What are SWORD Habaki (鎺) and Tūnkǒu (吞口) FOR?

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The Habaki (鎺) and Tūnkǒu (吞口) are a sleeve found at the base of the blade on Japanese, Chinese, Mongol & Turkish Swords. What are they, where did they come from and what are they for?
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[@scholagladiatoria]

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[@bmxriderforlife1234]

Technically habaki are longer up the front then the back. Just very marginally so. The spine side shoulder is always lower then the front edge shoulder.

[@franciscol3510]

There is a non-zero chance that sword-wielders of Japan tought the thumb motion was hella cool and that's why they made the Habaki thicker

[@jiokl7g9t6]

The thumb motion is meant to be very subtle and not noticeable to your opponent

[@SingularityOrbit]

Speaking from ignorance here, please bear with me. Is it possible that the purpose of the extended tunkou is simply a "bumper?" Maybe it creates a tiny sliver of a moment during a draw when the edge of the blade isn't in contact with the channel of the scabbard, letting the blade come free without grinding its edge inside. I have no idea if that makes sense, but I have noticed that a blade's interaction with the scabbard on a draw feels like it's decided in that first instant of motion. Subjectively it feels as though, if the blade starts to withdraw from the scabbard without grinding the edge, it will pull free faster and more safely for the edge. That may be mistaking how it feels for how it actually works, though.

[@leonardomarquesbellini]

Possible, but couldn't you achieve the same result by just not sharpening the base of the blade like you see in some sword types?

[@SingularityOrbit]

@@leonardomarquesbellini You absolutely could -- at least I think so -- which is a big part of why I doubted my own guesswork. I just can't think of another reason to extend the extra metal up the blade that way if it isn't somehow protective. Since it's soft metal it probably isn't anything to do with blocking and parrying . . . unless there's something I've missing there, too. I do believe it has to do with having an extra bit of metal that touches other materials instead of the blade's steel, though.

[@Dynotop1a]

I think you could be on the right track. It would be useful to know the full variety of sword shapes (curved, straight, etc.) these features are found on. If there is a notable pattern, perhaps the particular sort of swords they are attached to will be informative of the function of the asymmetrical pieces. Also, is the anterior projection of the asymmetrical ones an add on to an earlier smaller form in a similar way to the extra thickness of the Japanese iterations?

[@alf9638]

New swords are made like this. It's called ubu ba, but changes after one polish@@leonardomarquesbellini

[@adamkilroe9840]

This might sound daft, but perhaps it was a custom born from misunderstanding. Someone did this to make it look cool, and it happened to go on a really exceptional blade. The bladesmith isn't going to give up the true secret and says its the little bit of metal wrapped around the base of the blade, and it becomes a bit of a trademark. A few years on, that bladesmith has passed away, but there's an association of high quality blades with this unusually designed piece of metal, so it becomes a tradition. There may be a parallel with stone age Clovis Points, that sliver taken off both sides of the point in no way improves the quality of the stone tool, but it does demonstrate the skill of the craftsman.

[@krystofmraz]

Piece of cooper is sometimes used as rust protection for iron constructions. It makes some sort of "battery" causing cooper to oxidate instead of iron. Not sure if this can work on the sword, but it may be worth mentioning.

[@thekaxmax]

called a 'sacrificial anode'

[@tonyjar333]

good point

[@althesmith]

This would be the other way around- the iron under the copper would oxidise faster I believe. Iron and carbon steel are far more reactive to corrosion than copper. I think the habaki simply provided a better fit in the sheath and more surface area for the guard to rest against. It may also have helped prevent the very hard edge at the base of the blade from chipping in use.

[@thekaxmax]

@@althesmith hrm. Copper not that. but it doesn't bulk much when corroded, so that helps. I think one of the reasons is also absorbing the opponent's blade sliding down the blade.

[@Garbid]

Even swords made of bronze in ancient period are steel found in the ground even after thousands of years. So yes. It's all about rust and water.

[@CDKohmy]

I doubt it was done, but on the tang dao and turco-mongol sabres, it seems plausible to reduce finger marks on the blade when fingering the guard. My possible comparison is the development of the "false ricasso" on smallswords.

