Editing Dirk (section)

==Naval dirk==
[[File:Kordzik Oficera Sił Powietrznych Nr 2628 - wymiary z pochwą 74 x 370 mm. Krótka ceremonialna broń biała z roku 1972.jpg|thumb|''Dirk'' ([[Polish language|Polish:]] ''Kordzik''); an element of uniforms, e.g., of officers in the Polish army air force; 74 × 370&nbsp;mm, in [[Muzeum Miniaturowej Sztuki Profesjonalnej Henryk Jan Dominiak in Tychy]].<ref>{{cite web| url =https://muzeumminiaturowejsztukiprofesjonalnejhenrykjandominiak.eu/wp/2015/12/17/dzial-broni-bialej/ |language = pl |title=''Department of White Arm'' | access-date = 17 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url =https://muzeumminiaturowejsztukiprofesjonalnejhenrykjandominiak.eu/wp/bro1-kordzik-wojsk-lotnictwa-polskiego-nr-2628-z-roku-1972/ |language = pl |title=''Dirk'' | access-date = 7 June 2020}}</ref>]]
[[File:Dirk (Japanese naval ww2).jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Japanese WW2 naval dirk]]

A thrusting weapon, the naval dirk originally functioned as a boarding weapon and as a functional fighting dagger.<ref name="OBP" />  During the days of sail, midshipmen and officers wore dirks; the daggers gradually evolved into ceremonial weapons and badges of office.<ref name="OBP"
/>  In the [[Royal Navy]], the naval dirk is still presented to junior officers; the basic design of the weapon has changed little in the last 500 years.<ref name="OBP" />

In the [[Russian Empire]] naval dirk (Russian: {{lang|ru|кортик}}) became part of the uniform of naval officers and civilian officials in the [[Ministry of the Navy (Russia)|Navy Ministry]]. After the October Revolution of 1917, naval dirks were the weapons of naval officers in the [[Soviet navy]]. Later, they were also allowed as an element of the [[dress uniform]] for army generals and army officers.<ref>Кортик // Большая Советская Энциклопедия / под ред. А. М. Прохорова. 3-е изд. Том 13. М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1973.</ref><ref>Кортик // Советская военная энциклопедия (в 8 тт.) / под ред. Н. В. Огаркова. том 4. М.: Воениздат, 1979. стр.378</ref> 

Later, it became an element of other uniforms as well, e.g. of officers in the Russian and Polish army (Polish: {{lang|pl|kordzik}}) and air force and of the police forces in some{{which|date=November 2021}} countries.{{clarify|date=November 2011}}{{Citation needed|date=November 2011}}

In the United States, the dirk was introduced by Scottish immigrants in the 1700s. Dirks were originally a single-edged weapon. By 1745, however, the weapon more commonly had a double-edged blade; this makes the dirk more or less synonymous with the dagger.  Dirks were often made from old sword blades.  In the nineteenth century dirks started to be made with a curved blade, but returned to a straight blade by the end of the century.  Some were long enough to be considered a short sword.<ref>Nicholas J. Johnson, David B. Kopel, George A. Mocsary, E. Gregory Wallace, Donald E. Kilmer. ''Firearms Law and the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights, and Policy'', Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, 2021 {{ISBN|1543826814}}.</ref>