Assassin Hand Blades

[Androxine Vortex]

So i have a character who is in a group of political assassins and I'm trying to design his signature weapon. I had the thought of making the tips of his glove have sharp blades on them. Nothing long like freddy Kruger but something he could strike fast with, i imagine him holding his hand like a snake and jabbing.

Or i was thinking of having razors on the side of his glove running from his pinkey down to his wrist, so this way he is using slashing and chopping motions.

Is this realistic at all? Which one would be more practical?
Thanks!

 

[Saigonnus]

Look at a punch knife/ push dagger. Crossbar handle with a wide sharp blade. A couple of those could be easy to carry, conceal and of course kill someone with without drawing too much attention. Combine that with bracers with blades on the forearms to block blades with and you'll have decent offensive and defensive capability.


Custom Handmade Knives - Santee Push Dagger

 

[The Stranger]

i like the idea of a knife running from the pinkey to the wrist, although i feel like that might restrict the movements of the wielders hand, as they'd have to keep their pinkey straight all the time when using it. maybe if the blade was retractable, or some kind of really easily bendable metal, something that wouldn't wear or break if it was bent. definitely keep working on it, though, i always loved claw-like weapons like the first one you mentioned.

 

[thecoldembrace]

So the best assassins in history are those that work with the simple and practical. An assassin has a very specific job, a very specific purpose, and choosing the right weapon is a matter of success and failure. A simple dagger may seem boring, but there are many variations that can cut and stab. Furthermore they are reliable. You may want something fantastical for your assassin, but more often than not fantastical weapons are more about ascetics than function, and in assassination function must always trump a pretty luck. More importantly something that functions well will lend credibility to your character. In my opinion the razors on the gloves is not very realistic, and it might prove to be again more ascetically pleasing than useful in doing the dark task required.


-Cold

 

[DMThaane]

An alternative is to use a mundane weapon but carry it in an iconic way, such as in specially designed gloves. A secret pocket inside some leather gloves or bracers (possibly incorporating hidden plates for arm protection) which contains a dagger with a relatively flat handle. If searched for weapons only the most inquisitive and eagle-eyed guard would find it but the dagger could be retrieved quickly and employed fatally.

Alternatively I know of a historical dagger that had a gun completely hidden in its blade and handle (you can find it on the MyArmoury Combination Weapons page). You removed the tip before firing. You could always replace the gun with a spring-loaded dart launcher, or use it to fire the tip like a harpoon. Or magically powder that explodes. Really, you can replace the mechanism with anything. Sure it's stupid but it's historically attested stupid.

 

[AkamaruGames]

Finger strikes are generally not a good idea. Fingers are very easily broken because they have so many joints to get knocked out of place (which is why people punch with knuckles instead of their fingers). So if you had claws in your gloves, a raking motion is better than a stabbing one. Obviously if the blades are short, it would require aiming for vulnerable areas such as the eyes and throat, possibly other arteries if the assassin was skilled enough (though that would be harder if the target is actually fighting back). Personally I would go with blades in the knuckles that are locked into place when the user makes a fist. Simple, and unlikely to cause personal injury to the user.

Razors in the side of the glove would likely restrict movement and are more likely to accidentally cut the user than claws in the tips of the fingers would be. Besides that, the thickness of the hand would get in the way of cutting deeply (which an assassin would want to do).

Given the two options, I would go with claws over the razors. If you really want to go with stabbing over raking, I would probably include some sort of locking mechanism in the gloves that would keep the fingers straight when in use, or invest some explanation as to why your guy has Fist of the North Star level fingers.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

It's a shame what sounds awesome isn't very practical XD
Thanks for the advice everybody