It is known that throughout its history, mankind has created a huge number of cold weapons. It is generally recognized that among the various piercing and cutting products, the stylet is very effective. This melee weapon has its roots in the 16th century. Europe is considered the homeland of the blade. About the meaning of the word "stiletto", about the origin of the blade, as well as what it is, is described in the article.
Introduction
The stiletto is a cold piercing weapon. Translated from Italian, stilus means “sharp rod”. Thus, we can conclude that the stylet is a knife for which a thin and narrow blade is provided. Since this product is considered a piercing weapon, there is a straight cross in its design. Its task is to prevent the hand from slipping off the handle at the moment of impact.
About the features of the blade
A stiletto is a specific type of knife with a limited scope. Weapon functionality limitations are due toits design features. Unlike other knives, the stylet does not have a cutting edge. It is often confused with a dagger. However, the dagger is characterized by the presence of a double-edged blade. There is no such thing in style. It is impossible to cut anything with such a blade. The stiletto is a weapon that can only be used for stabbing.
About the "dagger of mercy"
The forerunner of the stiletto is the misericord, or "dagger of mercy". It got its name because it was intended to finish off the enemy.
In addition, misericords were used for stabbing during jousting. Due to its small size, convenient shape and excellent sharpness, this blade easily penetrated the scales and rings of chain mail or other joints in knightly armor.
According to historians, the "dagger of mercy" appeared in the 12th century. The product was a three- or four-sided blade 200 to 400 mm long. Similar weapons have been used by Japanese warriors since the 12th century. The Japanese version of the stiletto was called “eroi doshi” (“armor piercer”).
About the Italian stabbing knife
The 16th century was the period when the stylet first appeared. This product was used before, but it was during the Renaissance that this blade was widely used. Italian craftsmen made a wide range of stilettos. Knives could have round, oval, trihedral (rarely tetrahedral) sections. The blades were provided with special valleys, which, among lovers of combat edged weapons, are predominantlyare called "bleeders". These piercing products were equipped with stiffeners and flat edges. Most of the classic stilettos did not have sharpened blades.
About European stilettos
In Europe in the 16th century, dueling fights became more frequent. The duelists used knives as weapons.
However, they differed from classic knives in the absence of sharpened edges. According to historians, this was the impetus for the appearance of stilettos. Initially, in such battles, the Italians used dagi - narrow daggers equipped with a cross-shaped guard. In addition, the design of the blade was characterized by the presence of a special hook, with which it is convenient to repel a blow with a rapier or sword.
A similar item appeared in Spain in the 17th century. The size of stylets did not exceed 27 cm. The blade was 18 cm long and 5 mm thick. Other characteristics were inherent in stilettos made in Germany. In German stabbing edged weapons, the blade length was longer than in the Spanish counterpart, and was 26 cm. The size of the entire product did not exceed 39 cm. The blade thickness was also increased to 1 cm.
The largest stilettos were French samples. The whole size was 475 mm, and the length of the blade was 35 cm. The thickness remained the same as in the Spanish version - 5 mm. After knightly armor and heavy swords became a thing of the past, the design of the first stilettos underwent some changes. Instead of a massive guard in the knife, they decided to use a neat thin cross. It is in this variantstiletto and known to the current consumer.
Used by whom?
Due to their small size, stilettos are very convenient for discreet wearing. As an effective means of self-defense, such blades were also used by women. Over the centuries, stilettos have earned a notorious reputation as the weapon of professional assassins. Since their use required a firm hand and knowledge of vulnerabilities in the human body, they were also called "kidney knives".
This is absolutely justified, since stilettos were indeed used by hired killers and conspirators. Another area of application of the blade was military affairs. However, in the army, stilettos were used as an additional weapon. With a narrow and long blade, it was convenient for the gunners to pierce the seed holes in the guns - for better ignition of the charge. Blades were used during hand-to-hand fights. According to one version, seriously wounded soldiers were finished off with a stiletto.
Our days
Stilettos are produced by many manufacturers. The market of knife products offers a wide range of piercing products, which are in great demand among lovers of edged weapons. There are several categories of stylets, differing from each other in their size. For example, the classic version can be from 300 to 350 mm. The dimensions of combat samples vary between 160-200 mm. The length of the hunting stylet is no more than 200 mm. A special sheath is provided for convenient carrying of the piercing weapon. They are attached mainly to the leg oron the belt. However, the option of wearing a stylet hidden in the folds of clothes is not excluded.
Automatic edged weapons
Today, consumers are in great demand for automatic knives. In these products, the blades are hidden in the handles and securely fixed. Their extraction or ejection occurs after pressing a special button or lever. It is quite convenient to do it with one hand. Among the wide range of different knife products, the flip stylet is very popular.
Judging by the numerous positive reviews, a very high-quality product is considered to be a "miscarriage" from the Grand Way company. The overall size of the stylet is no more than 23 cm. The length of the handle is 13 cm. The thickness of the blade is 0.3 cm. The blade is made of high-quality 440C steel. The indicator of its hardness is within 57-58 HRS. The stiletto is equipped with an S-shaped guard and a Liner Lock. The handle consists of metal and wood elements.
Judging by the reviews of the owners, this stiletto does not depend on environmental conditions and is not at all subject to corrosive processes. The use of a reliable lock ensures the safe use of the blade. Outwardly, the stiletto looks very impressive and is considered a good gift for a lover of edged weapons.
