Three types of popular medieval dagger

[@level58deathknight18]

I tried so hard not giggle when he explained how pleasant it was to grip the "rude appendage" dagger.

[@geGNOME]

the bollock segment is just a minefield of juvenile humor. I love it.

[@Buddhabebop]

it feels so good to grip. how dare you mock such a noble sword?

[@thebeyblademaniac]

BuddhaBebop You like to grip bollocks?

[@Buddhabebop]

thebeyblademaniac yes

[@brottarnacke]

thebeyblademaniac A good way of getting someone's attention.

[@gastonjaillet9512]

In France, we call it "couillette" which basically means little bollocks! It's funny to see that each country has its own name for it, but with the same sense of humour haha

[@CapitalMort]

The bollock feels very comfortable in the hand, they sure do.

[@johneurglunes1002]

Ya I found what I think is a dagger what kind is what I want to find out really comfortable grip w indents round dagger come from top and bottom looks nothing other then to kill someone oh and at the end grip a cross spiike comes out end

[@bartvanriel6767]

My bollocks do too

[@Fanny-Fanny]

Just don't grip too tight

[@TheEwker]

shcolagladiatoria: [Gripping a Ballock Dagger] ".....Its very nice to grip......"

[@F4ngel]

Whole new meaning to going balls deep

[@blink0r]

i'm going to show you my bollocks!

[@darthalex3]

*thick armor piercing blade*

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes, absolutely. In fact it is shown as a technique in Fiore dei Liberi's treatise, as well as plenty of German ones. The disc at the pommel end also assists you in getting the dagger quickly out of the scabbard by touch alone when you are wearing armour and cannot see downwards very easily.

[@JacobBite]

I can never take the bollock dagger seriously

[@barghestblue731]

He'll probably be moaning :p

[@JariB.]

In the Netherlands, (or at least, the provinces that were yet to be united) during the middle and late medieva era, as well as the renaissance, it was indeed illegal to wear a sword as a 'common civillian'. Only noblemen and soldiers on active duty were allowed to wear them... However, there was the possibility for people to wear a knife or deggar up to 30cm long. This would be checked upon entering most taverns (There'd be a tool hanging on the wall in most cases).

[@MoltenMouseMetal]

Well, you could stab someone and say you went "balls-deep."

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes I know their website well thanks. This baselard is modelled on a typical original common example, not intended to be fancy.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Many rondel daggers (and also bollock daggers) were single-edged - perhaps more commonly than double-edged in fact. Some single-edged daggers had a short false-edge at the point (so double-edged at the tip), others did not.

[@destroyka777]

Very impressed with those todsstuff knives. I like a thick spined blade with quality build and simple, almost elegant, design, and it is very apparent in those knives.

[@Smithy0013]

Why doesn't the bollock dagger have a bigger guard? I can see that the blade is not sharp so you won't cut your fingers if you slip. But it still can't be very advantageous in a fight to lose grip and have to re-position your hand. I can imagine sweaty hands slipping past the bollocks quite easily.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Smithy0013 Due to their shape, they provide a really secure hand stop - especially because the grips always get narrower down towards the bollocks.

[@kornyish]

you have too grab it by the balls so that it won't slipp....this is to get maximum penetration ;-)

[@Robert399]

+scholagladiatoria Are bollock and rondel daggers different in usage?

[@ivanbnv8354]

+Robert R have you watched the video really?! every small curve in the shape of the blade or dagger changes the way it is better used... and the opposite: you can shape it the way you need... The Bollock will not protect your fingers in normal grip as good as the Rondel... so, this changes the whole combat style...

[@Robert399]

Ivan Bnv Yes I know that. I was asking for specifics.

[@godofimagination]

Can you talk about the Cinquedia, Poignard, Stilleto, Main Gauche, Dirk, and Seax? I know the last two don't comfortably fit in the timeline, but I'd still love to hear what you have to say about them.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes, I will do some armour videos and yes I have a complete plate harness (circa 1415 English style), though I confess that I rarely use it for anything these days.

[@Eddythebandkid]

Good stuff, it would be cool to see a video with "daggers through history" with some ancient bronze or even stone daggers up to some Renaissance age parrying daggers. Or even modern combat knives and "tactical spikes"

[@scholagladiatoria]

Daggers only seem to have become common in the 14th century. Then the baselard was most common for the first half of the century, then from about 1360 the rondel dagger became more common and stayed so until the 16th century. The bollock dagger was in use throughout this time, but was less popular amongst the nobility.

