German Kidney Dagger with Scabbard, 16th Century.

Delight in the German Kidney Dagger with Sheath, 16th Century.

German kidney dagger with leather sheath, 16th century

The kidney dagger ( kidney dagger ) or testicle dagger (English bollock dagger / ballock dagger ) owes its rather strange name to the two distinctive balls – or egg-shaped thickenings or protuberances – that form the hand guard and give the handle a distinctly phallic appearance. This particular type of medieval dagger spread throughout Europe and appeared in countless variations throughout its unusually long life, which stretched from the late Middle Ages (14th century) to the Renaissance. In the British Isles it existed in modified forms ( dudgeon dagger in England and dirk in Scotland) even into the 17th and 18th centuries. century onwards.

This stabbing weapon, typically used as a handheld weapon in addition to the sword or rapier, was very popular among knights because its tapered blade with a sharp point was ideal for piercing padded armor and chain mail in close combat or for piercing gaps in the plate armor of knights to stab an opponent. It was not only a deadly instrument but also served as an elegant display of the wielder's wealth, and wealthy knights and citizens often carried their artistically crafted and richly decorated daggers with them as a status symbol.

The blade of this beautiful and elegant reconstruction of a 16th-century German dagger is made of EN45 spring steel, has a diamond-shaped cross-section, and tapers evenly to a sharp point. The cutting edges are unsharpened, and the tang is screwed into the end of the handle. The handle, with its characteristic two-lobed guard, is carved from a single piece of wood and reinforced with antique brass fittings: an end cap decorated with crosses and an equally ornate, downward-curving guard plate with rams' heads.

The knight's dagger comes with a vegetable-tanned leather sheath, carefully stitched with a leather cord for belt attachment. The cross and ram's head motifs decorating the pommel and guard are found on the beautiful brass placemat.

This Renaissance dagger is designed as a collector's item or decorative object and is also ideal as an accessory, for example to complete your costume.

Details:

- Material: EN45 spring steel blade (carbon steel, not stainless), antique brass pommel and guard plate, wooden handle.
- Total length: approx. 36.5cm

- Blade length: approx. 22.2 cm

- Blade thickness: approx. 5 mm / 3.5 mm (cutting edges approx. 0.6 mm)

- Handle length: approx. 14.3 cm / 16.5 cm with decorative tips (handle section approx. 9 cm)

- Maximum blade width: approx.
- Center of gravity: approx. -1.5 cm (at the handle, at the height of the guard)

- Includes genuine leather sheath with antique brass bezel and leather cord

- Weight without cover: approx. 200g

- Weight with case: approx. 260 g

The above specifications may vary slightly from specimen to specimen.

The steel used here is not stainless and may show slight signs of corrosion. We recommend regular maintenance of the blade, for example with Ballistol, a universal oil ideal for preserving steel products.



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