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    Katana with Koto blade


    Ed Maroli

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    better picture of mon

    Hi Ed,

    This mon of 3 oak leaves (kashi) is shared by the Makino, Horimoto and Kasai families among others. [reference: Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945 by Richard Fuller and Ron Gregory, pg.96]

    You say that this might have been cut down.

    Does the temper line run along the blade and up the tip to the back edge of the blade or does it run along the blade and out "through" the tip's edge? If it runs out the tip and not along it then this means it has been shortened at one time. Cut down swords are not uncommon. It was a way to reuse damaged swords and to extend the usefulness of the longer blades when they fell out of accepted tactics on the battlefield.

    I like your sword very much, thanks for posting it.

    Regards

    Brian

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    Yep, a cut-down, I have a katana that does the same.

    Still a very nice sword.

    Somehow I think these have a lot more history associated with them than a blade that was never touched. They were made and then for whatever reason reworked into a shorter sword. I think the chances a reworked blade saw action is greater than a pristeen blade.

    Regards

    Brian

    Edited by Brian Wolfe
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    I think anytime we see multiples of mounting peg holes in the tang..... whatever blade bears them bears serious examination and study. I have a friend in town here with such a blade that he rummaged out of an auction house years ago.... I will attempt to get images from it for your enjoyment.

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