History stylet

• History stylet

Stiletto (from Italian stiletto, or from the Latin STILUS -.. `Stick to pisma`,` sharp sterzhen`) - a kind of dagger with a thin narrow blade and a straight crosspiece.

History stylet

There was a stiletto in the XV century in Italy and spread throughout Europe from the beginning of the XVI century, during the Renaissance. It is assumed that he is descended from Daggers' under the left ruku` or perhaps it is the ancestor of `dagger miloserdiya` (Misericordia) - narrow faceted weapon designed for thrusting.

History stylet

In contrast to the two-edged dagger stylet has a very narrow, faceted blade capable break chainmail penetrate the armor joints and t. D. In a classic embodiment, the stylet has no cutting edge. As a rule, it has a triangular blade. But apart from that, the cross section may also be oval, round, two, four and even hexagon, with ribs and dales.

History stylet

The handle is usually metal (can also be made of horn, bone and wood) has a short cruciate Garda. The average length of 20-25 cm, but may vary depending on the country of manufacture and the century, for example, the total length of the stylet Spanish XVII century - 27 cm, German - 39 cm, and the length of the same century French reached 47, 5 cm.

History stylet

In the East, an analogue of stilettos can be considered as Japanese martial daggers `yoroy-doshi` with particularly strong piercing tip, designed to pierce armor. Depending on the size of the guard, they were divided into 3 categories: `tanto` (full guard),` hamidashi` (half guard) and 'Ike-chi` (generally without guard).

History stylet

Each of these daggers could be used as an instrument of support to the short or long ( `` vakidashi` and katana`) samurai swords, without one of them Samurai never left home. The merit of the Japanese invention is the wide range of short blades with variativnoj form blades for various purposes (including for throwing), which are often used in addition to main dagger always carry with themselves. The subsidiary knives include:

- `kogay` - skewer rod economic tool, used for finishing off wounded soldiers;

- `kozuka` - combat knife that was used for throwing and chores;

- `shaken` - spike, nail, used for throwing and traps;

- `kansasi` - stilettos length of 20 cm, designed in the form of hairpins and used by women as a secret weapon.

History stylet

In general, the theme of non-lethal use of stilettos deserves special attention. He is thin and narrow, it is easy to hide, but use requires knowledge and a steady hand to strike at human vulnerability. This provided him notoriety "Weapons of professional killers." The wounds inflicted stiletto, especially the three-edged, give very little blood. It also works on the image of a weapon to irreversible resolution of palace intrigues and inheritance disputes.

History stylet

stilettos can not be vulgar to kill - only to stab gracefully. To heighten the effect killers often coated blade stylet various poisons: arsenic, strong consistency belladonna, hemlock or hood of pale toadstool. Known facts covering the blade arms crushed glass. This increases the possibility of death, because now no need to waste time on a few shots - could be enough, and one hit a poisoned blade, and if the victim did not die on the spot, poison complete the deal.

History stylet

The classic stiletto is considered to be Italian and Spanish version of the dagger of the 17th century, which had greatly extended, without cutting sharp edges or trihedral The square blade. Although the age of the stylet has been relatively short-lived, based on it appeared periodically modernized version. So, artillery officers XVIII-XIX centuries were a dagger with a ruler on the blade, which was used to measure the amount of powder and cleaning the seed holes in the gun.

History stylet

Option stylet of the nineteenth century - shiloobrazny knife - also intended for the application of stab wounds. Thin blade easily punctured leather clothing and ammunition, but it was equipped with a guard pointed protuberances, so that the handle turned into brass knuckles and punch it becomes deadly. In addition, the guard on the knife handle to prevent accidental loss of the hands. the blade length - about 23 cm, the shape - triangular.

History stylet

During the First World War (1914-1918 years) among soldiers on both sides of the trenches were very popular variety of stilettos for close combat in the trenches. Stylets have been factory-like manufacturing and home-made, very often handle such stylets was performed as knuckleduster or wide arc steel brush for protection and shock.

History stylet

Homemade stilettos made from any material at hand: from the bayonet or broken swords, finishing nails fixture or engineering-supports for the barbed wire. Their common name - trench knife (rarer synonyms - inertia knife, a secret knife, knife kidney). Exceptional widely stiletoobraznye daggers: piercing-chopping - octagonal and sharps - tetrahedral. The closest relative of the first version of a dirk (although daggers, by themselves, there are also three- and tetrahedral), and the second version - throwing daggers.

History stylet

The British, more adherents of tradition, until 1945 held the armed special forces of the army and navy of Her Majesty stiletoobrazny dagger company `Feyrbeyrn and Sayks`. The dagger was the stiletto shape and a simple double-edged combat knife on the content. He, like no other, joined a knife, stabbing weapon capabilities, slashing, cutting and throwing. It was the last modification of a similar knife, standing on the arms of the British Army for almost two hundred years. In 1945, there was a lot of universal knives, but that was just knives, which have nothing to do with stilettos.