15th Century Longsword

The longsword, often called a hand-and-half, saw a great deal of service as a weapon of war, but was also employed a great deal as a civilian weapon of self- defense. Coupled with a dagger, the longsword was an excellent defense against robbers, thieves, footpads, assassins and even some of the robber bands that might roam the countryside. A good serviceable point allowed it to be used for thrusting, and a medium weight allowed it to be used easily and carried with equal ease. This weight also allowed it to be used with one hand with a dagger in the other. But when needed, it could be gripped with both hands for a very powerful cut. Pommel and guard are steel. Grip is wood wrapped with leather and wire. A beautiful and very functional sword. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®.. Includes scabbard. #500800 $195 ($5 addl. s/h) Overall-45 1/2" * Blade-36 1/2" long, 1 13/16 " wide, 3/16 " thick * Wt.-3 lbs. 4 oz. .

The Sword Of Oran

In 1509, during the reign of Ferdinand V of Castile and Aragon, the Spanish War against the Moors was carried out of Spain and across the Mediterranean. Under the command of Pedro Navabro, they landed in present day Algeria near Oran. The Spaniards quickly seized the heights overlooking the city. From this position, using their pikes, they scaled the walls of the city and stormed into Oran. The Moslems were no match for the deadly sword-and-buckler style of fighting of the Spanish infantry and thousands of Moors were either killed or captured. The forces went on to take Tripoli the following year and the Moslem rulers were obliged to pay tribute to the Spanish crown. This early backsword is one of the forms favored by these sword-and-buckler troops that many consider the finest infantry in Europe during the era. The parts are steel and the grip is brass and wood on this late cut-and-thrust sword. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts® Includes leather scabbard. #500854...$235 ($5 add. s/h) Overall-43" * Blade-36" long, 1½" wide, 3/16" thick * Wt-3 lbs.

Renaissance Short Sword

This type of sword most likely developed from the sword length version of the Italian Cinquedea. The blade retains the width and the large deep fullers like the earlier sword, but is combined with a steel guard that uses a ring for added hand protection and a large steel pommel to balance the wide blade. The grip is wood with brass. This sword would be used with a round shield, and no doubt favored for the pastime of sword and buckler dueling popular throughout most of Europe. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®. Includes scabbard. Overall 34 1/4" * Blade 28" long, 3" wide, 3/16" thick * Wt.-3 lbs. 4 oz.

Braunstone Sword

In Cambridge there is a brass of Sir Thomas Braunstone which depicts this beautiful sword. Its attractive proportions were much in demand at the time. It is a hand-and-a-half weapon, light enough to be swung easily with one hand, but with a grip long enough for two-hand use if you wish to make a strong statement. The grip is wood, ribbed and covered with leather, while the pommel is steel. The guard is steel, with down curved tips as on the original. A beautiful and well-balanced sword. Comes with scabbard. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®. #500866...$210 Overall-42 1/2" * Blade 34" long, 1 7/8" wide * Wt.-3 lbs.

English Cut & Thrust

Although the rapier was prominent across Europe, the English were in general loath to give up a wider blade that could deliver a deadly cut. This sword is typical of the type used with a steel targe or dagger that would be carried by the London Home Bands that were formed in response to the constant threat from Spain. The ringed steel hilt and steel pommel balanced the sword nicely for fine fencing- type point work while the blade was wide enough to cut well. The grip is wood covered in leather. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®. Scabbard included. #500892 Overall-41 1/4" * Blade-35 3/16" x 1 5/8" x 3/16" * Wt-3 lbs."

Saxon Hilt

This one-hand cut and thrust sword falls into a class of German swords called Saxon hilts, which were designed with a lower ring filled with an artistically worked metal plate to prevent the intrusion of an opponent's sword tip. A large steel pommel balances the cut and thrust blade very nicely. The guard is also solid steel. Leather covered, grooved wood grip gives a very positive hold. Comes with leather scabbard. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®. #500912 $265 Overall-41 1/4" Blade-32 3/4" long, 1 1/2" wide. 3/16" thick Wt.-3 lbs. 6 oz.

Flared Long Sword

This type of Long Sword is pictured in many period fighting manuals. The simple hilt form allows for a varied amount of grips and is even portrayed in a strike while gripping the blade, a maneuver that seems odd at best. The simplicity of the hilt does limit the amount of hand protection, but this is somewhat remedied by the flaring blade that forms a lower guard that functions like parrying hooks. An interesting sword type that is a must for students of European swordplay. Comes with scabbard. Made by Windlass Steelcrafts®. Overall-48" Blade-38" long, 3 1/2" wide 3/16" thick Wt.-3 lbs. 8 oz.

