User blog comment:Dragonzzilla/Assassin Idea/@comment-1888392-20130722032650/@comment-257535-20130724184009

The weapon is L-shaped, but the blade alone is more like a parenthesis, (.

The greater the curvature of the blade's body, the harder it is to stab with it.

If you're interested in coming up with a close range weapon, or hoping to add a smidge of realism into a story... Make a model of the weapon out of (corrugated) cardboard, and see how it works. Glue or tape together layers for strength/body. Sure, it's a far cry from a real weapon, but it's a good way to test the concept.