Does anyone know how a dagger intended for use as an offhand weapon would be worn on the person? Was it similar to how medieval daggers were worn? (e.g. at the back for use in an icepick fashion) In fact, does anyone know of any internet resources detailing the methods of wearing different sorts of weaponry?

When wearing a rapier the main gauche was worn at the back with the handle to the left, so the dagger could be drawn with the left hand while the right drew the rapier. As the maingauche was often drawn at the same time as the rapier it was important for it to be easily done with one hand, so the old medieval way of hanging a dagger by a thong (which was the standard method, though not only) was superceded.

A maingauche was often held by a loop fitted to the back of the scabbard mouth fitting that the belt threaded through.

Leo, I would say the opposite. Much period artwork shows the dagger worn on the opposite hip as the sword, so the left hand would reach across the front of the body to draw it. I'm not saying *all* period artwork shows this, because I really don't know. Often there is no sign of the dagger, or it is hidden by a cape. I am not aware of what the period rationale would be for this, but it can allow for a icepick style draw with your primary hand, which could be useful, especially if you have removed your sword and scabbard from the hanger for any number of reasons.

What Eric said. If you go to any Renaissance art gallery, you will see quite a number of portraits that show the dagger hilt sticking out of the right side, behind the hip. As Eric pointed out, this would likely explain why the reverse grip was so commonly used when fighting with the dagger alone (though there are quite a number of forward grip actions as well, of course).

Thanks for all the replies. Your info is much appreciated :).

in the situations where you need to pull your dagger quickly, the opponent is often very close to you, meaning that a cross body draw might not be possible.
If you have the time to cross draw, you will probably go for the rapier anyway, and pull the dagger afterwards.

What I find myself doing most of the time with my sword/dagger is pulling the dagger first to ward of the initial close assault, then shifting it to the left hand and drawing the sword.

One of Derricke's Image of Irelande woodcuts (1581) shows a halberdier with a dagger worn across his back - but set up for a right hand draw,

http://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/about/bgallery/Galler...59_jpg.htm

And again, a company of pikemen, also with the dagger across the back, angled for a right hand draw.

http://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/about/bgallery/Galler...60_jpg.htm

Now, for a halberdier, it makes sense to me to set up your backup weapon for a right hand draw, but the pikemen also wear swords on their left hips. I don't understand why they would have both the sword and dagger set up for a right hand draw, unless it's an error on the part of the artist. :?:

The whole series of woodcuts can be seen here: http://www.lib.ed.ac.uk/about/bgallery/Galler...eland.html

The pikemen and halberdiers also have swords. I suspect the daggers were drawn with the left hand reaching across the body.

Well, I know Sir John Smythe wanted pikemen to draw both their swords and daggers quickly and use them together.

If the dagger is on the right hip it is possible to draw both sword and dagger simultaneously.

The left arm stays underneath the right. You draw most of the sword before starting to draw the dagger, and they should land in a guard position at the same time(ish).

About the pikemen, Smythe wrote, "...and prefently in the twinkling of an eie or inftant, muft draw their fhort arming fwords and daggers..."

Of course, I believe he also complained about the current methods of wearing daggers, as well as the size of daggers.