[@DonMeaker]

A wood scabbard would have some tannic acid in the wood, and with rain would have a electrolyte exposed to the blade leading to rust. It the habakki was merely a plug, it would be better made of leather. The copper, bronze, or brass habakki would be a positive anode, protecting the steel from corrosion. The copper could be replace at far less cost than replacing the blade. Bronze (tin-copper) and would be less positive than pure copper, and last longer than copper. Brass (zinc-copper) would be more positive than copper, and provide somewhat better protection. Voltage providing protection is controlled by the choice of metals, amplitude providing protection would be proportional to the area. Zinc alone would work very well, and galvanized steel is steel coated with zinc. Zinc oxide is larger in volume than pure zinc, so even if the zinc coating on galvanized sheet metal is scratched through, the zinc oxide would fill in the flaw, and the zinc on the sides of the scratch would provide nearly complete protection. In heavy weather, galvanized steel lasts about 20 years, after which, the zinc coat may be nearly completely gone, but even small amount that is left provides substantial protection to the steel.

[@AlIskanderZhao]

Never thought chemistry could be so badass

[@connorjensen9699]

There is one reason that immediately springs to mind when considering why the dao has that extra long bit on the front. Specifically it’s that when you want to have the sword ready (and out of the scabbard) but are not actively using it, a common hold is to put the disk/cup guard in the fingers of the left hand, and lock the sword in place by putting the thumb around the base of the blade (where it would be completely unsharpened). This leaves the handle free, so it’s very easy to grab with the right hand, and rests the back of the blade in the crook of your left arm. You’ve probably already picked up on where I’m going with this - that shape of extended metal perfectly protects the steel of the blade from coming into skin contact while being held in this manner.

[@raphlvlogs271]

it can also function like a ricasso on European swords creating a more robust base of the blade for better parrying

[@kuzniakarkonosze715]

I’d say having big tonkou gives a few benefits better fiting to the scabard aside 1 : the blade doesn’t get as many stress rizers / not as deap near the base when parying with it, i have forged enough blades to tell everyone any sharp corner is potentialy fatal, especially with hardened and potentially not perfectly pure steel. 2 : it is easier to replace a metal sleave than have to fix/ reforge a blade with many marks on it 3 : hard steel blade will stick better to soft metal than blade Bonus from blacksmith : grinding and polishing hardened steel is a pain in the ass if you don’t have good sand paper and grinder , it is painfull and makes you doubt if you rly have to do it. I can see like 2h taken off working there (in period) by puting some metal over it😊 we all rly hate hand sanding.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

I was thinking to protect the blade when parying too.

[@baldieman64]

When brass and steel are placed together in an electrolyte solution, there is potential for galvanic corrosion to occur. This type of corrosion usually starts at the points where the two metals meet or come into contact with each other. As the current passes from one metal to the other, it causes the steel to rust faster than usual due to its lower corrosion resistance compared to brass. I did wonder whether the brass would protect the steel in the same way that zinc would, but apparently not.

[@vermouthstone9446]

A thing that appeared in the Southern and Northern Dynasties of China is called "鐔tan" by the Chinese，also called 吞口（Swallowing Mouth） because it is usually made like a dragon or beast opening its mouth to swallow the sword。 and Japanese call it “鎺” or "鎺金" because almost all Japanese 鎺s are made of copper, and copper is called "金" in ancient Chinese. The original Japanese characters were directly borrowed from ancient Chinese characters.Therefore, although the ancients of China and Japan had different languages, they could communicate in written words, which was called "pen talk"筆談 The function of the 吞口 is actually very simple. Its initial function is to facilitate the assembly of the sword equipment and make the blade completely fit the equipment. So you see that those Chinese swords that do not have a 吞口 are generally unedged at the end of the blade, and will be thicker than the blade. The second function is to keep the blade suspended in the scabbard as much as possible and reduce the contact between the blade and the scabbard. The third function is to tightly connect the blade to the scabbard so that it will not fall out at will. And you know that both China and Japan are places with humid climates. It is easier to preserve and prevent rust by sealing the blade in a scabbard.

[@leonpeters-malone3054]

On the tunkou, I'm wondering if it's something to do with it being a cavalry sword. If you're bouncing around on horseback and trying to draw your sword, perhaps it helps protect, reinforces the blade. There's less chance for a sword to break on draw. You won't accidentally break your scabbard either. It may help protect the edge. At least as a first thought. Feels a bit thin on the ground for me. It's a suggestion. If I could do some material stress test, test the shapes involved I may have a better idea for you.

