Please let me make some precisions:
1.- In Mexico the spanish is called ´spanish, or instead. ´´castilian´. Which is not an obstacle to some ignorant people, who could call it ´mexican´, though in my life I have only have heard some children using the word is this sense. But it must be stated that ´mexican´, applied to a language, usually means ´meshica´, or nahuatl, which is the language spoken by the old meshican or aztec. Hence the name ´Mexico´, the place of the meshica.
2.- The differences among those weapons or tools, are not a matter of frivolous elitism, or aesthetics, but instead, come from their morphology.
3.- The Dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Language, which is a venerable spanish (and I mean, not mexican) institution which establishes the correct use of the spanish languaje in all the spoken spanish language countries of the world, has very clear definitions about those items.
4.- Puñal: a very short edged weapon designed to wound with the point. The explanations given by Chris are a good addition to this definition.
Daga (dagger): Edged weapon with guards to defend in the fight, with two, three or four edges.
Cuchilla: Tool made with a wide blade of steel, one edged and with a handle (not a folding knife).
Cuchillo (knife): Tool, one edged, used to cut made with a blade and a handle.
As you see, the dagger is glorified because it was a more sophisticated weapon with more capacity for embellisment, but it was used equally by gentleman, low soldiers, ruffians or bandits. The humble cuchilla and cuchillo were more tools than weapons in the hands of workers, and the puñal was a weapon in the hands of ladies or assessins, as the daggers also could be in their moment. The dicionary mentions that the dagger is a short weapon, but it must be compared in relation with the swords, and not in relation with the knives or the puñales, since there are very long dagger main gauche.
I agree completely with Chris in his definitions. The puñal criollo is an exception, and it shouldn´t be properly called ´puñal´.
Chris et al: you can check the Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Lengua Espñalola online. If needed, use a translator online. I cannot imagine a more higher authority on this matters, though it is not perfect.
Regards
Gonzalo
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