When we think of the bladed weapon known as a Dagger we think of assassins stalking their prey about to stab their target in the back. Unfortunately there is more to the weapon than just a simple assassins weapon. It is a weapon of war, one that can be harnessed to either liberate or take over a hostile country, to defend freedom or to spark a dictatorship into life. Today at the blacksmith forge i will give a very brief yet very descriptive post on the assassins weapon of choice, the Dagger.
THE BEGINNING
Daggers date back as far as neolithic era of human civilization, around the time where humans begin actually develop and organize themselves into a civilization. Originally daggers were made out of materials such as Ivory, Flint,or Bone and due to the ancients primitive knowledge such weapons were usually improvised until the discovery of metal ore. After the discovery, more complex weapons were created due to our ever increasing need to make something that was better than before. As a matter of fact a Dagger was found in a Hattic Royal tomb dating around 2500 B.C which was most likely used for ceremonial purposes due to the Gold handle that it had.
THE MIDDLE AGES
During the middle ages is when the term "Dagger" first sprang into life, known as the "knightly dagger" was often not only a valuable weapon for both military personnel and civilians of the time, but was one weapon that every king feared. During the middle ages a weapon that makes us think of Mafia movies was created, The Stiletto. This weapon was a major favorite of the assassins of the time due to the easy conceal ability factor of the weapon, and was eventually banned by the leaders of the day as a treacherous weapon due to its ability to cut through the cloth and leather fabric of the day. Eventually the daggers lost their cutting edge due to the need for thrusting attacks because of plate armor. Because of that most daggers manufactured today are created with a thrusting action in mind.
THE MODERN ERA
Today the dagger is a mandatory weapon for most of the fighting forces of the world. From America to China the dagger has been one of the most important weapons in any arsenal the soldier has at his disposal. Even though today we have RPG's and AK-47 assault rifles, the dagger throughout history has always been the weapon of choice for cave men up to Marines. I foresee that this specialized weapon may be improved over the course of the future, but it will never be shunned as an obsolete weapon. Whether it be bone or steel, the dagger will always be the weapon of choice for Assassins and soldiers.