bladed weapons from the Bronze Age onwards. The sword developed from the dagger when the construction of longer blades became possible, from the early 2nd millennium BCE. Swords longer than 3 feet were rare and not practical during the Bronze Age as this length exceeds the tensile strength of bronze. It was not until the development of stronger alloys such as steel that longswords became practical for combat. The hilt at first simply allowed a firm grip, and prevented the hand from slipping onto the blade when executing a thrust. Bronze Age swords with typical leaf-shaped blades first appear near the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, and in Mesopotamia. Swords from the Nordic Bronze Age from ca. 1400 BCE show characteristic spiral patterns. Sword production in China is attested from the Bronze Age Shang Dynasty.swords became increasingly common from the 13th century BCE.[citation needed] The Hittites, the Mycenaean Greeks,[citation needed] and the Proto-Celtic Hallstatt culture (8th century BCE) figured among the early users of iron swords. Iron has the advantage of mass-production due to the wider availability of the raw material. Early iron swords were not comparable to later steel blades; being brittle, they were even inferior to well-manufactured bronze weapons, but the easier production, and the better availability of the raw material for the first time permitted the equipment of entire armies with metal weapons, though Bronze Age Egyptian armies were at times fully equipped with bronze weapons. Eventually smiths learned that by adding an amount of carbon (added during smelting in the form of charcoal) in the iron, they could produce an improved alloy (now known as steel). Several different methods of swordmaking existed in ancient times, including, most famously, pattern welding. Over time, different methods developed all over the world. By the time of Classical Antiquity and the Parthian and Sassanid Empires in Iran, iron swords were common. The Greek xiphos and the Roman gladius are typical examples of the type, measuring some 60 to 70 cm. The late Roman Empire introduced the longer spatha (the term for its wielder, spatharius, became a court rank in Constantinople), and from this time, the term long sword is applied to swords comparatively long for their respective periods. Chinese steel swords make their appearance from the 3rd century BCE Qin Dynasty. The Chinese Dao (? pinyin dao) is single-edged, sometimes translated as sabre or broadsword, and the Jian (? pinyin jiàn) double edged. [edit] Middle Ages Main articles: Viking sword, Arming sword Replica of a Roman Spatha Replica of a Roman Spatha The spatha type remained popular throughout the Migration period and well into the Middle Ages. Vendel Age spathas were decorated with Germanic artwork (not unlike the Germanic bracteates fashioned after Roman coins). The Viking Age saw again a more standardized production, but the basic design remained indebted to the spatha. It is only from the 11th century that Norman swords begin to develop the quillons or crossguard. During the Crusades of the 12th to (13th) century, this cruciform type of arming sword remained essentially stable, with variations mainly concerning the shape of the pommel. These swords were designed as cutting weapons, although effective points were becoming common to counter improvements in armour. Single-edged weapons became popular throughout Asia. Derived from the Chinese dao, the Korean hwandudaedo are known from the early medieval Three Kingdoms. The Japanese katana, production of which is recorded from ca. 900 AD (see Japanese sword), is also derived from the dao. [edit] Late Middle Ages and Renaissance Main articles: Longsword and Zweihänder From around 1300, in concert with improved armour, innovative sword designs evolved more and more rapidly. The main transition was the lengthening of the grip, allowing two-handed use, and a longer blade. By 1400, this type of sword, at the time called langes Schwert (longsword) or spadone, was common, and a number of 15th and 16th century Fechtbücher offering instructions on their use survive. Another variant was the specialized armour-piercing swords of the estoc type. The longsword became popular due to its extreme reach and cutting and thrusting abilities. The estoc became popular because of its ability to thrust into the gaps between plates of armor. The grip was sometimes wrapped in wire or coarse animal hide to provide a better grip and to make it harder to knock a sword out of the user's hand. In the 16th century, the large Doppelhänder (called the Zweihänder today; both German names refer to the use of both hands) concluded the trend of ever-increasing sword sizes (mostly due to the beginning of the decline of plate armor and the advent of firearms), and the early Modern Age saw the return to lighter, one-handed weapons. The sword in this time period was the most personal weapon, the most prestigious, and the most versatile for close combat, but it came to decline in military use as technology changed warfare. However, it maintained a key role in civilian self-defense. [edit] Modern Age Main articles: Rapier, Backsword Some think the rapier evolved from the Spanish espada ropera in the 16th century[citation needed]. The rapier differed from most earlier swords in that it was not a military weapon but a primarily civilian sword. Both the rapier and the Italian schiavona developed the crossguard into a basket-shaped guard for hand protection. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the shorter smallsword became an essential fashion accessory in European countries and the New World, and most wealthy men and military officers carried one. Both the smallsword and the rapier remained popular dueling swords well into the 18th century. As the wearing of swords fell out of fashion, canes took their place in a gentleman's wardrobe. Some examples of canes—those known as sword canes or swordsticks—incorporate a concealed blade. The French martial art la canne developed to fight with canes and swordsticks and has now evolved into a sport. Towards the end of its useful life, the sword served more as a weapon of self-defense than for use on the battlefield, and the military importance of swords steadily decreased during the Modern Age. Even as a personal sidearm, the sword began to lose its preeminence in the early 19th century, paralleling the development of reliable handguns. The hilt of the 18th century smallsword used by Captain John Paul Schott in the American Revolutionary War. The hilt of the 18th century smallsword used by Captain John Paul Schott in the American Revolutionary War. Swords continued in use, but were increasingly limited to military commissioned officers' and non-commissioned officers' ceremonial uniforms, although most armies retained heavy cavalry until well after World War I. For example, the British Army formally adopted a completely new design of cavalry sword in 1908, almost the last change in British Army weapons before the outbreak of the war. The last units of British heavy cavalry switched to using armoured vehicles as late as 1938. Swords and other dedicated melee weapons were used occasionally by various countries during World War II, but typically as a secondary weapon as they were outclassed by contemporaneous guns. [edit] Terminology The sword consists of the blade and the hilt. The term scabbard applies to the case that covers the sword blade when not in use. Image:Sword_parts.jpg [edit] Blade Three types of attacks can be performed with the blade: striking, cutting, and thrusting. The blade can be double-edged or single-edged, the latter often having a secondary "false edge" near the tip. When handling the sword, the long or true edge is the one used for straight cuts or strikes, while the short or false edge is the one used for backhand strikes. Some hilt designs define which edge is the 'long' one, while more symmetrical designs allow the long and short edges to be inverted by turning the sword of one's hand on the hilt. The blade may have grooves known as fullers for lightening and stiffening the blade while allowing it to retain its strength, similar to the structure of a steel "I" beam used in construction. The blade may taper more or less sharply towards a point, used for thrusting. The part of the blade between the Center of Percussion (CoP) and the point is called the foible (weak) of the blade, and that between the Center of Balance (CoB) and the hilt is the forte (strong). The section in between the CoP and the CoB is the middle. The ricasso or shoulder identifies a short section of blade immediately forward of the guard that is left completely unsharpened, and can be gripped with a finger to increase tip control. Many swords have no ricasso. On some large weapons, such as the German Zweihänder, a leather cover surrounded the ricasso, and a swordsman might grip it in one hand to wield the weapon more easily in close-quarter combat. The ricasso normally bears the maker's mark. On Japanese blades this mark appears on the tang (part of the blade that extends into the hilt) under the grip. * In the case of a rat-tail tang, the maker welds a thin rod to the end of the blade at the crossguard; this rod goes through the grip (in 20th-century and later construction). This occurs most commonly in decorative replicas, or cheap sword-like objects. Traditional sword-making does not use this construction method, which does not serve for traditional sword usage as the sword can easily break at the welding point. * In traditional construction, the swordsmith forged the tang as a part of the sword rather than welding it on. Traditional tangs go through the grip: this gives much more durability than a rat-tail tang. Swordsmiths peened such tangs over the end of the pommel, or occasionally welded the hilt furniture to the tang and threaded the end for screwing on a pommel. This style is often referred to as a "narrow" or "hidden" tang. Modern, less traditional, replicas often feature a threaded pommel or a pommel nut which holds the hilt together and allows dismantling. * In a "full" tang (most commonly used in knives and machetes), the tang has about the same width as the blade, and is generally the same shape as the grip. In European or Asian swords sold today, many advertised "full" tangs may actually involve a forged rat-tail tang. From the 18th century onwards, swords intended for slashing, i.e., with blades ground to a sharpened edge, have been curved with the radius of curvature equal to the distance from the swordman's body at which it was to be used. This allowed the blade to have a sawing effect rather than simply delivering a heavy cut. European swords, intended for use at arm's length, had a radius of curvature of around a meter. Middle Eastern swords, intended for use with the arm bent, had a smaller radius. [edit] Hilt The hilt is the collective term of the parts allowing the handling and control of the blade, consisting of the grip, the pommel, and a simple or elaborate guard, which in post-Viking Age swords could consist of only a crossguard (called cruciform hilt). The pommel, in addition to improving the sword's balance and grip, can