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Shihozume kitae logo

Shihōzume-gitae (四方詰め鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge, low carbon core, medium carbon sides and a separate back.
Honsanmai gitae logo

Hon-sanmai-gitae (本三枚鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a high carbon edge plate under a soft core, flanked by medium steel.
Sanmei gitae logo

Sanmai-gitae (三枚鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with a center high carbon edge plate.
Wariha-gitae logo

Wariha-gitae / wariba-gitea (割刃鍛え)

Japanese term for a sword construction with an inserted edge made of higher carbon steel.
Hyoshigi gitae logo

Hyoshigi-gitae (拍子木鍛え)  

Japanese term for a sword construction with an edge made of higher carbon steel.
Maru gitae

Maru-gitae (丸鍛え)

Japanese word for a basic blade construction consisting of one type of steel.
Shin jugomai kobuse logo

Shin jūgomai kōbuse-gitae (真十五枚甲伏鍛え)

Japanese sword construction that is was found inscribed on some tangs.
Kobuse logo

Kōbuse-gitae (甲伏せ鍛え)

Japanese word for a sword construction with high carbon steel outer jacket around a softer core.
Nias bekhu

Bekhu

Nias name for the monkey-like figure carved on some sword hilts.
Kanetuhu-etuhu point of knife or sword

Kanetuhu / Etuhu

Ainu words for the point of a knife or sword.
Back of knife

Mekkashike

Ainu word for the back of a knife, or sword. Also the ridge of a mountain or house.
Ibehe ainu

Ibehe

Ibehe is an Ainu word for a knife or sword blade.
Nioi

Nioi (匂)

Japanese word for fine martensite crystals in the blade's temperline.
Nie logo

Nie (沸)

Japanese word for martensite crystals that form in blade under certain conditions.
Yoki wazamono logo

Yoki Wazamono / Ryō-wazamono (良業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the third highest rated cutting ability.
o-wazamono logo

Ō Wazamono (大業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the second highest rated cutting ability.
Saijo o wazamono

Saijō Ō Wazamono (最上大業物)

Japanese term for a sword with the highest rated cutting ability.
Wazamono logo

Wazamono (業物)

Japanese term for a sword that is tested to cut well.
Tametsugu signature logo

Tametsugu (為継)

A Japanese swordsmith in the Shōshū tradition.
Tametsugu logo

Sōshū sword with tachi koshirae

Tokubetsu Hozon, attributed to Den Tametsugu. With fine itomaki no tachi koshirae.
Itomaki no tachi

Itomaki no tachi (糸巻太刀)

Japanese term for a type of tachi koshirae.
Allūbung logo

Allūbung

Ifugao word for a woven rattan covering on handles and shafts.
Halung logo

Hālung

Ifugao word for a rolled up tang hilt
Ifugao hinalung

Hinālung

Ifugao word for a double-edged knife or shortsword with a socket hilt.
Ifugao hinalung

Batad Ifugao hinālung

Rare double-edged shortsword of the Ifugao of northern Luzon.
Gari matuwa logo

Gari matuwà

South Nias word for a specific type of sword.
Nias gari matuwà logo

South Nias gari matuwà

A nice belatu with the rarer gari matuwà style blade.
Nias lasara logo

Lasara

Nias word for the monster head that the people of Nias carved.
South Nias belatu

Later South Nias belatu

Nice and complete example with talisman basket. Probably 20th century.
Ainu emushi sword with sash

Ainu sword with sash

With deeply carved scabbard, complete with fine guard embroidered sash.
Ainu items group

Knives and swords of the Ainu

19th-century ethnographers noticed that they had no iron production and relied solely on trade for articles like knives and swords. However, archaeologists found iron working facilities in 1988 and 1990.
Slender set of 19th century military hudiedao

Slender hudiedao pair

A classic example of the narrow military type, with brass guards.
Hudiedao

Hudiedao set with scabbard

Classic pair of Southern Chinese butterfly swords.
Ainu sword logo 2

Emushi

Ainu word for sword
Twistcore peidao logo

Qing twistcore peidao

A fine twistcore blade in standard pattern Qing military mounts.
Tonkin arms group

Group of arms from Tonkin

Probably from the French Tonkin campaign of the 1880s.
Fine gilt duanjian overall

Gilt duanjian with foreign blade

Unusual Chinese duanjian with fine gilt mounts and a blade of non-Chinese origin.
Malabar coast Moplah sword logo

Malabar coast Moplah sword

A fine and somewhat unusual specimen, with engraved brass mounts and hardwood grip.
NBTHK papers

NBTHK Japanese sword papers

An introduction to NBTHK Japanese sword certifications and rankings.
Moplah logo

Moplah (sword)

Sword of the Mapilla Muslims of the Malabar Coast, South India.
Kunikiyo wakizashi with horimono tested by Yamano 2 body cut

Kunikiyo wakizashi, Yamano test cut

A wakizashi by master Kunikiyo, tested by the most famous sword tester of 17th century Japan.
Kunikiyo logo

Kunikiyo (國清)

A line of Japanese swordsmiths working in Echizen.
Sukesada logo

Bizen Sukesada

A group of sword makers in Bizen, Japan, active in the Muromachi period.
Yosozaemon Sukesada

Yosōzaemon jo Sukesada (与三左衛門尉祐定)

A Japanese swordsmith from Osafune, Bizen, who lived from 1466-1542.
Sukesada

Sukesada uchigatana made August 1523

With a sayagaki by Honma sensei attributing it to Yosozaemon.
Handachi wakizashi

Handachi mounted wakizashi

With Nanban-style guard and kozuka. Signed Fujiwara Hisayoshi.
Nias Balatu salà logo

Balatu salà

South Nias word for a specific type of sword.
Nias zoomorphic pommel

Niòbawa lawölò

Nias word for zoomorphic sword hilts with an open mouth with fangs.
Nias belatu logo

A South Nias belatu salà

Rare sword from the headhunters of Nias. Complete with talismanic basket and belt hook.
Milam sword of the Garo people of Assam

A milam of the Garo

This peculiar sword was used by the Garo people of Assam for fighting, clearing the jungle, and animal sacrifices.