Thursday, July 08, 2010

Katana and Gunto (Updated With Saber)

The top four photos are from Texas Machinist (who has his own site at Texas Machinist, naturally) and writes:

"This was a sword [my father] got in combat. I don't remember what island but the officer was leading his men with a Nambu in his right hand and the sword in his left. One of my father[']s friend[s] knew how to take off the handle and read the date and family name on the shank. It seems an odd length, shorter than a katana but not as short as the normal short sword. I know many were shortened for later military use but I have no idea on this one. The blade is mirror like and the edge is sharp."







These two are mine, of a gunto, a machine-made but still very good sword, that has decorated my daughter's playroom since she was born.
(Some Greek parents put a knife under their babies' cribs as a charm against evil. That's not why I did it.)


As always, click to embigen.

UPDATE: Saber, also from Texas Machinist
Note the Western design with the chrysanthemum decoration on the hilt.


5 Comments:

Blogger Machinist said...

Will you train her in the use of knife and sword as she gets old enough to understand?

This would seem very sensible.

Fri Jul 09, 09:13:00 AM  
Blogger nk said...

It's up to her. Like music or horseback riding, only if she wants to. The only thing that's non-negotiable is swimmming. She will learn how to be a good swimmer.

I bought her a fifteen-pound long bow and she lost interest after a week. But we still have it and the interest might come back when her little fingers can tolerate the pull better.

Fri Jul 09, 09:19:00 AM  
Blogger Machinist said...

That makes sense. Safe gun handling does seem important though, even if she has no interest in them. I learned to handle the 1911 long before I was allowed to shoot it. The gun was kept loaded in the home and my father wanted no accidents, so we all learned young.

He also insisted we be able to swim. He did not care about form or speed but we had to be able to swim as long as might be needed to get to safety.

Fri Jul 09, 10:16:00 AM  
Blogger nk said...

I trust her totally. But it's her childhood, not mine.

Fri Jul 09, 10:32:00 AM  
Anonymous Dana said...

sigh! Hardwood floors, finished wooden baseboards and chair rails, and painted door frames? What's this world coming to?

Sun Jul 11, 08:31:00 PM  

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