also be used as a blunt instrument at close range. It may also have a tassel or sword knot. The tang consists of the extension of the blade structure through the hilt. [edit] Typology See also Types of swords Swords can fall into categories of varying scope. The main distinguishing characteristics include blade shape (cross-section, tapering and length), shape and size of hilt and pommel, age, and place of origin. For any other type than listed below, and even for uses other than as a weapon, see the article Sword-like object. [edit] Single-edged and double-edged swords As noted above, the terms longsword, broad sword, great sword, and Gaelic claymore are used relative to the era under consideration, and each term designates a particular type of sword. One strict definition of a sword restricts it to a straight, double-edged bladed weapon designed for both slashing and thrusting. However, general usage of the term remains inconsistent and it has important cultural overtones, so that commentators almost universally recognize the single-edged swords such as Asian weapons (dao ?, katana ?) as "swords", simply because they have a prestige akin to their European counterparts. Europeans also frequently refer to their own single-edged weapons as swords — generically backswords, including sabres. Other terms include falchion, scimitar, cutlass, dussack, messer or mortuary sword. Many of these refer to essentially identical weapons, and the different names may relate to their use in different countries at different times. A machete as a tool resembles such a single-edged sword and serves to cut through thick vegetation, and indeed many of the terms listed above describe weapons that originated as farmers' tools used on the battlefield. [edit] Single-handed * Bronze Age swords, length ca. 60 cm, leaf shaped blade. * Iron Age swords like the xiphos, gladius and jian ?, similar in shape to their Bronze Age predecessors. * Spatha, measuring ca. 80–90 cm. * The classical arming sword of Medieval Europe, measuring up to ca. 110 cm. * The late medieval Swiss baselard and the Renaissance Italian cinquedea and German Katzbalger essentially re-introduce the functionality of the spatha, coinciding with the strong cultural movement to emulate the Classical world. * The cut & thrust swords of the Renaissance, similar to the older arming sword but balanced for increased thrusting. * Light duelling swords, like the rapier and the smallsword, in use from Early Modern times. * The Japanese short sword, or wakizashi * The ida of the Yoruba tribe of West Africa. It can also be regarded as a two-handed sword. * The Arabian scimitar, the similar Persian shamshir. [edit] Two-handed Katana of the 16th or 17th Century, with its saya. Katana of the 16th or 17th Century, with its saya. * The Japanese samurai sword, or katana, tachi and nodachi * The longsword (and bastard sword/hand-and-a-half sword) of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. * The 16th-century Doppelhänder or Zweihänder. * The Chinese anti-cavalry sword, zhanmadao of the Song Dynasty. * The East Indian kris, with a wavy double-edged blade. * The Scottish Highland claymore, (or claidheamh mór-gàidhlig, great sword.), in use until the 18th Century. [edit] Training swords In both Europe and Asia, wooden "swords" were created to practice fencing without the physical danger of a real sword. These were known as wasters in Europe and bokken in Japan. Special sparring weapons, such as the bamboo shinai, the wooden singlestick, and the steel Federschwerter, were also devised and used. Certain martial arts styles, such as kendo, use shinai as their primary weapons, both in training and in competition. See also Urumi/Chuttuval (flexible sword) - Used in Kerala, India Urumi/Chuttuval (flexible sword), used in Kerala, south India Urumi/Chuttuval (flexible sword), used in Kerala, south India [edit] Classification Main article: Oakeshott typology Jan Petersen in De Norske Vikingsverd ("The Norwegian Viking Swords", 1919) introduced the most widely used classification. Ewart Oakeshott in The Sword in The Age of Chivalry (1964, revised 1981) introduced a system of classification for Medieval sword blades into types, numbered X – XXII, as a continuation of Wheeler's system. [edit] Punishment devices * Real swords can be used to administer various physical punishments: to perform either capital punishment by decapitation (the use of the sword, an honourable weapon on military men, was regarded as privilege) or non-surgical amputation. In Scandinavia, where beheading has been the traditional means of capital punishment, noblemen were beheaded with sword and commoners with an axe. * Similarly paddle-like sword-like devices for physical punishment are used in Asia, in western terms for paddling or caning, depending whether the implement is flat or round. For example, the Chinese movie Farewell to my concubine (1993 - see IMDb [2]) shows how a flat, not even very hard type of paddle, called the master's sword, is used intensively to discipline young opera trainees both on the (usually bared) buttock and on the hand (even drawing blood). * The shinai, a practice sword, is also used in Japan as a spanking implement, more common in prized private extracurricular schools (illustrated in these 1975 and 1977 articles [3] & [4]) than the US school paddling; in fact hundreds of cases of illegal corporal punishment were reported from public schools as well. [edit] Symbolism * The sword can symbolise violence, combat, or military intervention. Jesus' statement, "Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword" uses the