[@barrysmith1202]

bollock-shape great for keeping hand from sliding onto blade, AND offers basically NO catch-points (on, eg, clothing, straps) if goes to grappling, & very simple to make, durable against breaking

[@Ambarenya13]

Just a minor nitpick: the High Middle Ages would refer to the 11th-13th centuries. The 14th and 15th centuries would probably be more conventionally titled the "Late Middle Ages".

[@mohammedcohen]

Bollocks daggers were popular with the 15 & 16th cent German & Swiss mercenaries (the landesknechts) often their costume of slashed hose (and doublets/sleeves) featured large 'codpieces' were accompanied by the prominent display of the 'bollocks dagger - as evidenced by period woodcuts.

[@РоманГогешвили]

Phallic dagger is quite smooth and even when delivering a lot of force with a stab, feels quite smooth

[@TheAmbientWarrior]

Point down?? Lindybeige isn't going to like that one

[@tgillies101]

A lot of pro's to inverted knife/dagger which possibly medieval trainers saw: 1) A push cut with the edge inverted can bite deeper with an "ice-pick" grip, 2) Puncture penetration it greater as well and 3) hooking can be done which there is lots of in the manuals, But I've seen plenty of "point up" with a rondel in Talhoffer either armoured/unarmoured.

[@Chugosh]

a bit of demonstration of a stick and dagger combination in use would be mighty. Great notes on early weapons. I guess I won't be wearing my bowie around the SCA tourneys anymore!

[@laterreurrouge1917]

yep, you´re right: a cane&dagger video would be really good. I´d be quite curious to know, how much the philipino daga i cane style differs from the european. in know, that lot´s of european conquerors have influenced the philipino area, but it definitely evolved on it´s own.

[@Blarce]

I wanna hear more about knife styles and the pros and cons about blade down vs blade up and stuff.

[@ruthrouse]

I was told by a reenactor that the bollock daggers name could also come from where you stick it. On a battlefield it wouldn't be advisable to approach a fallen body from the head, there is a convenient armour gap in the crotch and some quite big blood vessels that would cause someone to bleed out very quickly.

[@scholagladiatoria]

The same types as England - all of those shown in this video, with a greater preference from the bollock dagger, which developed into later Scottish dirks.

[@bustercaps]

I just subscribed to your channel. It’s very informative and interesting. I was always fascinated by medieval history and this satisfies my curiosity on numerous subjects. Thank you very much, keep it up!

[@eustaceking2164]

I had a scottish dirk made by Tod’s stuff. 12” blade and applewood handle!

[@Retro-Future-Land]

1:38. They could IF it was made by a Cutler (single edged Falchion etc). Some burgs restricted swords carrying in England unless you had a Cutler-made sword.

[@karl-erlendmikalsen5159]

"It feels very comfortable in your hand" I won't lie. I burst out laughing.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes, i can saw a few things about some of those :-)

[@steelwarrior105]

Well... A kriegmesser is a knife because it has a knife style pinned hilt... Yep sword control is just as stupid as gun control.

[@chadthundercock4982]

But everyone knows guns can shoot 56238732863856 bullets a second and kill a child every 30 seconds of their existence.

[@Narsuitus]

Sword control and gun control are not stupid. Both are smart ways of controlling people.

[@psychobilly4162]

I love these videos. PLEASE do more dagger videos. I am quite interested in why Renaissance writers were so obsessed with the ice pick grip.

[@rexscott8724]

With regards to the "bullocks" dagger, the smooth rounded edges of the handle would add to caring in the clothing, not to pinch the skin and so forth may have been the original utility of the design. Of course the phallic aspect is to a large extent present in many designs which might be considered conscious or unconscious in nature. Just my opinion unless there might be more historical reference.

[@56815]

bollock dagger "comfortable in the hand" that's what she said!

[@morqwal]

maybe the treatises focus more on downward dagger positions because it was more common in a battlefield, where your opponent would be wearing armor, and so you would need that much more force to wound; whereas upward dagger was more for cutting and so for unarmored combat.

[@hawks1ish]

The roundel was often used for finishing off armoured opponents by poking through the eyeholes

[@kevinharrigan2727]

Laughed so hard when he said "it was very comfortable to grip."

[@kefkaZZZ]

I love how polite he is while describing the bollock dagger. So British.