[@Serpsss]

I suspect the Mongolian sabre is longer on the cutting edge to minimise the damage on drawing it, especially if on horseback where the positioning of the scabbard & movement of the horse is less predictable & can adversely effect the draw & damage the blade &/or scabbard. It could also act as a buffer to reduce the vibration of an impact & stop the blade working loose as the blade is thinner & likely higher tempered than the spine.

[@elijahhutchinson3031]

From a craftsmanship perspective, the habaki provides support at the critical junction where the tsuba would otherwise just sit against the machi. It creates a sort of "soft close" effect when the blade is sheathed and acts as a buffer between the mouth of the saya and the blade.

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

11:08 It’s also worthy to note that in the Middle East it does not rain as much as East Asia 4:16 Often the habaki you see from the outside is not actually the right metal at work. What I mean is that I’ve seen countless habaki that looked like they were brass, gold, or silver, but were actually bronze or copper habaki that were simply plated with other, shinier metals. If you take the Japanese sword apart, and look at the habaki from the bottom, you will often see it is made of copper with some sort of plating on the surface. Then again, this doesn’t apply to all of them and many can be found that are brass or silver throughout. 5:48 This really helps when you realize that many later Japanese swords (katana and wakizashi for example) are worn and drawn horizontally. If you didn’t have a tight or somewhat tight seal, it may fall out when you lean forward or something. 7:04 Again, it becomes very important for drawing the blade in a pinch to save your life. Essentially the purpose of iai. 7:48 I’ve been trying to say this for a while: Japanese word guards were meant to be used as hand protection and meant to take heavy blows. The habaki here exemplifies this as the softer metal collar acts as a buffer between the guard and the blade to when the guard is struck, the habaki compresses, absorbing the force. (It’s also worthy to mention that tsuba were larger during the warring states period)

[@farkasmactavish]

I don't think katana were really meant to parry heavy blows, especially close to the hilt, not with that small guard. In fact a lot of Japanese swordsmanship emphasizes stepping off-line as you counter-cut, even against other katana.

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

@@farkasmactavish ⁠ right but you are talking about katana of the Edo period with the smaller tsuba as well as Ryu that have survived and have been influenced by the Edo period. Additionally I don’t mean you need to use the tsuba actively like crossguards for it to be useful as hand protection. It can be used passively as when you parry, the tsuba is just there just in case. Ryu still hold katana in the handshake grip, so their hands are further down the tsuka and the tsuba creates a conical-like area of protection.

[@atom8248]

I've seen a sword that was kept in it's original mounts for about 150 years after the original owner got into a sword-fight. He took a few heavy cuts on the habaki and tsuba, so there were deep cuts in them (and a piece of the opponents edge in the tsuba). The habaki was actually so messed up that it was impossible to take it off without cutting it open, so he decided to keep it that way as a keepsake I guess.

[@outsideiskrrtinsideihurt699]

@@atom8248 that’s a really interesting piece because usually, the owner would replace the messed up parts with new ones. I wonder what the reason was for keeping a heavily damaged habaki. Maybe it was to show off “battle damage” or maybe they didn’t have enough money to replace it at the time and never got around to it? I remember seeing a handful of tsuba with cuts in them from various angles. Some had very deep cuts and some had relatively lighter ones. At first I thought the lighter ones were from combat and the deeper ones were made artificially to possibly mimic the look of a battle worn tsuba but who knows, maybe they were from real combat too

[@chijialiang2957]

As I know the Tun kou 吞口 can be found in Xianbei 鲜卑 kingdom, Tang dynasty was deeply influenced by Xianbei （nomads-turkic). And Tun kou on the mongol/turkic swords was influenced by other nomadic ethnicities in north of china. there are many dao/saber in Song dynesty and Liao dynesty (Jurchen) had same Longer Tun Kou 吞口 which is earlier than the tun kou on mongol/ turkic saber. I strongly think that Tun kou is found by nomadic - turkic people rather than ancient Han chinese (people before nomads adopted Han culture, classical Han ethnicity) or japanese.

[@MrPink-qf1xi]

I don't think it will add much for protection or balance of the blade so maybe it has something to do with the scabbard. Maybe It assists to lock better, prevent water from going in or maybe helps to draw out quickly. Later Kılıç has those lugs and I remember some Chinese hand guards completely locking with the scabbard.

