4 Common Dagger Patterns, Demystified

Daggers have long been carried not only as sidearms, but as concealed weapons, and plainly as tools for utilitarian use in the field, for millennia. Few other tools, besides a basic knife, are as versatile and utilitarian, as these are.

Daggers also vary widely in pattern and intended purpose. This short post will shed some light on 4 of the most distinct and differentiated dagger patterns out there, as well as what they’re intended for.

Sgian Dubh

A sgian dubh is a small knife that is traditionally associated with Highland Dress of Scotland. The name, which means “black knife” in Scottish Gaelic, is applied to a tiny little dagger, customarily with two edges, that’s hardly 6 inches overall, often with a 3 inch blade.

Traditionally, the sgian dubh was placed under the armpit and carried as a concealed weapon of last resort, to be drawn when cornered and defenseless. However, Scottish convention rendered it inappropriate to carry concealed arms in the presence of friends, and so, the sgian dubh was customarily withdrawn from the armpit and worn in the top of the sock, ceremonially.

That is where the knife is commonly worn today, and modern examples are often richly decorated with family coats of arms or other heraldic symbols.

Stiletto or Rondel

A stiletto is a dagger with a long, needle-pointed blade, often with two sharpened edges. The rondel, also spelled roundel, is a variation on the theme; it also is long, thin and needle pointed, but it lacks edges and is often simply a tapered cylinder of steel, sharp only at the point.

Both of these daggers are intended for thrusting maneuvers, not for slashing; truly, as in the case of the rondel, slashing is completely ineffective since there is no edge to begin with.

They are both highly effective at thrusting attacks and with enough force behind them, could even be used to split mail rings and possibly even penetrate armor.

Tanto

The tanto is a single-edged dagger that hails from Japan, often carried by samurai as a sidearm to their katana and wakizashi. The tanto is, however, larger and heavier than many other styles of dagger, making it highly effective for both slashing and thrusting attacks.

The tanto’s unique point, which is called a kissaki in Japanese, is uniquely ground so as to give it extra strength, helping to prevent deformation when a great deal of force is concentrated on it. This makes a tanto point highly effective for powerful thrusting lunges.

Cinquedea

The cinquedea is a pattern from Europe, with a blade that is very wide at the base, which sharply tapers off to a finely pointed tip. Its name means “five fingers” in Italian.

Because of the unique nature of this blade, which is balanced well but weighted towards the hilt, it can be fairly effective for slashing attacks without being poorly suited to thrusting maneuvers. This makes it one of the most versatile dagger patterns out there, and one that is not overly specialized.

Explore These and Other Dagger Patterns at BudK

While these are 4 dagger patterns that illustrate the versatility that a dagger could offer depending on its design, there are many others, some of which are specialized to certain ends that have not been covered here.

If you’re interested in learning more about the different types of dagger patterns, intended uses and disciplines, visit BudK. They carry a wide range of replicas, including battle-ready swords and daggers - on top of a whole lot of other cool stuff. Visit their website or get in touch with them today for more information.

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