A Different Sword

Some of you will remember the Swiss Cavalry saber that I photographed and put up on the blog some time ago. (Here's a link to the old sword if you're curious https://reflectedlight.zenfolio.com/blog/2020/5/the-sword).

 

A friend lent me his 300 year old Japanese short sword the other day. Here are the results.

 

This simple little piece of bamboo is what holds the whole thing together. It pins the hilt to the sword itself. It's about 1/3" long.

 

 

Not much to it.

 

This is called the Habaki (blade collar). I'm convinced the maker had a meteor shower in mind...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here it is, on the sword...

 

 

 

 

 

Last, but very much not least, is the word itself. A great deal of effort went into the temper line that flows like the ocean along the blade...

 

 

 

A beautiful, old, sophisticated and deadly.

 

Thanks for having a look.