The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot

Category: Daggers

The Main Differences Between a Knife and a Dagger You Must Know About

Bladed tools have been used all throughout history, and range from weapons to something you’d find in your average household.

The terms ‘knife’ and ‘dagger’ are often used interchangeably. But, there’s a handful of differences between the two that not everyone is aware of.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about a knife and a dagger.

The Two By Definition

As previously mentioned, many people tend to think of a knife and a dagger as the same object. But, given the unique characteristics of each, there’s a clear difference between the two:

  • A knife is seen more as a tool (such as for cooking, cutting rope, etc.)
  • A dagger is designed with self-defense or combat in mind and has more tactical uses

Let’s explore the main differences between each and how they affect the object’s overall utility.

The Overall Design

Both knives and daggers have their specific uses, but they aren’t always obvious. In fact, it can be difficult for someone inexperienced to tell what either one is supposed to be used for other than cutting.

Luckily, all it takes is a closer look to find out for yourself.

Knives

Although similar in shape (and sometimes size) to a dagger, knives are manufactured to be far safer to use. These design specifications are what makes something like a butterknife a relatively harmless household utensil.

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Your Old Knives Can Fetch Big Money at Road Shows

With several collectible road shows popping up around the nation in the few next weeks, you could have a serious opportunity to make money by selling old knives or family daggers hidden away in your attic.

These road shows, like the Treasure Hunters Road Show taking place right now, seek out old knives and swords passed down from generations.

Some of the most lucrative type of collectible knives are those from World War I or World War II.

A great example of this is a recently sold dagger used by Germans in WWII. Although the dagger, called an SA Dagger, was not necessarily rare, its mint condition shot up the value three or four times the regular price.

The dagger, sold to the American Rare Collectibles Association, was passed down to the former owner from his father who was a U.S. soldier. During WWII, his father helped capture German supplies, which included new daggers.

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The Lowdown on Daggers

Ah, the dagger, one of the world’s most longstanding weapons.  Whether you’re stabbing Caesar 23 times or slicing off the ear of a Roman soldier attempting to arrest Jesus, it’s a great blade to have.

The dagger evolved from prehistoric tools made of flint, ivory or bone, and their function was as backup weapons to maces, axes and javelins.

After guns popped on to the war scene, daggers continued to be used for hand-to-hand combat or stealth killings.

During WWII, the Nazi regime was a big advocate of daggers, which they decorated ornately and wore on their uniforms to show prestige.

So what’s up with daggers today?  Well, they are rarely used for murdering people, but they have become quite popular with collectors.  Here are few of our favorites:

The bagh Nakh

The bagh Nakh is a very intimidating dagger to face off against in man-to-man combat.  This South Asian knife fits over the knuckle and can also be concealed under the palm.  It has between four or five curved bars attached to a crossbar or glove and is designed to rip through skin and muscle.

The Bollock Dagger

Possibly the manliest of daggers, the bollock dagger has two oval swellings at the tip of its shaft resembling the male genitalia.  This dagger was popular in England and Scotland between the 13th and 18th centuries and was commonly carried by outlaws and raiders.

The Cinquedea

The cinqueda is a long dagger that was developed in Northern Italy and enjoyed a period of popularity during the Renaissance. Cinqueda means “five fingers,” which refers to the width of the blade adjacent to the guard.  The cinqueda was mostly used as a thrusting weapon and was carried horizontally next to the buttocks so that it could be drawn laterally from the back.

Scottish Dirks

A Scottish dirk is a longish dagger worn as part of full Highland dress for formal occasions. The blades of Scottish dirks measure 12 inches and are lavishly decorated with silver mounts, pommels and cairngorn stones. Unlike most daggers, Scottish dirks are single-edged and often have decorative art work on the unsharpened edge of the blade.

Jambiyas

Jambiya is an Arabic term for short daggers that are usually worn on a belt.  The jambiya is mostly associated with Yemen, where men over 14 often wear a jambiya as a clothing accessory.  The hilt (handle) of the jambiya is what often determines the price, and certain jilts, like the safani hilt made of rhinoceroses’ horns, can cost up to $1,500 per kilogram.

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