[@shovelchop81bikeralex52]

Brass and copper don't corrode and are self lubricating metals which of course make them perfect for your explanations. As for the longer Mongolian sabre's tongu(?) it looks just long enough to be able to wrap a second hand around, perhaps to help withdraw the sword if it gets stuck using the guard as a backstop for added leverage; could also make it a viable two handed weapon in certain situations?

[@WestTexasViking]

I've always been of the impression that it creates a small gap that helps preserve the edge from cutting into the scabbard as much.

[@JIMA-Club]

I have a good bad theory: The elongated tongku may offer an advantage for more curved swords. A perfectly straight sword with a short tongku will have one side of the tip of the blade resting against the scabbard's interior - so just a little bit of blade susceptible to corrosion. Beyond a certain degree of curvature, larger swaths of the blade's surface area will begin to contact the scabbard's interior, perhaps creating an issue requiring a dedicated solution. Elongating the tengku could alleviate this. However, thickening the tengku would also help (which was apparently not done), and I understand elongated tongku were standard on straight dao.

[@Sirsethtaggart3505]

As a former, long term student of the shinobi kai dojo, the habaki isn't about holding the blade in the scabbard. Whenever we got a new sword, we would spend ages drawing and returning the blade, (usually approx 500 times), to prevent it from sticking. This enabled a faster draw.... Just my experience.

[@defechan7486]

yes a good saya is made to the blade a bit larger and tapers out to the koiguchi. It only makes contact with a small portion of the Kissaki, you should hear no rattle. This also helps prevent the koiguchi and saya itself from being cut or split wile drawing the blade.

[@TheZinmo]

I think the Tunkou is for parrying. The sharp, hardened blade of the opponend bites into the softer material of the Tunkou, and thus is easier controllable.

[@leonardomarquesbellini]

Blades rarely bind like that, upon contact they almost always bounce off each other a tiny bit.

[@atom8248]

​@@leonardomarquesbelliniCould still be for parrying, less risk of the sword breaking if there's some extra material there.

[@NoobNoobNews]

I think that the iron turkish habaki was to protect the blade from snapping when the base of the blade is used during parry and pushing. The base of the blade is strong, but if it is hit enough times, will be chipped. The iron sleeve would protect the base of the blade from long term battle damage.

[@marcus8den]

Perhaps the extended finger tonkou was a visual indicator to the wielder during training or battle. For a more symmetric blade or where the blade might be worn cutting edge up or cutting edge down, a quick glance at the base of your blade could provide a quick reminder of which direction your cutting edge was facing. This could be especially important if in combat you were wearing heavy gloves that would negate the subtle curve of the hilt.

[@williamarthur4801]

That was far more interesting than I thought it would be, thank you.

[@IntelVoid]

Just a note that the 'ou' in Tunkou, at least in modern Mandarin, is pronounced as in dough, not as in through.

[@alchemistjeff]

And the "Tsu" in Tsuba should be J't'Zu

[@Max_Flashheart]

All the points you made about he Habaki are correct from my experience. In Japan we leart that the Habaki also acts as a shock absorber by spreading the shock away from the blade and tang to the tsuba. Switching between different Haaki (copper, silver etc) i when performing Tamashigiri you can feel the difference. Also for old swords that were loose we were taught to glue silk paper in the saya where the Habaki was to "tune" the fit and tightness. We also used seppa shaped thin cardboard or Paper to tighten handles if a metal seppa was too thick.

[@nevisysbryd7450]

You noticed a difference by the metals used? What were the differences?

[@Max_Flashheart]

I could feel more shock through the tsuba with my index finger that was touching the tsuba. It "seemed" harhers with the Brass Habaki vs the Copper one. Could be basis because I loved the copper habki a lot more. @@nevisysbryd7450

[@bencoomer2000]

The Mongol saber, protecting the edge while riding?

[@nevisysbryd7450]

The extended riser would likely create more distance between the blade edge and the scabbard, so that does seem quite plausible.

[@neverforged]

Could the longer front be due to the curve, make sure the sharp bit is less likely to come up against the scabbard? Or just to make sure the blade sits away from the walls of the scabbard due to the curve itself...

[@fatpad00]

That was my thought as well. Longer on a more curved blade for better alignment when inserting/removing

[@AlitaGunm99]

I almost never click a sponsor link, but this one seems cool. Unfortunately, all the good ones are sold out.