term in this sense. In Islam the Arabic expression Jihad bis saif 'struggle by the sword' means 'holy' war for Islam. Another example of this metaphorical significance comes in the old saying The pen is mightier than the sword -- attributed to Edward Bulwer-Lytton. In the following cases, the sword stands for arms in general, and has often been retained as a symbol even after it had in operational practice been replaced with firearms etcetera. * Swords form a suit in Latin suited playing cards which include the Italian suited Tarot decks (replaced by spades in the French deck of modern playing cards and in modern French suited Tarot or Tarock decks.) In divinitory Tarot, the sword is often interpreted as representing air, as well as intelligence. It can also represent fire and will. * The sword often functions as a symbol of masculinity and particularly -since its form lends itself to this, especially in erect position- as a phallic symbol of virility. For example, "sword swallowing" is used as an euphemism of fellatio. * Swords are also used as emblem or insignia (in or on formal dress such as uniforms, badges, various objects, even coats of arms), especially: o as symbol of power, such as a Sword of State, Sword of Mercy, Curtana and Sword of Justice (all can be used as regalia, in England five in total during the coronation); o as symbol of armed force, or of a corps entitled to use force as the strong arm of the law, as in military and police insignia, or of a unit (e.g. regiment) of such a corps - as these are numerous, inevitably many variations and combinations (two crossed swords, or with a laurel wreath, crown, national or founder/patron's emblem etcetera) are used. o on the flag of Saudi Arabia. * Its symbolic meaning is also reflected in the existence of prestigious titles, linking people of valor to it, such as: o Sword of religion o sword of the faith o Sword of the State o Sword of War * It can be awarded as an honorary attribute, like a decoration, known as sword of honour * Crossed swords have their own particular symbolism, and are in the Miscellaneous Symbols area of Unicode at U+2694 (?): o On a map: a site of battle o In genealogy or biography: signifying that a person was killed in action * It is also not unusual for swords to represent reason - as in "cutting through" a series of elements in a problem in order to leave only those with proven relevance, for example. * Symbol for bravery for fighting a just cause; the sword of Lady Justice symbolizes the need of justice to remain neutral in legal decisions. * The term a double-edged sword can be used as an expression for anything that can simultaneously help and hinder, as when, in swordfighting, a person can increase his leverage by putting his hand on the blade, which might win the contest but also result in a wound. * The Japanese Daisho- A pair of two swords, Katana and Wakizashi or Tanto- was symbolic of the Samurai's strength and honour. [edit] Famous Swords In this painting Ravana is seen cutting the wings of Jatayu with his sword Chandrahas. In this painting Ravana is seen cutting the wings of Jatayu with his sword Chandrahas. Apart from the aforementioned types of symbolical swords, the following individually named swords are noteworthy: [edit] Swords in History See also: Types of swords#History and mythology * Honjo Masamune, Sword of the Tokugawa shogunate, a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603. * Jewelled Sword of Offering, Sword of King George IV of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1820-1830). * Seven-Branched Sword, which Wa received from Baekje. * Snake Sword, which was wielded by the great king Ashoka. * Sword of Boabdil, Sword of the last Moorish King in Spain. * Sword of Gou Jian, a historical artifact from the Spring and Autumn Period. * Tizona, El Cid's personal sword which exists to this day in Spain as a national treasure. * A Mameluke sword was given by Prince Hamet Karamali to Presley O'Bannon, an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, during his participation in the First Barbary War. [edit] Swords of Myth and Legend See also: Types of swords#History and mythology * Arondight - Sword of Lancelot * Attila the Hun's sword, which he claimed was the sword of Mars, the Roman god of war * Caladbolg - Sword of Fergus mac Róich * Chandrahas (Moon blade) - King Ravana's sword in the Indian epic Ramayana. * Claíomh Solais - Sword of Nuada Airgeadlámh, legendary king of Ireland * Crocea Mors - Sword of Julius Caesar * Curtana - Sword of Ogier the Dane , a legendary Danish hero * Durandal - Sword of Roland, one of Charlemagne's knights * Excalibur/Caliburn/Caledflwch - Sword of King Arthur * Zulfiqar, Sword of prophet Muhammad and imam Ali ibn Abu Talib (prophet's cousin and son-in-law) * Fragarach - Sword of Manannan mac Lir and Lugh Lamfada * Gram (Balmung) (Nothung) - Sword of Siegfried, hero of the Nibelungenlied * Hauteclere - Sword of Olivier, a French hero depicted in the Song of Roland * Hrunting - Sword of Beowulf * Joyeuse - Sword of Charlemagne * Kusanagi - Sword of Susanoo * Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar - Sword of King Solomon * Tyrfing - Cursed sword that causes eventual death to its wielder and their kin [edit] Swords of Modern Fiction See also: Category:Fictional swords See also: List of fictional swords * The Lightsaber is a sword concept featured in the Star Wars universe. It's popularity has inspired similar laser based swords to have been used in other works of science fiction media. * Various swords from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, including