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Old 1st October 2021, 05:07 PM   #12
Jim McDougall
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
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I agree on the note this is not a stilletto, especially not Italian and not the gunners stiletto, with narrow blade as Fernando describes to insert in touch hole if emplacement overrun...to 'spike' the cannon.

The flared tip, seemingly armor or otherwise piercing enabling.....this was not just for armor, but heavily padded textiles often worn.

Fernando, the 'star' on the example shown is a 'pentagram' with five points, not the asterisk type used in Toledo. If the five point star existed over a century before, it does seem possible of course to have still been in use somewhere.

The classical styling of the hilt does suggest Italy or Spain as context, but hard to say for sure. An anomaly to be sure!
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