[@joanngrainger4650]

Before the internet I read some books on Japanese swords and back then experts used to say that the fittings on katanas etc were made of copper which is used as a shock absorber between steel blade and iron tsuba/ guard. There's washers and fittings on the tsuka/ handle called fuchi ( I think!) also made of copper and serve the same purpose, to absorb shock. Makes sense 😂

[@jakewolf079]

The habaki have many functions and many reasons to exist, what you said is also one of them. All in all I'd say it's good engineering.

[@aburahikari8905]

Maybe the long Tūnkǒu is to help the sword avoid the damaging the scabbard when drawn.

[@iota-09]

9:30 maybe their blades used to not be as strong at the edge, and to avoid it snapping at the base they made the guard longer there? it is rather curious indeed...

[@jamesreese-lf1cd]

Yeah on the Chinese dial I think the tonkou is for extending the handles grip and makes the bind stronger by putting components joining And running up the blade.

[@metmehbad]

That elongated habaki-ish part in a turco-mongolic sabre is for a special hit performed against opponent's sword with that spesific part of the blade, which aims to break opponents while keeping yours intact.

[@TheBottegaChannel]

So from my " armchair/ hobbiest" archeological study in martial arts, blacksmithing and metallurgy, my understanding of the Tankou/ Habaki's purpouse ( aside from the aformentioned points) are kinda interesting. Depending on the " sharp corner/ rounded corner" fabrication style people use when fabricating the tang itself ( known as a "step down taper" to my knowledge), it's possible that the component in question allows for stress to be diverted from the tang's shoulder and reduces chances of the blade snapping off at the tang. Since katana tangs usually arent differentially tempered like the blade, the alloy remains softer ( because of the claying process) to act as a shock absorber. The Habaki/ Tankou, as someone else on the comment section stated, also acts as a form of shock absorber in conjunction with the seppa and tsuba ( spacer washers and guard), creating more of a flexable synch fit point allowing for better fitment of tsuka ( hilt) components on the whole. Lastly, it's my ( quasi) working theory that the tsuka, seppa, tsuba, and habaki work to counter balance the weight of the blade, allowing it to be more effective as a form of weapon. Those are just my thoughts though.

[@stevebaumann8879]

I was hoping this discussion would explain a certain 'click' or 'snap' that happens when 'Nemuri Kyoshiro' begins to draw his katana. It almost appears that he 'twists' the katana when getting serious and about to do the, always fatal to his opponent, "Full Moon" technique. Other movies have had this too.

[@mikemckague9506]

From my knowledge the main reason for habaki on a katana is decorative and help hold the blade in place so its not lose in the scabbard

[@atom8248]

I would disagree with decorative, even on some very highly decorated swords you have very plain habaki. Even weapons that don't really need habaki for scabbard retention like polearms or very large odachi still have them. It's clearly an important feature for reasons having to do with the actual construction of the sword.

[@mikemckague9506]

@atom8248 some katana there decorative like the gold or silver habakis can have engravings

[@atom8248]

@@mikemckague9506 For sure, they can be decorated but that's different from being decorative. The blade isn't decorative just because it's polished and engraved.

[@CrimeVid]

I would have thought that the size of the scabbard entrance is the size of the Hibaki so that the blade edge does not actually touch the scabbard.

[@donbrown2391]

When pushing against the tsuba with the thumb to clear the habaki, the thumb should never be at 12 o'clock, or right over the edge. It should be done off center so as not to slice the thumb.

[@grasshopper1988]

Maybe to protect the scabbard opening from getting cut when drawing fast

[@bobnesler4271]

I own an early WW2 Shin Gunto officer's sword (with an 1840 family Edo blade) and the habaki has a notch at the back which allows one to tighten the tsuba by inserting and turning a small screw driver.

[@Garbid]

I think main is that it's made of other metal but not steel. I think thats against rain drops and other humidity issues. If it gets corroded you can change it easily. Without corrosion on blade. So it tightens gap and don't let the water to contact with the blade in it's main place in meaning of stress point. Long strip "protects" thinner edge because the rust there can cause more damage than on thicker side. And brass or bronze are much better against water.

[@lalbus1607]

The Shamshir on the video looks really interesting.

[@hraefn1821]

I'm gonna parrot a few others here and also suggest that parrying may be part of the reason for the Turkish style. That longer front edge may be intended to catch and bind an opponent's blade without damaging the edge of the blade?

