They go by different names — T-Back Knives, Push Daggers, Punch Knives, Gimlet Knives, or even Palm Knives. They’re primarily designed for self-defense, although a few utility blades for hunting and other outdoor chores make use of this design when you might need better retention.
The retention factor makes these knives great for self-defense. If you can access and deploy it quickly, you can punch your way out of a deadly altercation.
While the idea has been around for centuries, they became streamlined in the early 19th century in the southeastern states. Favored by city dwellers for their ease of concealment and retention, these designs made their way West as the country expanded, quickly becoming popular with miners, gamblers, and anyone else who needed a concealable, GTF off me blade.
Typically, the profile for this design resembles a T (or a 7) with the handle as the top bar and the blade as the stem. Historically, most of these blades were designed as a symmetrical dagger or even a spike.
As we’ll see in this lineup, the symmetrical dagger still rules the
