosity I would like to hear peoples opinions about dress bayonets vs combat bayonets, which do you prefer and why? I personally arent interested in dress bayonets but love the appearance/design of combat bayonets.

[Billy G]

Tough to explain, for me anyway. I'm a big dress bayonet guy (mostly Feuerwehr & Polizei) & have absolutely no interest in the combat pieces at all. I've probably passed up a lot of good combat pieces over the years because I didn't know what I was looking at. Serves me right I guess. Intuitively I'd think I'd like combat pieces more but for whatever reason they never really took with me. Dress pieces just have a nice ornamental look to them, especially the etched pieces. Some may feel it's that they're so reminiscent of all the pageantry & parades.

[Richie B]

Firstly - each to their own.

Whilst I can appreciate the design & appearance of dress bayonets, I don't collect them.

I originally started collecting combat bayonets because of my interest in military history having decided that I wanted some of the hardware.

Combat bayonets, to me as a youngster (a long time ago) had the real attraction of being relatively cheap.

My first (a British No 4 spike bayonet) cost me 50 pence (80 cents) more years ago than I care to remember.

Since then its been the combat variety all the way.

Regards

Richie

[jager17]

thanks guys, its good to see two differing opinions and reasons

[jwh44]

Hello
I only collect combat bayonets because they are a part of the soldier equipment which goe everywhere this soldier goes. It is a real weapon which may be used to fight.
Dress bayonet are nice and mainly those with engraved blades. For me these bayonets are just an ornament.
I have a few KS made which are regular issues to the RFV and Police. I like these bayonets because they are made of steel, they are heavy and strurdy.

jwh44

[spnner]

My preferance ,Combat bayonets every time.
Why because you are getting an actual piece of kit that was ment for issue.
Not a commercial private bought item like most KSs

[Billy G]

To the point that dress bayonets were merely for show, Polizei seitengewehre are more often than not lumped in with "dress" bayonets although most of them were weapons worn while on duty. I agree that there may be a distinction between a policeman & a soldier but it raises the point that not all chromed 3R bayonets were for looking good. Purely personal taste & I agree, to each his own.

[jancz3rt]

Hmmm

I would also add that when deciding what to collect, I looked at design and quality of finish. Generally, the better here are the dress bayonets with high quality plating and attention to detail. Combat bayonets were made to fight and made to do its job so to say - hence are of lower quality and of a rougher finish.

I think that with dress bayonets, there are so many variations, especially when you take into account etched pieces, that that are often more interesting to some collectors. All in all, it's really up to each person's personal taste - there is no right answer and you are only looking at opinion versus opionion. I personally do not own and combat bayonet but who knows, maybe I will want one soon?

JAN