[@wanadeena]

Yay! I found another medival weapons channel like lindybeige's!

[@sharp1162]

I assume they predominantly used the point down grip because of armored combat. Easier to generate the power needed to pierce armor. Just a quick thought on the matter.

[@davinelLinvega]

There has been some discussion over the years on just how sharp all these dagger types were, considering all the dagger grabbing in the manuals. Could you talk a bit about this?

[@PrimordialNightmare]

The Basilard could make a quite good addition to a Fantasy-Inquisitors outfit.

[@imstupid880]

Can you talk more about knives vs daggers? To me, knives connotes cutting while daggers connote thrusting/stabbing.

[@barghestblue731]

I'd say a dagger is just a larger knife, but not large enough to be called a short sword, both can be used to cut or thrust if they're shaped for it.

[@dablop1]

Well, really a Dagger is a form of knife, but one meant specifically for stabbing in combat (although this definition is really only somewhat useful, as there are many 19th-20th century fighting knives that are meant for thrusting and are not called a dagger, such as the Fairbairn Sykes knife, and the like, which are thrusting knives meant for fighting). The dagger is a really tricky thing to classify, as there is no common blade form, size, hilt construction, or function of a dagger that is not shared by knives that are meant for combat.

[@Anndgrim]

We see modern survival experts use their knives as all purpose tools for things such as cutting branches (often in junction with a rock serving as a hammer hitting the back of the blade) or for various crafting. Could it be that those daggers thickness was so that they may resist the harsh treatment implied by every day non combat related tasks and so that they might be re-grinded many times?

[@Anndgrim]

Well given the size of those daggers I doubt the point of balance is that much of an issue in terms of maneuvering. As about it being tip heavy, with that length and overall weight, I doubt it would contribute much to the swinging power. (But that's conjecture on my part)

[@HaNsWiDjAjA]

Anndgrim Hmm, a rondel or a basilard would be hard to use for any day to day task, the hilt's shape made them hard to use for anything but stabbing in an ice-pick grip, not to mention the length of the blade itself. Cutting food with one would be a real pain in the ass. No wonder Templar knights were issued with three knives: a dagger, a bread-knife and a pocket knife. They were really status symbol/sidearm/fashion statement rather than practical tools. A nice piece on Medieval knives by Matt's favorite dagger artisan Todd: www.todsstuff.co.uk/which-knife.htm

[@censusgary]

The blades on those daggers are longer than many of the ones shown in medieval pictures.

[@Midcal9]

Glad to hear it. Maybe you could provide a few links or make a video on good producers of historically accurate well made swords, because it seems like there is a very limited amount of places where you can score a "geometrically alluring" quality sword or a dagger. Arms & armor and Albion seems to be the only ones with a few Czech producers and Del tin (which i dislike) as a complimentary sources.

[@mouthforwar17]

I'm thinking more along the lines of Scotland during the 14th century. I have read that the Scottish dirk may have derived from the ballock dagger

[@dabob8115]

Was was considered the the difference in between swords and daggers

[@dallebull]

Back in the day it took a few hundred years to design a dagger. Now we double the amount of transinstors in circuits every 2 years... You can say we picked up the pace!

[@ramiabiakar2391]

This isn't very true. Daggers were around as long as swords. Actually iron and bronze was better suited for making daggers than longer blades. Over the course of centuries daggers evolved to match the requirements of combat, but in one form or another they were around for as long as any other bladed weapons.

[@whowantsabighug]

I've seen things for sale as "arming daggers" which are pretty much generic looking European daggers, but did people ever have them matched with their swords, like having the hilts made by the same cutler? Is it a modern invention?

[@P-XIII]

What was the differentiation between what people called dagger and knife in the middle ages? Has it to do with exclusive combat or non combat uses/intent? Where those terms interchangeable; was there even a distinction? Or were all daggers knives just not all knives were daggers? Is knife a modern term?

[@tonyoliver6797]

I may be wrong but I think the word knife derives from the old word knif or kniff I'm not too sure on that one though

[@mouthforwar17]

Which daggers were more common in Britain/Northern Europe among the nobility?

[@xXBerslixx]

I do medieval re-enactment and one time at training a blacksmith friend of the group came around and was basically just showing off his stuff, including a bunch of knives one of which was a bollock dagger. One of the re-enacters came over, took one look and was like "ah a cock dagger!" it was great

[@FiisforMichael]

any real difference between a bollock dagger and a dirk other than its handle?

