Stiletto U.S. V-42 stiletto, while in American English usage, the name "stiletto" can also refer to a switchblade knife with a stiletto- or bayonet-type blade design. The term in plural "stilettos", is also used as slang for a long, thin, high heel (stiletto heel) for certain boots and shoes, usually worn by women. First developed in Italy, the stiletto dates from the late 15th century, and is thought to be a development of the rondel dagger or "misericordia", a needle-pointed weapon with a narrow blade designed primarily for thrusting, though possessing cutting edges. Early stilettos normally used a one-piece cast-metal handle
Stiletto which was shaped and turned on a lathe. The stiletto blade was usually hammer-forged into a dense rod with a narrow, triangular cross-section, without any sharpened edges. However, other examples of the period have emerged bearing round, square, or diamond cross-sections. The Italian word "stiletto" comes from the Latin "stilus", the thin pointed Roman writing instrument used to engrave wax or clay tablets in ancient times. The stiletto began to gain fame during the late Middle Ages, when it was the secondary weapon of knights. Originally designed as a purely offensive weapon, the stiletto was used to finish off a