Trench knifeA trench knife is a combat knife designed to kill or incapacitate an enemy at close quarters, such as in a trench or other confined area. It was developed as a close combat weapon for soldiers attacking enemy trenches during the First World War. An example of a World War I trench knife is the German Army's Nahkampfmesser (close combat knife). During the Second World War, the trench knife, by this time also called a combat knife, was developed into new designs.
Ka-BarKa-Bar (; trademarked as KA-BAR) is the combat knife adopted in 1942 by the United States Marine Corps as the U.S. Marine Corps utility knife, Mark 2. HistoryAfter the United States' entry into World War II, complaints arose from Army soldiers and Marines who were issued World War I–era bronze or alloy-handled trench knives such as the U.S. Mark I trench knife for use in hand-to-hand fighting.
Fighting knifeA fighting knife has a blade designed to most effectively inflict injury in close-quarters physical confrontations. The combat knife and the trench knife are examples of military fighting knives. Fighting knives were traditionally designed as special-purpose weapons, intended primarily if not solely for use in personal or hand-to-hand combat.
Survival knifeSurvival knives are knives intended for survival purposes in a wilderness environment, often in an emergency when the user has lost most of their main equipment. OriginsPrior to the late 19th century, outdoorsmen and military personnel did not use knives that were notably different from the knives used by butchers. Blades were relatively thin and the handles were often no more than two wooden slabs riveted to the tang.
Utility knifeA utility knife is any type of knife used for general manual work purposes. Such knives were originally fixed-blade knives with durable cutting edges suitable for rough work such as cutting cordage, cutting/scraping hides, butchering animals, cleaning fish scales, reshaping timber, and other tasks. Craft knives are small utility knives used as precision-oriented tools for finer, more delicate tasks such as carving and papercutting.
Hand-to-hand combatHand-to-hand combat is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range (grappling distance or within the reach of a handheld weapon). Handheld weapons may include knives, swords, clubs, spears, axes, or improvised weapons such as entrenching tools.
DirkA dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger. Historically, it gained its name from the Highland dirk (Scottish Gaelicbiodag) where it was a personal weapon of officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail as well as the personal sidearm of Highlanders. It was also the traditional sidearm of the Highland Clansman and later used by the officers, pipers, and drummers of Scottish Highland regiments around 1725 to 1800 and by Japanese naval officers.
DaggerA dagger is a fighting knife typically with a very sharp point and usually one or two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a cutting or thrusting weapon. Daggers have been used throughout human history for close combat confrontations, and many cultures have used adorned daggers in ritual and ceremonial contexts. The dagger's distinctive shape and historic usage have made it iconic and symbolic.
PoignardA poniard () or (French:) is a long, lightweight thrusting knife with a continuously tapering, acutely pointed blade, and a crossguard, historically worn by the upper class, noblemen, or members of the knighthood. Similar in design to a parrying dagger, the poniard emerged during the Middle Ages and was used during the Renaissance in Western Europe, particularly in France, Switzerland, and Italy. The archaic word "spud" in English could refer to a poignard.Al Mar KnivesAl Mar Knives is a production knife company headquartered in Tualatin, Oregon, United States. The company was established in 1979 by Al Mar and has a reputation for making tactical knives of innovative design. While headquartered in the United States, Al Mar knives were made in Seki City of Japan from 1979 to 2019.
Bollock daggerA bollock dagger or ballock knife is a type of dagger with a distinctively shaped hilt, with two oval swellings at the guard resembling male genitalia (ballocks or "bollocks"). The guard is often in one piece with the ivory grip, and reinforced on top with a shaped metal washer. The dagger was popular in Scandinavia, Flanders, Wales, Scotland and England between the 13th and 18th centuries, in particular the Tudor period.
Middle EastTranscontinental geopolitical regionMap of the Middle East between North Africa, Southern Europe, Central Asia, and South AsiaMiddle East map of Köppen climate classificationThe Middle East is a geo-political region that is generally defined as encompassing all of Egypt and all of West Asia except for the Caucasus. It roughly corresponds with what was historically referred to in Western Europe as the Near East, which was juxtaposed with the Far East.Trench warfareLand warfare involving static fortification of linesTrench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which combatants are well-protected from the enemy's fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. Although used in antiquity it fully developed in the 17th century.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.