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Karl G




Location: Australia
Joined: 25 Apr 2016

Posts: 66

PostPosted: Sat 01 Sep, 2018 5:37 am    Post subject: List of shorter blades for combat         Reply with quote

Folks wondering if I could pick the brains of the learned members here. I am considering adding some short stabber/chopper/others to the collection and trying to get a list of names to start researching. The provisos are blades( as opposed to bludgeoning things), 11- 14" blade length, and preferably saw deliberate service in war ( as opposed to purely a tool or general self defence implement ). Hopefully won't get too tied up on that definition....I think people know what I am aiming at( aka not every day worn daggers or bowie knives etc)

So far off my meagre knowledge of such items

Scottish Dirk
Xiphos, spartan length
Smatchet/welsh trench swords ( WW1)
Some seaxes?
Short gladius( or is 14" non historical)

Thanks for any other suggestions!
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Ralph Grinly





Joined: 19 Jan 2011

Posts: 330

PostPosted: Sat 01 Sep, 2018 2:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nepalese Kukhri springs to mind ? As well as a lot of Asian, Middle Eastern weapons ? I think maybe you need to be a bit more specific..as I feel your request could cover just about ANY dagger-style weapon used in conflict by any people ? Basicly, you're asking for just about any weapon that isn't sword-sized, or a spear . or some form of projectile weapon ?
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Karl G




Location: Australia
Joined: 25 Apr 2016

Posts: 66

PostPosted: Sat 01 Sep, 2018 3:07 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ralph Grinly wrote:
Nepalese Kukhri springs to mind ? As well as a lot of Asian, Middle Eastern weapons ?


Thanks, I forgot about kukris. Now also checking out Moro Barongs and Qamas.

Quote:
I think maybe you need to be a bit more specific..as I feel your request could cover just about ANY dagger-style weapon used in conflict by any people ?


I believe that is what I asked for yes. Wink

Quote:
Basicly, you're asking for just about any weapon that isn't sword-sized, or a spear . or some form of projectile weapon ?


Err yes... and is not also a mace, club, hammer, axe, tomhawk, sickle, baton, cudgel, knuckleduster or net.

Its why we intimate what we are after in posts, rather than listing obvious non-options .
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J. Nicolaysen




Location: Wyoming
Joined: 03 Feb 2014
Likes: 32 pages

Posts: 795

PostPosted: Sun 02 Sep, 2018 1:57 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Landsknechts would use katzbalgers in war, their sometime opponents/inspirations the Swiss Reislaufer would often use a long baselard or schweizerdegen.

You can find a lot of different types, lengths and vendors/custom work out there, but Arms and Armor always looked nice to me:

http://myArmoury.com/review_aa_katz.html

http://arms-n-armor.com/limitededition.html

Of course there's the Japanese wakizashi also.

Some long rondel daggers were pretty much short swords. So don't shy away from looking at the baselard and rondel dagger types. This one is about 25 inches, definitely more of a sidearm than a utility knife. http://myArmoury.com/dagg_em_molrondel.html

And so on. Personally I might draw the short sword length between 16 and 30 inches, but it's still quite a bit shorter than a usual arming or long sword. If you are dead set on 11-14 inches, you'll find some, just look at those different types of daggers or swords.

Ruggers and bauernwehrs I might consider more civilian type.
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Geoffroy Gautier





Joined: 18 Nov 2009

Posts: 28

PostPosted: Sun 02 Sep, 2018 7:13 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

11-14" is really short for a weapon, I find. In this length, it's a bit difficult, I think, to have a good cut and thrust blade. Things like kukris and smatchets don't have exceptionally good tips for the thrust. In such s short length, IMO, you have to go either full thrust, with a rondel dagger or baselard, or full chop, with something like a corn machete or billhook, which pack incredible punch even in the last inch of the tip (unlike kukris and smatchets). Personally, I would go full chop, since I'm very comfortable with these tools, Actually, I would go to a very specific kind of billhook, with a very vicious tip, that rips open the target at the slightest contact. Sure you can't stab/thrust with it, but if you were in reach with a dagger, being in reach with this is more conducive to result in severe and quick incapacity of the target. And it doubles as an awesome tool.

http://www.baryonyxknife.com/rihabbi.html

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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Posts: 802

PostPosted: Tue 04 Sep, 2018 11:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Cinquedea
Tanto (traditional Japanese, not the modern 'tactical' knives which tend to be shorter)
Large Bowie knives, like the Confederate D-guards or the Musso-style Bowie (I'm talking 11 to 14 inch blades)
Pugio (there are examples, mainly later ones, with blades up to 10-11 inches or so).
Sica (larger ones, some could be pretty short)

David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe

Now available on Amazon: Franklin Posner's "Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7Y591
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J. Nicolaysen




Location: Wyoming
Joined: 03 Feb 2014
Likes: 32 pages

Posts: 795

PostPosted: Tue 04 Sep, 2018 4:21 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Quote:
Cinquedea
Tanto (traditional Japanese, not the modern 'tactical' knives which tend to be shorter)
Large Bowie knives, like the Confederate D-guards or the Musso-style Bowie (I'm talking 11 to 14 inch blades)
Pugio (there are examples, mainly later ones, with blades up to 10-11 inches or so).
Sica (larger ones, some could be pretty short)


I too thought of the Cinqueada, but considered those civilian use only? Is that right? OP said he wanted stuff used in war.

But good calls on the pugio, sica and tanto. These all blur the line of dagger v sword terminology. And I don't know anything about the Bowie.


Quote:
Personally, I would go full chop, since I'm very comfortable with these tools, Actually, I would go to a very specific kind of billhook, with a very vicious tip, that rips open the target at the slightest contact. Sure you can't stab/thrust with it, but if you were in reach with a dagger, being in reach with this is more conducive to result in severe and quick incapacity of the target. And it doubles as an awesome tool.


Nice! I mean, Ouch!
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