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Post by howler on Sept 16, 2018 19:36:56 GMT
I've always really been fascinated by khanjar daggers. Ceremonial, yes, but so detailed and beautiful to look at. I hesitate to call them my favorite, however. Now if tanto were to be counted as daggers in this instance, I'd say they were my favorite, but it seems to be sort of a toss-up whether they're counted as daggers, knives, or short swords. Maybe not a dagger in the classic sense, but functional as one in every way. Certainly a knife, and when large enough, absolutely a short sword. The tanto tip is super strong, so a great choice if durability is a desire.
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Post by markus313 on Sept 16, 2018 21:41:59 GMT
Can't really decide between these:
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Ifrit
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More edgy than a double edge sword
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Post by Ifrit on Sept 18, 2018 2:41:37 GMT
Can't really decide between these:
I have been really into rondels as well. There is just something amazing about its specialized use
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Post by markus313 on Sept 18, 2018 21:17:15 GMT
I have been really into rondels as well. There is just something amazing about its specialized use I admire the no-nonsense approach the historical sources deal with this weapon. Some may think these where for armored fighting only, but the ma sources and period artwork show them having been used/carried in civilian life as well.
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Sept 18, 2018 21:26:21 GMT
Roundel daggers are like crow's beaks. They are great at killing people in armor, or out of it.
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Ifrit
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More edgy than a double edge sword
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Post by Ifrit on Sept 19, 2018 2:08:26 GMT
I have been really into rondels as well. There is just something amazing about its specialized use I admire the no-nonsense approach the historical sources deal with this weapon. Some may think these where for armored fighting only, but the ma sources and period artwork show them having been used/carried in civilian life as well. Even if it was only for armour, I would still prefer that sheer brutality. The more I think of it, the more I get into tri-edge blades, for daggers at least
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Post by nathanh on Oct 4, 2018 16:52:20 GMT
Does a seax count? It seems like the ancient version of the Bowie knife; an everyday working man's knife.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Oct 4, 2018 17:13:51 GMT
Held in a reverse hammer grip it could count as a dagger!
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Post by nathanh on Oct 4, 2018 19:06:13 GMT
True. However, what's to keep you from slicing off your fingers if the blows are somehow messed up? Most that I see don't have guards. Maybe a small portion of the blade is left blunt? People who used them must have encountered this potential problem. Anybody know how they held the when fighting? Perhaps the thumb was placed atop the butt when in the ice pick grip? Isn't that how an ear dagger is wielded?
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Oct 5, 2018 3:14:26 GMT
Afaik seax were used like machetes not like daggers, I was just joking. I see also the problem of sliding on the blade when trusting without a crossguard. Perhaps a well formed handle helps a bit, antler?
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 5, 2018 15:25:21 GMT
People always carry on about hands slipping on thrusts on knives/swords without guards. My thoughts: Not all knives/swords are designed, or even intended, to stab/thrust. So don't. If they are, something has been worked into the design to facilitate this. I have Afghan choora, daggers meant to stab, with no guards. They do, however, have blades suitably wider than the grip that there is enough overhang across the fingers, as well as a wide pommel on which one might place their thumb. Ribbed grips and/or finger groves, or grips that widen significantly may also prevent accidental slippage. Human bodies aren't exactly hard. A pointy thing will slide right in with just a little pressure. You don't have to force it. If you're hitting so hard your hand slips, you're doing it wrong. But what do I know, I just play with sharp things.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Oct 5, 2018 15:36:58 GMT
What's with this? Looks like a good stabber, but ...
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 5, 2018 17:02:40 GMT
Ah, the old broken back. Probably fine at stabbing, sure. Also really nasty tip cuts, I'd imagine.
I don't know the origin, perhaps someone who does can fill in, but I wonder if these aren't a spin-off product rather than deliberate design. Seems like a longer knife/sword broke, but like the Japanese would sometimes do, the tip was re-ground sloping downward from the spine to keep what may have been a harder edge steel at the new tip. Perhaps the efficacy caught on and spawned its own design.
Or who knows?
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Post by nathanh on Oct 5, 2018 18:51:52 GMT
As for fingers slipping on a seax, I guess it wouldn't matter since it hardly went up against armor. Raiding, battles, or everyday scraps, what are the chances of encountering armor in it's time period, save a shield, hauberk, or helm. And I don't know how often those things were actually used (well, besides a shield).
However, let it be known the seax stands no chance of totally awesome studded biker leather armor.
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Oct 5, 2018 19:13:25 GMT
This thread is about favorite daggers though, and one of the defining characteristics of a dagger is it's optimization as a thrusting weapon. There may be some crossover between daggers and fighting knives, but a seax is historically a cut-centric fighting knife.
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 5, 2018 19:28:43 GMT
This thread is about favorite daggers though, and one of the defining characteristics of a dagger is it's optimization as a thrusting weapon. There may be some crossover between daggers and fighting knives, but a seax is historically a cut-centric fighting knife. Yes, but somebody questioned whether they could be stretched to qualify and we've been discussing the points this raised. Not like this thread has been very active, anyway.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 5, 2018 19:47:47 GMT
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 5, 2018 19:57:37 GMT
Human bodies aren't exactly hard. A pointy thing will slide right in with just a little pressure. You don't have to force it. If you're hitting so hard your hand slips, you're doing it wrong. Sounds OK, but what if your opponent has something hard under that flowing shirt? In the wet, rain, sweat, blood, etc., will also have some effect. A guard of some type is nice to have, I had my hand slide down a machete’s blade, though I wasn’t stabbing anyone at the time.
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 5, 2018 20:03:37 GMT
Sounds OK, but what if your opponent has something hard under that flowing shirt? In the wet, rain, sweat, blood, etc., will also have some effect. A guard of some type is nice to have, I had my hand slide down a machete’s blade, though I wasn’t stabbing anyone at the time. Well, that's a healthy if, isn't it? There are ways to secure a grip in wet etc, too. Never a guarantee, granted, but in the thick anything can happen, anyway.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 5, 2018 20:11:56 GMT
Well, that's a healthy if, isn't it? There are ways to secure a grip in wet etc, too. Never a guarantee, granted, but in the thick anything can happen, anyway. No harm in tilting the odds more in my favour. I’ve been doing it for nearly 80 years and am still here.
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