[Karl G]

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!

[Ralph Grinly]

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 ?

[Karl G]

[J. Nicolaysen]

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.

[Geoffroy Gautier]

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

[David Wilson]

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)

[J. Nicolaysen]