Narsil (later Andúril), Sting, and Glamdring. Many, if not all, European fantasy swords found in literature today where inspired by these swords as Tolkien's works where unique for its time. However, similar mystical swords could be found far back into older mythology and religions. * The Zanbato is an incredibly large type of Japanese sword that has inspired various fictional swords found in a wide variety of media including anime television, books and video games. Most unrealistically large swords such as the Buster Sword or the Tessaiga found in Japanese media today are inspired by the zanbato. * The Vorpal blade is a sword from the poem Jabberwocky. It has been adopted into the Dungeons & Dragons RPG as a type of magic sword. Similar magical swords have become common in fantasy literature, games, and art, but this particular sword has had it's name continuously mentioned and spread among many works. source: wikipediaA dagger is a typically double-edged blade used for stabbing or thrusting. Daggers may be roughly differentiated from knives on the basis that daggers are intended primarily for stabbing whereas knives are usually single-edged and intended mostly for cutting. However, many or perhaps most knives and daggers are usually very capable of either stabbing or cutting.Much like battle axes, daggers evolved out of prehistoric tools. They were initially made of flint, ivory, or even bone and were used as weapons since the earliest periods of human civilization. The earliest metal daggers appear in the Bronze Age, in the 3rd millennium BC, predating the sword, which essentially developed from oversized daggers. Although the standard dagger would at no time be very effective against axes, spears, or even maces due to its limited reach, it was an important step towards the development of a more useful close-combat weapon, the sword.However, almost from the very beginning of Egyptian history, daggers were adorned as ceremonial objects with golden hilts and later even more ornate and varied construction. Traditionally, military and naval officers wore dress daggers as symbols of power, and soldiers are still equipped with combat knives.Historically, knives and daggers were always considered secondary or even tertiary weapons. Babylonians, Greeks, Spartans, Persians, Romans, Vikings, and crusaders all mainly fought with pole weapons, swords, and axes at arm's length if not already utilizing bows, spears, slings, or other long-range weapons. Roman soldiers were issued a pugio.The dagger is symbolically ambiguous. It may be associated with cowardice and treachery due to the ease of concealment and surprise that someone could inflict with one on an unexpecting victim — many assassinations were reportedly carried out using one. The most famous victim of all was certainly Julius Caesar, who suffered from 23 stab wounds from irate members of the Senate. On the other hand, the dagger may symbolically suggest a determination to courageously close with the enemy.From the year 1250 onward, gravestones and other contemporary images show knights with a dagger or combat knife at their side. The hilt and blade shapes began to resemble smaller versions of swords and led to a fashion of ornamented sheaths and hilts in the late-15th century.The increasing sophistication of sword fighting and a prevailing sense of chivalrous honour caused knives and daggers to lose their popularity as weapons in Medieval times, only to regain it during the Renaissance in the form of the stiletto, which proved to be very effective against the plated body armor popular at the time.This technique would differentiate a dagger wound from that of a sword. A sword wound was noble and, as the possession of swords was limited to aristocrats, could be caused only by such weapons. Murder by dagger thrusts was ignoble, and could be done by commoners or vengeful aristocrats who wished to remain anonymous. This is why a group of political murders is called Night of the Long Knives, although daggers were not literally used.With the development of firearms, the dagger lost more and more of its usefulness in military combat; multipurpose knives and handguns replaced them. However, beginning with the 17th Century, another form of dagger -- the plug bayonet and later the socket bayonet -- was used to convert muskets and other longarms into spears by mounting them on the barrel.Daggers achieved public notoriety in the 20th Century as ornamental uniform regalia during the fascist dictatorships of Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany, but dress daggers were used by several other countries as well, including Japan. As combat equipment they were carried by many infantry and commando forces during the Second World War. British commandos had an especially slender dagger, the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife, developed from that used in Shanghai. U.S. Marine Corps Raiders in the Pacific carried a similar fighting dagger, and others were fashioned for American forces and their allies from cut-down World War I Patton sabers.Although not technically a dagger, the rondel, a stabbing weapon with a circular, triangular, or rectangular cross-section, is commonly included in the term.Daggers :: Black Roman Dagger by Tomahawk
Black Roman Dagger
14 3/4" overall. 9 3/4" stainless double edged blade. Black finish cast metal handle with sculpted cast metal guard and pommel. Matchin
Fantasy Knives :: Skull Dagger by EBS Exclusive
Skull Dagger
8 1/2" overall. 3 3/4" blade. Full tang. Black cord wrapped handle with skull head inlay. Lanyard hole. Black nylon belt sheath.
