Defination of Blood Groove
A fuller is a rounded or beveled groove or slot in the flat side of a blade (e.g. a sword, knife, or bayonet) that are made using a blacksmithing tool of the same name (fuller). These grooves are often called “blood grooves” or “blood gutters” as well as fullers, although their purpose has nothing to do with blood.
A fuller is often used to lighten the blade, much the way that the shape of an I-beam allows a given amount of strength to be achieved with less material.
When combined with proper distal tapers, heat treatment and blade tempering, a fullered blade can be 20% to 35% lighter than a non-fullered blade without any sacrifice of strength or blade integrity.
This effect lessens as the blade is reduced in length. A blade is said to be “fullered” after introduction of the groove.
The term “fuller” is from the Old English fuliere, meaning “one who fulls (pleats) cloth”. It is derived from the Latin word fullo. The first recorded use of the term as a blacksmithing tool is from 1864, according to Webster’s Dictionary.
The term used in historical Europe is largely unknown, and due to the constantly changing nature of language, the popular term also may have varied from generation to generation.
The addition of “blood” to these words (i.e.: “blood channel,” “blood gutter,” “blood groove”) was most likely a modern colloquialism, but gives the connotation of an unintended and undesirable purpose; that of directing blood toward the hands rather than lessening the weight of the blade. Therefore, in modern descriptions, fuller is often the preferred choice.
Function of Blood Groove
1. Weight reduction:
The sword was used in the battlefield in ancient. If the sword is too heavy, it is not conducive to kill the enemy flexibly.
2. Saving materials:
The ancient iron-smelting technology is backward and the steel output is extremely low. The blood grooves (BO-HI) on the sword can save the materials. The large blood grooves can save about 20% of the steel material, so that more swords can be made for the battle.
3. Maintain balance:
Ancient swords are all handmade, there may be deviations, causing the center of gravity to shift, the blood grooves can adjust the balance of the sword, the center of gravity, the weight and so on.
4. Increase strength:
The cross section of the sword which has blood grooves forms a "work" shape, which reduces the weight while ensuring strength.
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