I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have a dagger question, and this is the dagger thread...

Please reply by PM if need be, so as not to hold it up any further.

My question is... What is the dagger you dagger enthusiasts can recommend to me to most effectively utilize the techniques described in Jason Vail's "Medieval and Renaissance Dagger Combat"? I don't necessarily mean the closest historically, I mean the closest effectively.

Y'see, I just "acquired" (a business arrangement, shall we say) a very dog-eared and dusty paperback copy of this book, and I am very interested in adopting the techniques inside. As with all new techniques I learn, I am looking to buy the ideal equipment, or have it made for me. I'd like to know what experts on the period and region think I should get.

By the way, the picture on the cover of this book is really something... There's a guy being stabbed in the forehead while he runs a guy through with his sword, another in the eye whilst being strangled, and yet another two stabbing each other simultaneously, whilst seeming to "hug". One guy is holding another's head by the hair while he looks about to thrust, and all this while they all tread over a stack of bodies with open, seemingly hollow stab wounds clearly shown. It's pretty graphic...

I don't have much in the way of historical daggers. I have one from A&A that I haven't photographed yet. This one below is very well made, but not a historical design, obviously:

[ Linked Image ] (clicky)

That's a bone grip, and from what I understand, the brass fittings were cast directly onto the tang.

Some of these have moved on...

4 by Arms&Armor
2 by Justin King
1 by Albion
1 by Armart
1 by Talerwin Forge

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Could not squeeze them all in -
The rondel by Justin King, and a shot of the hilt of the J King Ballock

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Here's the latest set of group shots. Enjoy!

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D(e)"aggeri"licious! :D

Some rather nice stuff from Tod there if I'm not mistaken. :)

Here's a couple more. An Eric McHugh Saex with handle and scabbard by Tod and an A&A 1580 parrying dagger which I asked Tod to do a wire-wrap grip for.

Cheers,
Darrin.

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I've got Manigandr, a Jake Powning piece. I only need this one dagger for my entire life.

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I thought I'd add a few more pugiones mto the mix....

Followed by some Scottish dirks.....

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Here's my dagger collection as of 2-2011. :)

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Daggers and knives sheathed

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Just the daggers

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Another view

Some more daggers from around the world.

1] Silver mounted Criollo dagger from Brazil latter part of the 18thC. These daggers were produced in Europe, Belgium/Germany, for export to S.America. These were worn by the well off as adornment and for use and not by the Gaucho who would have used a much more utilitarian weapon/tool.

2] Kurdish dagger from Northern Iraq, horn handle and probably late 19thC.

Regards,
Norman.

I like that long rondel dagger, Mr. Arnow. It just stands out so much from the rest of your collection, in a good way.

I didn't have time to pull out the photography lights, but still wanted to snap a couple shots with the point-and-shoot to give proportion to a big group of daggers:

Top photo, left to right:

Arms & Armor Elector of Saxony Dagger, Vince Evans Highland Dirk, Arma Bohemia Composite Rondel Dagger, Arma Bohemia Baselard, Tod's Stuff Stag Bauernwehr and By-knives, Vince Evans Scottish "Heart" Dirk, Tod's Stuff Low Countries Ballock Dagger, Eric McHugh Rondel Dagger, Tod's Stuff Hauswehr, Peter Johnsson Medieval Dagger, Tod's Stuff Boxwood Baselard, J.F. Schroeder Gunner's Stiletto, Tod's Stuff Landsknecht Dagger, J.F. Schroeder Cinquedea, Arma Bohemia Ear Dagger, Arma Bohemia All-Metal Rondel Dagger, Arms & Armor Katzbalger Dagger

Please see my Collection Gallery for further information on all or most of these items.

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Click either photo to see a full-sized version

Very nice daggers gentlemen!
Here are some of my favorites


top and bottom are from Tod's Stuff
the 4 in the center are all Hrisoulas blades.
of those the hilts on the top 2 are by Greig Fors
the 3rd one is by Peter Farquar
and I believe Jim did the last one himself but someone else did the scrimshaw.

Some updated pics of my shorter stabby items.... seaxes, pugiones, puukko, and stiletto, oh my....

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And here are some more updated pics of some short stabby things, Scottish-style....

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