Daggers :: Horsehead Dagger by Tomahawk
Horsehead Dagger
11 7/8" overall. 7" stainless upswept blade. Pewter finish sculpted cast metal handle and guard in shape of horse's head. Matching scab
Daggers :: Colonial Dagger by Tomahawk
Colonial Dagger
13 1/4" overall. 8 1/2" stainless double edged blade. Wood finish cast metal handle with antique brass finish cast metal guard and pomm
Daggers :: Eagle Dagger by Tomahawk
Eagle Dagger
14 1/4" overall. 8 3/4" stainless double edged blade with decorative etch. Imitation ivory handle with color artwork of eagle in flight
Daggers :: Folding Dagger Lockback Serrated by Tomahawk
Folding Dagger Lockback Serrated
3 3/8" overall in T-Handle Push Dagger position. Depress lock back blade moves into conventional position. 2 5/8" handle length. All
Daggers :: Ornamental Roman Dagger by Tomahawk
Ornamental Roman Dagger
15 3/8" overall. 8 3/8" stainless double edged blade. Antique bronze finish sculpted cast metal handle, guard and pommel. Matching scab
Daggers :: Egyptian Dagger by Tomahawk
Egyptian Dagger
13 1/2" overall. 7 3/4" stainless blade etched with Egyptian cartouches. Pewter finish sculpted cast metal handle and guard. Matching s
Daggers :: Fantasy Push Dagger by Tomahawk
Fantasy Push Dagger
8 1/2" overall. Stainless 3" center blade and two 4" side blades. Antique silver finish sculpted cast metal handle with black rubber in
Fantasy Knives :: Skull and Crossbones Dagger by EBS Exclusive
Skull and Crossbones Dagger
20 3/4" overall. 12 3/4" stainless double edge dagger blade with etching. Sculpted antique silver and bronze finish handle, guard and p
Fantasy Knives :: Skull Dagger by United Cutlery
Skull Dagger
7 13/16" overall. 4 7/8" 420 J2 stainless single edge blade. Highly detailed vampire skull cast metal handle with antique red finish. B
Fantasy Knives :: Skull Dagger Antique Silver by United Cutlery
Skull Dagger Antique Silver
7 13/16" overall. 4 7/8" 420 J2 stainless blade. Antique silver plate cast metal handle in shape of horned skull. Black imitation leath
Fantasy Knives :: Skull Dagger Black by United Cutlery
Skull Dagger Black
7 13/16" overall. 4 7/8" 420 J2 stainless single edge blade. Highly detailed vampire skull cast metal handle with antique black finish.
Fantasy Knives :: Skull Spider Dagger by EBS Exclusive
Skull Spider Dagger
8" overall. 5 3/4" black finish stainless dagger blade with spider and web etch. Silver cast metal handle in shape of skull and spider
Fantasy Knives :: Unicorn Skull Dagger by EBS Exclusive
Unicorn Skull Dagger
15 3/8" overall. 9 3/8" stainless double edged blade. White finish cast resin handle in shape of skeleton with wing guard and skull pom
Daggers :: Dragon Lord Display Stand by Hibben Knives
Dragon Lord Display Stand
Measures 4" X 13 3/4". Hardwood construction with a mahogany burned-edge finish and a brass cloisonne medallion. KNIFE NOT INCLUDED.
Daggers :: The Griffyn Storage Pouch by Hibben Knives
The Griffyn Storage Pouch
This is a great storage and transportation pouch. It is made for the Griffyn, but can hold many other knives as well.
The pouch
Daggers :: Golden Pagoda Dagger by Tomahawk
Golden Pagoda Dagger
20 1/8" overall. 13 1/2" stainless double edged blade with forked tip. Antique bronze finish sculpted cast metal handle, guard and pomm
Daggers :: Wasp Dagger by United Cutlery Brands
Wasp Dagger
9 3/8" overall. 5 1/8" 420 J2 stainless double edge split design blade, 3 1/16" thick. Black cast metal handle with checkered grip.
