BALLOCK DAGGER
By the mid 13th century much greater protection was being afforded the armoured knight on the battlefield. Better helmets, more chain-mail and even sections of plate armour were being worn.
Dagger designs were developed in order to be more effective against the better armour now in use.
The main emphasis was on the use of stiff, pointed blades designed to penetrate the weaker areas of the armour through a direct thrust. The use of the dagger increased and by the 14th century there were several types of dagger being carried both by knights and fighting men on the battlefield.
Daggers were especially vital in close packed fighting where they could be thrust between the gaps in armour, through helmet vents or eye-slits or the quickly despatched wounded opponent.
One form of dagger that was widely used in medieval Europe was the ballock dagger and it enjoyed a great popularity with civilians and the military alike for some three centuries. Originating in Flanders this dagger form is recognisable by its distinct lobed kidney shaped guards carved at the lower end of the hilt which was rather rude looking- giving rise to the term ballock dagger.
Blades were predominately single-edged long and tapering and made for a weapon that was capable of inflicting deep penetrating wounds.
The ballock dagger when it reached Scotland continued to develop and formed the basis for the dudgeon dagger and the highland dirk.
The ballock dagger and small knife weigh approx. 43kg sheathed.
The small knife measures approx. 7 1/4"
with the handle measuring approx 3" and the blade measuring approx. 4 1/4"
The ballock dagger measures approx. 16" (412mm) sheathed,
the blade measures approx. 10 1/2" (267mm) and the handle measures approx. 5" (127mm)