[@virgosintellect]

Dirks are usually single edged and Ballock blades are often similar to the mail piercing, tri-foiled Rondels and stilettos.

[@SuperRichyrich11]

Rondel Dagger has a pommel, therefore it's the best of those three.

[@RVRgeek]

nope, bollock dagger. Cause dick reasons.

[@JariB.]

But how are you supposed to end someone rightly without a pommel to throw?

[@stinkyfinn6977]

Jari Bonthuis throw your bollocks at them:)

[@ivanbnv8354]

so, it seams to me that the perfect dagger is the blade of the Bollock with your hilt of the Rondel... :))P the hilt looks very practical (shape) and quite strong, what is the material?! would you make a video of how the hilt is made?! and what are your thoughts on bent hilts... ever since I got hold on one perfectly balanced table knife (on the middle finger) with bent hilt on the right (so the knife is only good for the right hand), I cannot forget the feeling... If the edge was any good it would be the perfect knife that sticks to the hand...

[@Railstarfish]

Excellent video, as usual. :) When I first showed my girlfriend a rondel dagger, it had a disc on the back-end instead of the pommel, and she thought it would be very good for placing a second hand on the back-end disc to put your weight behind the stab. It seems very consistent with the huge amount of pressure the rest of the rondel design implies, but is there any evidence for that use with the disc on the back end?

[@darkentity1000]

can you talk about spears and other polearms?

[@RikthDcruze]

the Rondal Dagger is nice!!

[@INT3RNAL0BL33DING]

I was wondering about stilettos and I thought this would be the most relevant video to comment on, would the edges on the triangular cross section bladed stilettos be sharpened or not?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Not in generally- usually it is not really possible to sharpen them. Most stilettos are just a spike.

[@edi9892]

Did daggers become longer over time to undermine the swords-ban? Especially the swiss dagger developed into a small-sword.

[@papaburger]

you mention fighting technique holding the daggers point down. Why ? Which of your video show the reasons ?

[@hevy6]

Im also wondering about this

[@AltairDhauglu]

Didn't Rondels had tow discs that locked the hand in a hammer grip?

[@Hon_cb1kr]

very informative i wish i had your job.

[@scholagladiatoria]

Thanks, but this is not my job! :-D

[@gebatron604]

scholagladiatoria What is your job? (if you don't mind my asking) Edit: I just realised that you're a HEMA instructor

[@Aleksitusasd]

+Stannis Baratheon It's a job if you make it into one

[@HaNsWiDjAjA]

+Guy Potts I believed that besides being a HEMA instructor, Mr Easton is (or was) a financial analyst. I KNOW, its so hard to believe Sir Matt the Killer of Men sitting in a cubicle, building spreadsheets, doing powerpoint presentations and gossiping with coworkers next to the water dispenser!

[@Luciferofom]

Hi, Matt. I really enjoy your videos. Just curious, do you speak any other languages? Thank you very much.

[@devonmac95]

what dagger would be the best for say if you just have the dagger and you have to defend yourself against a longsword? i was thinking the baselard because of the extra guard on it compared to the others, if you move in with a parry as they attack and then trap their weapon/arm you might stand a good chance

[@broncosgjn]

devonmac95 Either a lucky charm one or I think one with a jet engine that you could get on and zoom away from the longsword and not fight at all.

[@broncosgjn]

devonmac95 I think one with a jet engine that you could get on and zoom away from the longsword and not fight at all.

[@amitabhakusari2304]

A miniature katana dagger. Jk.

[@SavageInsight]

I've only seen rondel daggers with a flat parry pommel -like a tiny shield. Where is this example from? *curious*

[@LordPindar]

You've mentioned the armor piercing quality of the bollock dagger, so I was wondering, do you plan to make any videos about various types of armor in the future, and how certain weapons might be suited for penetrating or circumventing it, or were even designed exclusively for that purpose. I've found that there are at least as much misconceptions regarding armor as there are regarding weapons, and one can't really consider one without the other. Also, do you use armor in your training at HEMA?

[@ManyThingsIDo]

Is the single edge on the rondel a modern interpretation or were there in fact single edged? Thank you!

[@kenzofinucane4057]

how is that an eye-shape? my eyes look totally different?