Daggers :: Damascus Blade Dagger by Tomahawk
Damascus Blade Dagger
15" overall. 8" 420 stainless blade with damascus style etch. Sculpted composition handle with cast metal dragon head guard and pommel.
Daggers :: Dragon Flame Dagger by United Cutlery Brands
Dragon Flame Dagger
8 3/8" overall. 5 3/4" 420 J2 stainless double edged Kriss style blade with Celtic knotword style etching.
Sculptured cast alumi
Fantasy Knives :: Tribal Skull Dagger by EBS Exclusive
Tribal Skull Dagger
10 3/4" overall. 5" stainless double edge main blade, with four additional stainless secondary blades. Sculpted cast metal handle with
Daggers :: Griffon Dagger by Tomahawk
Griffon Dagger
18" overall. 7 7/8" stainless blade and handguard. Antique silver finish sculpted cast metal handle in the shape of a griffon. Wood dis
Daggers :: Eagle Talon Dagger by United Cutlery Brands
Eagle Talon Dagger
The popular Eagle Talon Dagger features a fluted black ABS grip with wire wrap.
An antique silver finished eagle head pommel giv
Daggers :: The Talisman 1st Edition by United Cutlery Brands
The Talisman 1st Edition
12 3/16" overall. 6 3/4" 420 J2 stainless blade is 3/16" thick and features a Celtic knotwork style deep etch. Cast aluminum flying s
Daggers :: Knight's Dagger by United Cutlery Brands
Knight's Dagger
Legends in Steel Third Edition. 16 3/8" overall. 10 1/2" 420 J2 stainless blade. Twisted wire wrap handle with antique silver platedA knife is a sharp-edged hand tool used for cutting. A minimal knife is a blade and some method of gripping it. Knives have been used as tools and weapons since the Stone Age.Knives can be generally distinguished from daggers on a few bases. One basis is that knives often have only a single sharp edge (though they may have portions of the back edge sharpened). This can allow knife blades to be thicker and stronger than daggers of comparable size. A dull back edge also allows force from the other hand to be applied to assist in cutting. A second, related basis is that knives are designed primarily for cutting rather than stabbing. To this end, knives may lack a sharp point; daggers are intended largely for stabbing and necessarily have a sharp point. However, most knives (aside from obvious exceptions like bread-and-butter knives) do have a sharp point and are well suited for use in stabbing; some knives have a portion of the back edge sharpened to aid in this. A third basis is that a knife is much less likely to possess a cross-guard or a pommel than is a dagger.The first known knives were flint or other rock, chipped or ground to an edge, sometimes with a handle. Palaeolithic knives may also have been made from wood, bone or antler, but these materials do not survive in the archaeological record. Advances in smelting and metallurgy have led to blades made of bronze, iron, then steel and more exotic materials. Both materials and designs have changed over time. Germany is well known for it's durable, extremely sharp knives mainly produced in the town of Solingen.All cultures use knives as tools. Together with the fork and spoon, the knife has been an ubiquitous eating and cooking utensil in the Western world since at least the Middle Ages. The importance of knives as weapons has declined, but knives are still made and carried for other purposes. The tang is an extension of the blade into the handle. The bolster usually helps to join the blade to the handle and adds greater strength. Some bolsters also may function as a barrier, or handguard, to prevent fingers from slipping onto the blade. A bolster with a definite extension away from the handle often serves as a guard to further protect the hand when using a knife.Common blade features include serrations, coatings, and functional or decorative embellishments, including engraving, opening holes, thumb studs, disks and nail grooves. A fuller, sometimes mistakenly called a blood gutter or blood groove, is a depression along a blade. There is a myth that this promotes bleeding from stabbing wounds. The actual function is to lighten the blade without sacrificing stiffness, and on many knives it is purely decorative.Some knives have a choil where the blade is unsharpened and possibly indented as it meets the handle. A small choil is used to prevent scratches to the handle when sharpening the blade, while a large choil is useful as a forward-finger grip. Handles may be made of any solid material: wood, steel and decorative materials are common. A hole in the end of the handle allows the knife to be hung or placed on a lanyard.Knives are divided into folding knives and fixed blade knives. A folding knife stores the blade within the handle, whereas a fixed blade needs a sheath or other storage method when not in use. The handle of a folding knife is built around the frame; on the inside may be liners, and on the outside there may be slabs.Folding knives can include a locking mechanism; there are many types, but the three most common locks are lock backs, Walker linerlock, and frame locks.Fixed blade knives may have single or multipart handles, usually attache