It is unknown when the knife was created, but was known to be in use by the Witch-king by the late Third Age. HistoryĪragorn observes the Morgul-blade that the Witch-king used to stab Frodo.

If the shard of the blade stays in the victim for too long, the victim becomes a wraith. The remaining blade would soon turn to dust, and the shard works its way through the body to the heart. As explained by Elrond, the purpose of the knife was to break off in the wound, leaving a shard in the victim's body.

Īlternately described as a long knife and a blade, it was used by the Nazgûl to poison enemies. Elrond, however, references the blade as ' a Morgul-knife', possibly implying it to be a type of weapon. It is unknown if there was more than one Morgul-knife, as only that used by the Witch-king is mentioned in the works of J.R.R.