Stabby-Stab-Stabberson
The Under-Used but Super Cool Parrying Dagger
One of the coolest fighting styles — a real, that is — is sword and parrying dagger. Writers who are looking to engage the Rule of Cool, but also remain steadfastly in the realm of historic reality should really jump on this one. Shields often get a the short end of the spear, because they seem bulky, and bulky is generally not cool in a fight. But parrying daggers are fast and nimble, which means your fighter can be fast and nimble while dual wielding, which is always cool!
If you’re like me from back in the day, you hear “dagger” and think of a short knife, something around or under six inches (15cm) the kind you use on apples and smaller goblins in a pinch. Dagger doesn’t mean small. It means a knife that is: 1) double-edged, and 2) has a sharp point making it ideal for thrusting and stabbing.
They can be short. They can also be very long. Historic examples of rondel dagger blades measure between 12 inches (30 cm) to over 20 inches (50cm). That’s just the blade. In fact, Sting from Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, a sword in the hands of a Hobbit, was originally a “common” Elven dagger. It may have even been used in combination with an arming sword like Glamdring or Orcist.
As with most weapons and weapon combinations, there is no definitive how-to — why would there be? Different situations call for different tactics. Simply put, parrying daggers add an offensive and defensive character to a combat style in many of the same ways that various shields and bucklers do. At the same time the wielder is trading off the added force and control of two hands on a sword or spear — also in the same ways a shield or buckler might. So, let’s discuss the oft-overlooked sword-and-dagger when this style of fighting was at its peak paired with a saber or rapier. Three of the most popular, and coolest, parrying daggers from the 16th century in Europe were: swordbreakers, trident daggers, and main gauche.
Swordbreakers
Despite its name, the “swordbreaker” was not intended to actually break swords. “Sword catcher” or “thrust breaker” might be a better term for what was intended. Most weapons of 16th century were made from strong, flexible steel and would have withstood most attempts to break them. The sturdy, short-bladed swordbreaker had serrated teeth like a comb and would be used in combination with a sword to parry and hopefully trap an opponent’s sword. A trapped weapon means it’s controlled, and potentially useless for the owner who now has to rethink some life choices. Swordbreakers, in comparison with other parrying daggers, were a complicated and likely expensive item. You’d need a master smith to forge it, and it would be costly because the teeth that make the “breaker” work would deliberately weaken the blade. So your smith better know what’s what! While there are some mentions of swordbreakers in fencing manuals and training, and there are historic examples, they weren’t as prevalent as other parrying daggers. Also, serrated weapons aren’t great for sticking in people because they tend to get stuck. But they definitely look cool, like a fantasy weapon ready tear up some bad guy’s favorite skin. Writing to this weapons advantages and disadvantages would be a lot of fun.
Trident Daggers
This has to be one of my personal favorites mostly because, much to my original chagrin, Hollywood got it right — well, mostly right. Trident daggers were actually a thing, and there are a lot of historic examples. This includes two spring-loaded blades, that would fold down for sheathing, but would spring out to jut into a trident-like dagger, surprise the enemy, and trap their blade. Disney’s Three Musketeers featured this weapon in the hands of Porthos (Oliver Platt), who used it pretty much as intended. Much like the swordbreaker, it wouldn’t have broken a blade, however it very much could have been used offensively as a stabbing weapon. It still would have suffered from some of the issues of expense and limited effectiveness, but it certainly was a real thing of which we have examples. Let’s give it up again for those springs! How steampunk awesome is that?!
Main Guache
French for “left hand” this is a category for literally any dagger used to parry or thrust from the subordinate/off hand. I’m not even certain if it’s considered a historic term. Articles differ on the subject, and the conclusion is that “main gauche” may simply have become the term de rigueur as meurtrière is used to describe all “murder holes” and Crescent wrench is used interchangeably for any adjustable-end wrench. Modern accepted definitions of main gauche generally include a cup-hilt or a wide knuckle guard. The main gauche might be decorated to match its partner sword. But when used as an off-hand weapon — whether a rondel, misericorde (mercy knife) or, well, any other style of dagger — main gauche is the modern term to use. Even the previously mentioned trident dagger is sometimes called a trident main gauche. Go figure! In any case, the dagger was for parrying and counter-thrusts both opposite and with the sword. This might be the perfect solution for the writer who wants a dual-wield hero, doesn’t want to handwave away physics, and doesn’t want to worry about misconceptions of the term “dagger”. Draw that arming sword and main gauche and get to work heroing!
There you go writers. If you’re loving the aesthetic of a warrior with a weapon in each hand, but can’t quite give yourself over to the utter fantasy of someone wielding two arming sword, why not give parrying daggers a go? Should the term “dagger” cause you issues then try substituting it with any of the above, or pretty much any other bladed weapon in the offhand.
