Bombardier stilettos

kisak · 26th May 2009, 09:58 PM

Hessink had one for sale a while ago: http://hessink.nl/Webalbum/thor/wapens/1396_frame.htm

There's also one on display in the Army Museum in Stockholm. I'm not sure if I forgot to take a picture of the museum's description, or if it might have been lacking altogether. Either way, I'm afraid I can't provide any information beyond the picture itself there. It's displayed in a manner suggesting it was a gunner's item though.

celtan · 27th May 2009, 01:10 AM

It is most certainly an 17th-18thC. gunner's stiletto. A friend of mine has one. I never understood what the numbers meant: Bore?

How was it used? Was it stuck in the charge, to adjust it for reach by removing excess?

M

Quote:

Originally Posted by kisak

Hessink had one for sale a while ago: http://hessink.nl/Webalbum/thor/wapens/1396_frame.htm

There's also one on display in the Army Museum in Stockholm. I'm not sure if I forgot to take a picture of the museum's description, or if it might have been lacking altogether. Either way, I'm afraid I can't provide any information beyond the picture itself there. It's displayed in a manner suggesting it was a gunner's item though.

Jim McDougall · 27th May 2009, 04:34 AM

Thank you guys, I'm not sure what made me think of these, but I'm trying to find an article on them around here somewhere.
I cant figure the numbers either...it seems if to measure an amount of powder, the number near the hilt must represent a huge charge.

All the best,
Jim

broadaxe · 27th May 2009, 03:14 PM

Here is a nice one from Oriental-Arms, bought by a good friend of mine.
http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=2314
We had this dagger replicated by a knifemaker, with interchanging blades (they were taken from fencing foils therefore have square cross section rather triangle one): one has a sharp point and the other has a safety button for training. Here is a photo, and another photo of a similar one from an old booklet in Italian, dealing exclusively with gunner's stiletto.

Rick · 27th May 2009, 04:06 PM

Blade possibly maked with bore sizes and shot weight for each bore ??

katana · 27th May 2009, 04:26 PM

Hi Jim

,
I believe that the 'gunners stiletto' was issued as a last ditch weapon in case the artillary positions were over-run. I also know that the markings on the blades had various meanings and were not necessailly 'standardised'.
and were often used to clear cannon-fuse touch holes.

Many were scribed with marks indicating levels of powder charges (think car engine dip stick)

Some were marked off with a scale for converting the bore of the gun into the weight of the shot required

Others also had scales to calculated trajectory angles

http://webprojects.prm.ox.ac.uk/arms...n/1884.24.216/

Regards David

broadaxe · 27th May 2009, 05:15 PM

The gunner's stiletto was used to measure bore & shot diameter in conjunction with a compass/dividers (rare version opens up to be a compass for itself). Powder charge was measured by sticking the blade into a known volume charge cup.

Interesting note, since the "regular" stiletto was often forbidden to carry by civilians, as being an assassin's weapon, the gunner's stiletts has been regarded as a legit tool of the trade. Some researchers suspect that a relatively large amount of marked blade stilettos exist to these days because this was an attempt to surpass the rule.

26th May 2009, 09:58 PM	#1
kisak Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Stockholm Posts: 182	Hessink had one for sale a while ago: http://hessink.nl/Webalbum/thor/wapens/1396_frame.htm There's also one on display in the Army Museum in Stockholm. I'm not sure if I forgot to take a picture of the museum's description, or if it might have been lacking altogether. Either way, I'm afraid I can't provide any information beyond the picture itself there. It's displayed in a manner suggesting it was a gunner's item though. Attached Images

27th May 2009, 03:14 PM	#4
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 334	Here is a nice one from Oriental-Arms, bought by a good friend of mine. http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=2314 We had this dagger replicated by a knifemaker, with interchanging blades (they were taken from fencing foils therefore have square cross section rather triangle one): one has a sharp point and the other has a safety button for training. Here is a photo, and another photo of a similar one from an old booklet in Italian, dealing exclusively with gunner's stiletto. Attached Images

27th May 2009, 04:34 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,193	Thank you guys, I'm not sure what made me think of these, but I'm trying to find an article on them around here somewhere. I cant figure the numbers either...it seems if to measure an amount of powder, the number near the hilt must represent a huge charge. All the best, Jim

27th May 2009, 04:06 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Blade possibly maked with bore sizes and shot weight for each bore ??

27th May 2009, 04:26 PM	#6
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Jim , I believe that the 'gunners stiletto' was issued as a last ditch weapon in case the artillary positions were over-run. I also know that the markings on the blades had various meanings and were not necessailly 'standardised'. and were often used to clear cannon-fuse touch holes. Many were scribed with marks indicating levels of powder charges (think car engine dip stick) Some were marked off with a scale for converting the bore of the gun into the weight of the shot required Others also had scales to calculated trajectory angles http://webprojects.prm.ox.ac.uk/arms...n/1884.24.216/ Regards David

27th May 2009, 05:15 PM	#7
broadaxe Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 334	The gunner's stiletto was used to measure bore & shot diameter in conjunction with a compass/dividers (rare version opens up to be a compass for itself). Powder charge was measured by sticking the blade into a known volume charge cup. Interesting note, since the "regular" stiletto was often forbidden to carry by civilians, as being an assassin's weapon, the gunner's stiletts has been regarded as a legit tool of the trade. Some researchers suspect that a relatively large amount of marked blade stilettos exist to these days because this was an attempt to surpass the rule.