Push daggers are a unique category of edged weapons. Also known as punch daggers, push knives, and gimlet knives, their defining feature is their T-shaped handle, which is oriented perpendicular to the length of the blade. But are push daggers a good choice for self-defense? Let’s discuss.
Using Push Daggers for Self-Defense
Push daggers were popular self-defense weapons in 19th-century America, especially around New Orleans and San Francisco. Larger versions were also used by British forces in trench warfare during World War I and later by commandos in World War II. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in push daggers and their combative use. The question remains, however: How effective are they for modern self-defense?
The most common claim you’ll hear about push daggers is that they are more natural to use than conventional knives. This is because all you have to do is grab it and punch. The problem with that theory is that punching itself is a learned skill. People just do not come out of the womb knowing how to box.
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If you don’t believe that, watch a few social media videos of fistfights and you’ll realize that most folks do not instinctively punch well. Even if they did, by choosing a push dagger, they’re limiting themselves to one tactic—thrusting.
Many push daggers do have sharp edges and reasonable edge geometry, but they are not comfortable cutting weapons. By design, their blades are in line with the bones of the forearm, making articulated cuts awkward. If you do manage to land a hard cut, the “shank” of the blade transfers that impact shock directly—and painfully—into your fingers.
Finally, the name “push dagger” literally defines this style of knife as a type of dagger and can make it illegal to carry in many jurisdictions. For all these reasons, push daggers are not practical self-defense weapons.
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