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Types, Features, and Uses of a Stiletto Knife

Italian Stiletto Knives

· italian stiletto
italian-stiletto-knives

Stiletto knife is a historical knife that hails from Italy. In a popular belief, it is an Italian knife which is why it is known as Italian stiletto at times.

This knife has dramatically become popular in the US as of late. People are eager to have a collection of this knife considering its uses, features and benefits.


Stiletto knife mainly served as a fighting knife in Italy. It was used as a primary fighting weapon during the First World War and as a secondary weapon during the Second World War.

After the 1950s, the popularity of this knife as a fighting weapon declined. But a different version of this knife was established which was usable for diverse purposes.

In this article, I have come up with a brief explanation of stiletto knife. I will specifically explore its types, features and its uses. So, let’s begin our exploration:

Types of Stiletto Knife

- Fixed Blade Stiletto


Basically, there are two types of stiletto knives. These two differ in terms of their blade position. One is the traditional version of stiletto called fixed blade stiletto.


This version had an immovable blade which means the blade was fixed.


This version mainly served as a fighting knife, It was useful in close quarter combat with its powerful and pointed blade, and an ergonomic handle. The soldiers used this type of stiletto while battling in close quarters.

- Stiletto Switchblade


The second type of stiletto knives is the modern version of the stiletto. It is also known as a switchblade. Importantly, this type has a folding blade which is not fixed.

This blade can be folded inside the handle. There is a push button to quickly deploy the blade. This version is frequently used nowadays for self defense and utility cutting.

Features of Stiletto Knife

- Pointed Blade


The main feature of stiletto knife it is pointed blade. There is always a sharp point or tip at the bottom of the blade. Though there is no specification as far as edges are concerned, but a sharp point is essential.


- Slender Blade


Stiletto knife always has a slender blade. The blade is pretty long and gives an impression of a dagger.

With its ergonomic handle and a long, slender and pointed blade, it looks like a real fighting dagger of old times.


- Thrusting & Slashing Actions


The main feature of stiletto is that it is excellent for slashing actions. It is also great for stabbing and thrusting. With its sharp point, it can penetrate deeply into the body.

Uses & Benefits of Stiletto Knife

- Close Quarter Combat


The greatest advantage of stiletto is that it is very handy in close quarter combat. It has an ergonomic handle which makes it impossible to disarm the user. Also, with its thrusting and slashing abilities, it is the best choice in this regard.

- Self Defense

Stiletto switchblades are excellent self defense weapons to deal with the attackers. Since it is impossible to disarm and it can be great for stabbing, it is a great weapon to battle the attackers.

- Utility and EDC Cutting


Stiletto knife is also a great cutting tool. You can carry the switchblade version on a daily basis to do your routine cutting work easily and efficiently.