[@jameslightfoot1872]

The tonkou creates a relatively long ricasso that would allow you to grip the blade in front of the guard. I'm not sure why you would need to, but it seems to be deliberately made long enough to grip the base of the blade.

[@ScorchedTB]

If it helps, the pronunciation of Tun Kou (吞口) is actually "toon" "k-oh-uu".

[@pieoverlord]

Well let me offer the QI alarm "obvious so probably wrong" answer: might it be useful in just beefing up the area for parrying? Pretty much every sword that seems to have it has a much smaller crossguard equivalent than swords without it so catching a sword there is going to need more stress on the blade rather than the guard. A lightweight and replaceable buffer there could take the hits better. Maybe it can also deflect a blade running down the sword away from the hands as well?

[@Angel24Marin]

To me seems a way to protect the scabbar from the edge of the sword either when taking the sword in and out and also when strongly holding the sword inside the scabbard with your left hand ready to take it out with you right hand.

[@lukewilliams8548]

In all my years if watching sword videos like yours and Skallagrim's, I've never heard of guards being eaten through. Can you elaborate on that?

[@-RONNIE]

Thanks for the information

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

Having that extended portion over the cutting edge may stop that 1st part of the blade from biting into the scabbard throat when drawing.

[@RoyceSella-ex2dq]

I'm just brainstorming but I've never seen this on swords that originated in warmer climates

[@quentinrochat2501]

Maybe to hold the blade reversed in your left hand and closer to the centre of gravity while your right hand is busy with a spear or else

[@gabrielhall6690]

It’s the protective cover for the sword. It’s like the forskin of the sword.

[@Jack_Smith_Yes]

By the way is any object like a weird or rare tiny scabbard found in museum yet? The idea is to do the quickest draw, because the entire blade, maybe is, irrelevantly for this special purpose, even could be mostly covered in rust, but that tiny scabbard covers and protects only the very tip and maybe some tiny polished portion of edge. That idea also to assist greatswords in the draw. Yet this is not the quickest draw; When a scabbard is made with the same materials when old school magician do burn things in a quick stylized way like in hasbin hotel for example or how dealer steam punk skallagrim does :) . That also i think is the coolest on, specially for a movie.

[@jesuizanmich]

is the tonkou thick enough to take a blow? did they perhaps expect some level of damage or cracks there?

[@JamesAckermann-zt7qz]

Thank you! Wanted to know! ! !

[@4850937]

Why do some swords not have a ricasso? It looks like it makes the guard strong. I think a tapered ricasso would make sense. Maybe 4 mm long at the edge and 20 mm at the center.

[@raphlvlogs271]

it works on tapering of evenly wide blades but not on widening leaf shaped blades

[@mrkiky]

What works, the blade collar? It's inserted on the tang side and gets stopped by the blade's shoulders. It doesn't fit the blade anyway.

[@silverjohn6037]

The only explanation I can think of that wasn't already mentioned in the video references a style of Bowie knife from the 1800s that had a brass rib along the back (non-sharpened) edge. The logic was that if you were deflecting an opponents blade it would be more likely to bite into the brass rib rather than sliding along the hard steel blade and reaching your hand. Whether that would work or not I can't say but, if people believed it would work, that might have been part off the intent for these pieces and explain why they were made of softer metals.

[@eliduncan4630]

If nothing else that brass cushion might prevent blade shattering or cracking due to a hard blow on the spine

[@kahn04]

I’ve always wondered why that “finger” runs up the edge side

[@cazador1022]

Soon UK 🇬🇧 will not have access to butter knives

[@Fadeing]

Could the reason for the longer collar on the Turko-Mongol saber have something to do with the draw while on horseback? Wonder how it might change the behavior due to positioning.

[@acethesupervillain348]

From some quick looks online, I see a few ornate mongol tonku that remind me of the Ya Zi, the angry face that you see on some chinese swords and axes. Ya Zi was a wolf-dragon who was blood-thirsty and obsessed with battle. Theories: the blood spilled by the weapon becomes a sacrifise to Ya Zi to placate him, putting Ya Zi on the weapon invokes his powers in battle, the image of Ya Zi reminds the swordsman not to act like Ya Zi and only use their weapon wisely, or it just looked cool. The turko-mongol version might have nothing to do with Ya Zi, but might have some spiritual significance like that which became an abstract shape and the meaning forgotten as the Mongols and Turks shifted religions. I'm also honestly not sure if the Ya Zi myth is original, or if it was dreamed up to explain a practice that people weren't sure why they were still doing after centuries.

