What Are Stiletto Knives? Uses and More

If you are looking to buy a new blade, you might have come across the famous stiletto knife. With their simple yet iconic design and multiple uses, stilettos have a long history among knife enthusiasts.

However, with so many different types of knives, people have a hard time understanding what makes stilettos unique. Luckily, we are here to take a deep dive into the world of knives and finally answer what are stiletto knives?

What Are Stiletto Knives?

A stiletto is a knife that features a long, slender blade with a narrow tip. Its slim profile and tapered point reduce friction, allowing for deeper and faster penetration.

And while people assume that stilettos are daggers, in reality, they aren't. In fact, stilettos cannot be used for slashing or cutting and are mainly a thrusting weapon.

Nowadays, most switchblades and automatic knives that have a narrow tip are considered stilettos. It’s worth mentioning that modern folding and switchblade stilettos feature a blade similar to a bayonet, with a single saber-grind edge. However, there are a few models that have dual cutting edges for more functionality.

Stiletto Knife Construction and Mechanism

The mechanism of stiletto knives hasn’t changed much since its original design dating back to the Middle Ages. To put it simply, the stiletto is a folding knife powered by a spring rather than by hand.

It involves a spring connected to the base of the blade and a button on the side of the knife that is attached to a catch lever. The lever sits between the coils of the spring, holding it to create tension. The base of the blade is also on a hinge sitting at the top of the handle, similar to most folding knives.

When the blade is folded, the spring that holds the blade is pulled and then placed under tension. To activate the blade, you must press the button on the side, moving the lever and freeing the spring.

Once that happens, the spring releases its tension and pulls back to its original shape, allowing the blade to turn and extend from the front of the handle.

Stiletto Uses

Stilettos and other similar automatic knives are perfect for a variety of self-defense and survival situations. But while they may lack the slashing capabilities of a normal knife, stilettos can still come in handy in a variety of situations.

For instance, since the mechanism requires the press of a single button, the stiletto can be used with one hand. Therefore, a stiletto is ideal when you can’t use both of your hands, especially if you are trapped or incapacitated.

Not only that, but stilettos are narrow enough to penetrate small crevices or holes. As a result, you can use them to reach inaccessible spaces in which you can’t fit your hand.

The Bottom Line

We hope this article has allowed you to receive an answer to the question of what are stiletto knives. Overall, whether you have seen them in gangster movies or in a museum, stilettos are among the most popular types of knives.

Their unique mechanism and thrusting capabilities make stilettos a must-have for knife enthusiasts. And with a large variety of uses, there’s no mystery as to why so many people like stilettos.