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By lyuesword | 20 January 2022 | 0 Comments

History of Kissaki-Moroha-zukuri style blade Ⅲ

7) Conclusion of Kissaki-moroha-zukuri
Kissaki-moroha-zukuri style in Japan started as a new fashion from Chinese dynasty "Tang". It was used as weapon. During the shinogi-zukuri and curved blade became popular in samurai, kissaki-moroha-zukuri became rare. After the shape lost the popularity by warriors, it kept value in ceremonial sword with its elegant looking. Some samurai still loved the shape. It is flashed back again at the moment of samurai age ending. For sword lovers today, Kogarasu-maru remembers us   the story the two biggest samurai clans "Taira" and "Minamoto" fought against each other to grow up their power. It is a nostalgia of the glory days of samurai.

8) Modern age
In 20th century, kissaki-moroha-zukuri blade appeared again as a blade for Army and Navy sabre. It can be found often on parade sabre. It should be called a European style blade, rather than kissaki-moroha-zukuri blade. On the other hand, many blades for combat were still traditional shinogi-zukuri style.

Parade sabre of Japanese Navy (20th century)[12]



9) Sketch of Kogarasu-maru [13]


10) What is the difference between kissaki-moroha-zukuri and kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri?
Of course the shape is different. The shape around tip is the term to distinguish them. But bigger difference is their function.
Kanmuri-otoshi blade doesn't have sharp edge on back, while kissaki-moroha blade has sharp edge on back. On kanmuri-otoshi blade, the hamon on back is only near the tip. Then, sharp edge doesn't come on the back. If there is a kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri blade that has hamon all through the thin back, it can call sharp edge on the back. Such blade is very similar to kissaki-moroha-zukuri in its function.
The difference between kanmuri-otoshi-zukuri and kissaki-moroha-zukuri includes another question in the meaning of function. In Japanese swords, double edged long sword is rare. Symmetric double edged long sword does not accord with the method of Japanese blade smithing. The cutting edge of Japanese sword is hard and sharp. On the hardening work on sensitive steel, some curvature occurs naturally. In the case of double edged blade, the stress of the hardening work can't be released. When use the blade, same question occurs. The shock of attacking target may be hard to be released to the back on double edged blade, comparing to single edged blade. Kanmuri-otoshi- zukuri may be easier to relies that shock. Therefore, long double edge may be produced only by master smith.


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