[@acethesupervillain348]

@@05firen This is true, but I don't think the Ya Zi decorations are all that old. I haven't seen for example Bronze Age or Han Dynasty Ya Zi decorations. I believe it is true that the Ya Zi decorations are older than recordings of the Ya Zi myth.

[@jesusdanielespinoza9314]

The enlogated tunkou sorts of remind me of the reinforcements often seen on Khanda blades, the reason in said reinforcements when it comes to the Khanda resides in the fact that the actual blade is quite flexible due to its thiness, so the reinforcements are there to keep it stiff (which is why they are such monster cutters). But I doubt that's the case here.

[@lasselen9448]

Could the tūnkǒu's length on the blade be somewhat equivalent to a ricasso?

[@hibernative]

I am at 1:02 and my wild guess is that it hinders rain from ruining the blade close from the opening. It is like a buffer for moisture?

[@ramboturkey1926]

im guessing it helps it stay snug in the sheath

[@belishp]

I thought the soft metal was partly there to help absorb some of the impact to reduce the chance of breaking at the transition points of swords.

[@stephengent9974]

No. The saga is made with a drainage channel at the bottom. The blade is fitted closely to the saga, so it does not flop about. The blades of Kattana, waksashi, tanto, are not flat on the sides either, and the says is carved to fit the blades curve. The hawaii is fitted on the blade to the says, and the rest of the handle is fitted afterwards. There are additionally two washers, either side of the stub to make the handle fit tightly. In the Art of war Sun Tau advised on having a bad tightly bound, to stop a too rapid drawing of the blade. Some accounts say that if you draw the blade it should cut. I have made a few says from scratch, and the blade needs to closely fit the saga. This is not easy. Having the hawaii makes it slightly easier.

[@mrkiky]

I've read somewhere at some point that the blade only comes in contact with the saya at the tip and the habaki, leaving the rest of the blade untouched. Also some katana blades were flat on the sides, not all of them had a fuller. (also, your comment is an absolute autocorrect nightmare. better off turning it off and leave the typos tbh)

[@atom8248]

What?

[@Serpsss]

Looks like autocorrect has butchered this a little 😂 Aloha!

[@formisfunction1861]

Fascinating!

[@manfredconnor3194]

I knew what the Habaki was for, but now you have led me to wonder how is this accomplished on European swords? I guess the tolerances are just smaller between blade and scabbard? It's funny that I can't think of it now. 😂 I suspect that the extended Chinese and Mongolian version served 2 purposes. One was to protect the base of the blade from damage in coming into contact with the scabbard. It could also strengthen the base of the blade vs. impact damage. One other reason, I thought of could have been to protect the fingers if an over the guard grip was used, but this seems awkward anfmd unlikely. Is there a correlation with shield use? Do you tend to find these on swords that were used im conjuntion with shields or not?

[@JonDundas10]

I love how Englishly you say habaki! "Habacky" haha

[@Varinr]

Unrelated topic completely, but Matt have you played chivalry 2? Would love your take on the video game!

[@edi9892]

It does remind me of some Bowie knives and I don't mean a Minuki, but the copper plating of the spine.

[@hisholinesssriak7618]

That was a Wakasaki, not a Katana, right?

[@HobieH3]

Protection of the forte for partying? Maybe over time they found that this was where most blades tended to break and added protection. Are they removable? Could you replace one after it had picked up a few dings?

[@YeeLeeHaw]

Can you make a review of LK Chen's spearheads? Can't find any reviews out there.

[@shlamimk4664]

Yes, please do continue to be.

[@alxsblv6164]

Can it also serve as additional weight? To shift balance of the balde closer to handle?

[@saintjacques8137]

Not sure it's the right niche but if anyone's interested into a broader insight in the Asian Art of War I strongly recommend Schwerpunkt's relative playlist

[@lykiaarmour]

I once made copies of a similar sword...

[@kiwiprouddavids724]

Listening well I put some new handles on some old machete blades ...... funny I was wondering about these things , I was wondering if they helped hold the handles together some how?

[@wylde_hunter]

Could the very long tunkou be used for a two-handed strike - maybe against armour?

[@srgplay4526]

We call it Kaju in our local language.

[@randolphtiangco6239]

You can sharpen the sword all you want and the sword won't be loose in the scabbard.

