What distinguishes the knife for eating and the knife as a weapon is the latter's aggressive character as a cutting, slashing and stabbing implement.

Short edged weapons with a sharp point and usually two cutting edges have existed since time immemorial, but from a practical standpoint the collectable varieties start at the end of the Middle Ages with the ballock-knife, kidney dagger or dudgeon (1300-1700). Many other types of dagger developed in the period down to 1900, the names usually referring to the style and including the ear dagger, quillon dagger, main gauche (left-hand), stiletto and bris-epee or sword-breaker.

The Swiss dagger was characterised by a strong hilt, shaped like the letter I, mounted on a short shaped blade. It is prized on account of its highly ornate sheath of gilt-bronze or silver, elaborately pierced and fretted and mounted with cast ornament.

The dirk was the all-purpose knife of the Scottish Highlands used for hunting, close-quarter fighting and eating. It was generally broad-bladed, with a false back-edge often heavily serrated, and had handles of bog oak, often delicately carved with Celtic ornament. The black-leather scabbard was often mounted with silver ornament and incorporated smaller sheaths containing a small knife and two-pronged fork. Genuine Highland dirks of the 17th and 18th centuries are rare, but later imitations, produced down to the present day, are quite plentiful. The dirk was later adapted as the side weapon of naval midshipmen and was even borrowed by Italy and Germany between the wars, where a wide range of dirks may be found with military or Nazi and Fascist party emblems.

Jim Bowie may not have invented the throwing knife but he greatly improved and popularised it. These hunting knives have very broad blades with a sharp point and a concave false edge on top. Plain blades are common, but those with pictorial scenes engraved or etched on them are very desirable.

Trench knives, a modern extension of hunting knives with broad blades, were developed during World War I and were characterised by their double edges, often saw-edged. There are many varieties of trench knife, including knuckle-duster handles and folding blades, and those bearing regimental insignia are much prized by collectors of militaria.

- Oбсудить на форуме

- Версия для печати