[@mouthforwar17]

Have there been any daggers from the 14th century found in use in Scotland? I'm looking for something unique or at least used in that area

[@Kntrytnt]

A completely unrelated question, but do you sale that hoodie? That is marvelous. I would love to have one. It would also be a really good way to advertise. Just food for thought.

[@svenwilson5668]

'Basel' is basically pronounced BAA-sil or BAA-zil. Great city for medieval history and modern art/design.Also adjacent to both France and Germany's Schwartzwald (Black Forest).

[@daggercatz7297]

Remember when everyone used the fire and Chaos dagger... good ol' times

[@Christian-Rankin]

Link to or title of video where he talks about the grip style ?dilemma? discussed at the end?

[@Helliconia54]

have you done an article on peasant daggers/knives?

[@MsDjessa]

Baselard's shape reminds me of Swiss Degen. No coincidence I assume?

[@chienbanane3168]

When you talk about europe, does it include central, eastern europe, scandinavia, spain ..?

[@justusrodriguez8896]

Would a "dagger" that is basically a scaled down sword still count as a dagger?

[@kirlu2011]

can we have a 3 types of different popular ligjtsabers?

[@JanetStarChild]

I laughed pretty hard on the bollock dagger. Now I'd like to see a dagger with a guard disk that looks like a vulva.

[@Siberius-]

well you got the sheath.. and "sheath" is latin for "vagina".

[@NonApplicable1983]

Funny thing is, the Latin word for scabbard is vagina.

[@Siberius-]

Rodrigo Ugarte That's almost exactly what I said lol, ohwell, twice can't hurt.

[@NonApplicable1983]

Gilbert Flowerface Oh, I didn't see your comment. Mobile client.

[@Siberius-]

Rodrigo Ugarte Damn mobile clienttt, although I said sheath and you said scabbard.. they're both latin for vagina so it was more like you added to my reply lol

[@dwightehowell6062]

Point down you can put your entire body weight behind a blow which could be very important if you are trying to drive through any kind of body armor or bone. It's a grip that seems to be natural to just about every untrained person...

[@timothyheimbach3260]

How often is/was a dagger held "backwards" (I think this is called I've picking?)

[@yozhhhh]

One of these is a favorite weapon of a famous knight sir Elton John.

[@Manorjames]

I've seen daggers and knives worn in front of the crotch. I wonder why this was done.

[@masonrudesheim9098]

So the bollock dagger has a thick blade... Also you're not going to hurt your hand on it if going in with a forceful stab.

[@masivatak]

Please consider telling us why the majority of dagger forms depict a reverse grip

[@rogerwilco2]

Can you put something behind you in the videos you do in this room, so the camera doesn't lose focus every time you go out of frame to pick something up? It can be against the far wall, as the potted plant in the corner is in focus.

[@scholagladiatoria]

See more recent videos.... ;-)

[@samuelstephanz3503]

I've heard a lot about the rondel having unusual blade geometries, being noticeably "spike-bladed" with triangular or even octagonal cross sections. How common was this, or am I an idiot?

[@AThousandYoung]

Probably very common because the rondel, like the estoc, is designed for high force stabs into resistant, armored targets.

[@austinlamb4625]

Who makes that specific Rondel Dagger if you don't mind?

[@cronas2]

Have Rondel Daggers ever had triangular blades, as in 3 edges, for punching through armour?

[@scholagladiatoria]

Yes.

[@cronas2]

thanks.....I asked as I'm sure I saw one at a local museum once..

[@xcelva]

i have a small question what types of daggers where used during the earlier middle ages ( ie 1101 to 1299 )

[@scholagladiatoria]

Late versions of the saex and then forms of quillon dagger and early baselards.

[@Freelism]

5:18 "It's quite nice to grip" Oh, I bet it is. ;)

[@ColossusttheGreat]

That handle almost looks too small on the Basilart to have a tang in it...

[@Eidenhoek]

Ah, the old story of Baselard and Genoese...

[@sky4eyes]

what was the I shape handle for

[@Candesce]

I am no longer going to be able to look at a hilt without thinking about penises now

[@jamessarvan7692]

Anybody know were to buy good reproductions of these that come sharp and are "battle ready"?

[@diktatoralexander88]

You can make them yourself. Buy the blade and make the hilt. www.atlantacutlery.com/c-90-knife-making-supplies.aspx Here's where you can just buy them.www.todsstuff.co.uk/knives-military/military-knives.htm