[@theromanorder]

Please do a video on this kzbin.infoUgkxCPUbFX5AKUq2o2V2XH92EkfZUXxeRQOB how to fight oponits of different sizes to you how would you fight in inclosed space like a ship or a house. one on if a morning star turned into a flail.. If 2 bladed sword had 1 blade (same handle how dose it change fighting) and a baionet for a crossbow, mabey it could dig like a shovel if you put it on the foot rest or mabey dress in a traditional lady's dress or formal clothes, or uniforms like the inperials fom star wars, and see how restricted it is in combat... one on paudrines (sorry for spelling) one on lorica musculata, the roman armor of generals and other leaders, how would combat be effected by water? (like fighting in or under water) some videos on Egyptian wepons or Babylon, persan, sumerion, ect from pre hellenistic, mabey even Korean wepons, or wepons from Thailand, veitnam, a some Chinese, Australia, Pacific countries (including aotroa) (please learn the pronounceations)

[@freestatefellow]

Do you think there’s any functional relation between the asymmetrical collars and the brass spines we see on bowies?

[@scholagladiatoria]

I don't *think* so... but it's worth pondering!

[@wolschou]

Question: Why do people insist on calling the parts of japanese swords by their japanese names? They don't do that with swords from other nations. Is it just a part of the pop culture mystification of japanese blades?

[@doomer_collect]

Tang Dynasty I heard that some of their ancestors were Turks. It much call Turkic influence on Chinese including the spread of round neck shirts replaced lapel shirt.

[@greycatturtle7132]

Interesting

[@gilde915]

Matt what would you use it for?....if you find a logical use for it...those people would do the same

[@guawazi]

Is it just me or does 吞口 sound kind of naughty? 😅

[@stuarthughes3747]

big washer then

[@kdefensemartialarts8097]

👍

[@Bob_Lennart]

Why is it that sword nerds always use Japanese words to describe bits on Japanese swords but they never use Swedish words for bits on Swedish swords. Or French or Russian or any other language.

[@mrkiky]

It's better documented in Japanese maybe. We don't even know what the sword we call a longsword was actually called in every part of Europe. Just to be clear I'm not saying that it's not known, but that most people who talk about swords don't know, and that's because all throughout medieval Europe, there has been a lot of influence across nations such that an "epee" and a "schwert" was the same thing at some point, which is most likely true for their constituent bits as well so we just default to naming them in English. Meanwhile Japan was very isolated and they had their word for their specific sword with very specific construction and its variations. Also, because of the very specific construction, you know that when you say "saya" or "tsuka" it means "scabbard" and "handle" but you automatically know exactly which type. We also do call Turkish swords "kilij" and Chinese swords "dao", both of which just roughly translate to "sword".

[@Bob_Lennart]

I just don't see any good reason for it, other than it sounds cool. Which is a perfectly valid reason, mind you. But it's not like other languages don't have perfectly good words for the different parts of a sword. True, we do call Turkish swords "kilij" but a kilij still has a scabbard and not whatever the Turkish word for scabbard is. This is of course not a problem. Just a random thought that flew into my head.

[@stefthorman8548]

@@Bob_Lennart it because most European sword aren't that dissimilar, i mean, what's so different about an Swedish sword? we both know they copied the German swords, and Russian swords copied the Mongols(since Russia got most of their territory from former Mongol/turk territory) so we have to use modern English words(global language, which already incorporated alot of loan words from other European languages) to describe them, while, turkish, japanese, ect, have more distinct and exotic parts, i mean are you gonna call an tsuba an "small flat circle guard"?

[@atom8248]

@@Bob_Lennart It's easier due to some parts and terms only existing in Japanese swords or in their language. The kurikata (the knob on the side of the scabbard that keeps it in the sash and that you tie the sageo string into) for example has no real equivalent in European swords. The habaki doesn't have an equivalent either.

[@Glimmlampe1982]

I think atom pretty much nailed it. With European swords the parts are pretty similar and thus have names in each language. So using special names only make real sense if the thing it describes is different.

[@plasmaburndeath]

Too bad they didn't just use WD-40 🙂- seriously anyway - TY for the video.

[@patrickwilliams3108]

Fascinating content. I think your theorems may be sound, they certainly make some sense. As others have said on previous videos, however, your pronunciation of Asian words is atrocious (but if that's the biggest demerit I can give you, you're still doing quite well).