Daggers

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Daggers also termed as hand weapons , are special stabbing or thrusting artillery that frequently have intricately ornamented sheath. In Latin , dagger is named as a Dacian knife which is a usually a double-edged blade evolved as one of the prehistoric tool. Also regarded as secondary or tertiary weapon , dagger is symbolically ambiguous. Today, daggers besides serving as weapons are also known for their beautiful metalwork and serve as excellent collector's items and beautiful functional pieces.

Daggers vs knives
Daggers are distinguished in their design as well as in use from knives . Primarily , daggers are meant for stabbing which can be single ended or double ended whereas knives are single ended , mostly used for cutting. In general , both can be used for both purposes.

Features and applications
Renowned for their beautiful metalwork and remarkable weaponry , daggers serve various purposes such as :

• Used as a secondary defense weapon in close combat.

• Perfect decorative pieces.

• Beautiful functional item.

• Adorned as ceremonial object.

• Traditionally military and naval officers wore dress daggers which symbolizes power and strength.

• Led to a fashion of ornamented sheath.

Pattern & history
Dagger design comprises a tang which extends into the handle along with the center line of the blade. In the Bronze Age, 3rd millennium BC the earliest dagger was manufactured and constituted. From the development of dagger , it leads to a more useful close-combat weapon “ sword “ . The hilt and blade shapes of dagger resemble smaller versions of sword which guided in the late 15th century about the fashion of graced cases and holds. During the fascist dictatorship of Mussolini and Hitler in the 20th century , daggers achieve public notoriety as ornamental uniform regalia.

Constitution
Dagger is a prehistorical tool , a short weapon with sharp edges made up of either ivory, metal , flint,bone etc. Since ages from the periods of human civilization, it is used as a weapon. Still now , modern soldiers and officers are outfitted with combat knife bayonets which were embellished with golden hilts , flowery and ornate.

Section
Dagger , the stabbing weapon commonly are available in following sections :

• Circular

• Rectangular

• Triangular

Two common styles of Indian daggers

• Khukri : It is a gurkha close combat weapon worn by the Gurkha regiment of the Indian Army. Khukri's haft can be made of bone or rosewood whose shape symbolizes the third eye of Lord Shiva.

• Katar : It is a Sikh warring and defense weapon which is covered with ornate hammered sheet-metal, usually silver.