The Difference between a Dagger & Knife

Do you know the difference between a stiletto dagger and a knife? Many people presume that a dagger is a combat tool; whereas a knife serves as a tool of utility. Despite that both, the stiletto dagger and the knife, seemingly belong to the same family; yet, they are many factors that maintain a clear difference between both blade types. With regard to their functionality, both the blades are different as well.

Before we plunge into the explanation, I want to tell the reason to why people assume the dagger and the knife to be the one and the same thing. Since both share the common features of having a blade, handle, and a sheath, people think that they hail from the same family. The truth is that the intentions behind creating the first dagger were to pierce some vital organ and kill. On the other hand, a knife was created with the intentions of serving multiple purposes besides killing and stabbing.

Now, if we closely inspect a dagger, we can see that its blade is double-edged, which means that it can inflict maximum damage by short, jabbing thrusts. Usually, the hilt of the dagger is crafted in a way that prevents the user from inflicting accidental injuries to oneself. It is the distinctive shape of the stiletto dagger that makes it a classy and brutal weapon with the two cutting edges, central spine, and the ultra sharp point. Typically, a dagger requires a sheath for the perfect and safe storage.

The difference with knives is that these are mainly task-oriented; people use them for different purposes, such as hunting, hiking, camping, fishing etc. It is typical for the military to use a knife only as a last resort. Knives also make the perfect EDC and survival tools. You can opt for knives with a fixed blade or, knives with folding or spring assisted opening blades.

Referring to the structure of both blades; the dagger is much stronger than a knife. Also, with regard to the blade structure, a dagger is double-edged which makes it a perfect stabbing weapon. The sturdy blade of the dagger makes it a perfect combat weapon which can actually endure the stress of close combat fights.

As compared to EDC knives, a knife dagger is heavier which makes it a perfectly smooth weapon for thrusting and stabbing. The additional weight of a typical dagger supports the structure and durability of the thrusting blade.

What Do People Use Blank Guns For?

There are a number of reasons why people own, collect, and use blank guns. In case you don't know what a blank gun is, you first have to understand the difference between a cartridge and a bullet. Occasionally, these two terms get confused about being one and the same thing.

Blank cartridges do not contain real bullets; instead, the top of the ‘shell' is either crumpled, or, covered with a plastic, paper, or cotton. Consequently, no real bullet is set in motion; however, the shot and smoke resembles that of a real handgun and is quite convincing.

Typically, blank guns are not designed to injure or kill anybody. Nonetheless, injuries and even deaths have occurred due to their misuse. This is the reason that blanks ought to be treated as real guns for the sake of safety and protection. The below-given list indicates 5 of the basic reason of people using blank guns:

1.   Prop Guns

Everyone seems to be familiar with the fact that blank guns are used in the form of prop guns in action and war movies. These are also used in theatrical performances due to their real impact: the sound and smokes are too real to not believe that the hero has been fatally shot by the villain. Sadly, there have also been instances where live deaths occurred during live performances due to neglect and misconduct.

2.   Training Gun

Blank guns are popular with beginners of safety courses due to their real-life sound and feel. In order to get familiar with real guns, beginners start their safety courses with blank guns to get used to the sound and feel.

3.   Dog Training

Despite the fact that dogs are not gun-shy; yet, they do require gun training from the earliest possible age in order to get familiar with the sight and sound. For this purpose, it is highly recommended to expose your dogs to the sound and sight of blank guns.

4.   Signaling Device

In the past, blank guns were used in the Olympic Games to mark or indicate the start of a race. Later on, due to safety purposes, these blank guns were replaced by electric guns.

5.   Celebration

It is typical for Arab people to use blank guns to celebrate a wedding. Some even go to the extent of using real bullets and firing them up in the air. It is their traditional way of celebrating and expressing their happiness. Blank guns are also used in the United Kingdom at various occasions for royal and gun salutes.