Original Item. Only One Available. This is a very nice original Swiss Model 1914 Pioneer Sawback Bayonet, officially designated Sägebajonett Mod. 1914, manufactured by Waffenfabrik Neuhausen and complete with its steel scabbard. Introduced during the First World War, this substantial bayonet was intended for Swiss Army pioneer and other specialist personnel, combining a conventional bayonet with the practical cutting capabilities of a saw.

The impressive steel blade has the distinctive swell-point profile characteristic of the Model 1914, with a broad fuller running along one face and a long row of pronounced saw teeth along the spine. The ricasso is clearly stamped with the manufacturer’s name:

WAFFENFABRIK NEUHAUSEN

The steel crossguard incorporates the muzzle ring and bears the stamped serial number 98594. The hilt retains its two wooden grip scales secured by metal rivets, together with the slotted steel pommel and spring-operated locking mechanism for attachment to the rifle. The accompanying steel scabbard has a dark finish and rounded ball-shaped tip.

Dimensions:

Blade Length: 19” [48.3 cm]
Overall Bayonet Length: 24” [61 cm]
Scabbard Length: 20” [50.8 cm]
Overall Length with Scabbard: 25” [63.5 cm]

Condition is very good overall, displaying normal age and service wear. The blade retains a bright steel finish, with scattered surface scratches, light spotting, and minor discoloration. The fuller remains well defined, and the saw teeth and blade point are nicely preserved. The wooden grips show light handling wear and scattered marks, while the metal fittings exhibit some surface oxidation and finish wear. The steel scabbard retains much of its dark finish, with scattered scratches, abrasions, and areas of finish loss, particularly near the throat and lower portion. This bayonet has pronounced saw teeth that can cause serious injury. Exercise caution when handling, displaying, or removing it from its scabbard.

Historical Context

The Swiss Model 1914 sawback bayonet, officially designated Sägebajonett Modell 1914, was developed for military personnel whose duties required a substantial cutting tool. It was also known as the Pionier-Faschinenmesser, or pioneer fascine knife, a name referring to its use in preparing bundles of branches and other timber materials for field fortifications. The pattern succeeded the Model 1906 sawback bayonet and remained part of the Swiss Army's specialized equipment well into the 20th century.

The sawback design had a practical purpose in military engineering. Swiss pioneers were responsible for building and maintaining defensive positions, preparing obstacles, improving routes, and constructing temporary fieldworks. Timber was an important material in these operations, used to reinforce trenches, support shelters, and create barriers. The serrated spine allowed soldiers to cut branches and small timber while retaining the bayonet's primary function as a rifle-mounted edged weapon.

Distribution extended to selected specialist personnel beyond the pioneer corps, including men employed in artillery transport, horse-drawn logistics, and trades such as blacksmithing and saddlery. These occupations were particularly important in the Swiss Army, which continued to rely heavily on horses and wagons for transportation through the mountainous terrain. The bayonet provided an additional cutting implement for personnel whose work frequently involved maintaining equipment, preparing positions, and handling wooden materials.

The Model 1914 was originally associated with the Karabiner 1911, or K11, and remained compatible with the later Karabiner 31. Adopted in 1931, the K31 became the principal Swiss infantry rifle during the Second World War and remained in military service for decades afterward. The continued issue of the sawback bayonet reflected the Swiss practice of retaining specialized equipment through successive changes in small arms, particularly when its practical function remained useful.

Production involved several established Swiss arms manufacturers, including Waffenfabrik Neuhausen, Elsener of Schwyz, and H. Steimer of Wasen im Emmental. Neuhausen am Rheinfall had become an important center of Swiss weapons manufacturing during the 19th century, particularly through the Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft (SIG), which began producing firearms in the 1860s. Its factories contributed to the development and manufacture of military small arms and edged weapons used by successive generations of Swiss soldiers.

Swiss military issue procedures also account for the numbered markings encountered on these bayonets. They were generally delivered to military arsenals without individual rifle serial numbers and numbered to correspond with an assigned firearm during issue. This practice helped maintain the association between a soldier's rifle and bayonet as equipment was distributed, inspected, and maintained.

The Model 1914 remained in service through several developments in Swiss military organization and equipment. One important change occurred in 1938, when a steel scabbard was introduced for the pattern. The new scabbard was supplied with subsequent production and could replace worn leather scabbards already in service, allowing existing bayonets to remain in use with updated carrying equipment.

Switzerland's neutrality during the two World Wars did not prevent extensive military mobilization. During the First World War, Swiss troops guarded the country's frontiers as fighting continued in neighboring states. In September 1939, the Swiss Army mobilized again under General Henri Guisan, and the growing threat of invasion led to major preparations for national defense. These eventually included the Réduit national, a strategy centered on defending the strategically important Alpine region, its transportation corridors, and its fortified positions.

Such preparations required considerable engineering work, particularly in a country where mountain roads, bridges, tunnels, and narrow passes were essential to military movement. Pioneer formations played an important part in preparing defensive infrastructure, maintaining communications routes, and carrying out construction and demolition work. The continued use of specialized cutting equipment belonged to this broader system of Swiss military engineering and logistical support.