Pictorial History of Knives, Daggers & Bayonet

Cultures from all over the world crafted fighting blades, many of them so elaborately formed and decorated that they are noted for their beauty and craftsmanship as they are for their brutal capabilities. This book traces the bloody and fascinating history of daggers, dirks and bayonets. It looks at the journey played by fighting blades in military combat from hand-held stabbing tools, to the famous Highland dirk, to the bayonets of World Wars I and II, and the 20th-century Commando knives. Weapons from around the world are described, from the Indian Katar to the Japanese Tanto. The book looks at the technical and military accomplishments leading up to the short-edged blade's present-day role as a military weapon, as well as its status as an object of modern art. This comprehensive and fully illustrated history of short-edged weapons will be an indispensable resource for both the amateur enthusiast and professional collector.