Brief Description:  Medieval knives were versatile daily tools and deadly sidearms ranging from 7 to 12 inches. They featured full-tang construction with riveted wood or bone handles. Purpose-built combat knives, or daggers, had acutely pointed, reinforced blades designed to pierce armor gaps in close-quarter grappling.

Common historical types and classifications include:

Utility and By-Knives: Carried by everyone from peasants to knights. They were multi-purpose tools used for eating, working leather, and basic self-defense.

Rondel Dagger: A stiff, single or double-edged blade featuring round or octagonal handguards and pommels. Popular among knights, they were often used in wrestling or to dispatch a grounded opponent.

Misericorde: A long, needle-thin dagger utilized to bypass plate armor gaps to deliver a fatal "mercy" stroke to a mortally wounded knight.

Baselard: An intermediate weapon between a short sword and a large dagger, defined by its distinct I-shaped handle.

Messer: A long, single-edged fighting knife often classified as a short sword, which featured a flat back, scale tang, and specialized hand protection.