Nagakatana?

[DTM72]

I am familiar with nagamaki and naginata but a nagakatana? Since the seller specifically says in the description that the blades are wakizashi, would it be a nagazashi? <-- I'm being sarcastic here.

Please explain!

Seller claims orikaeshi-mei. Wouldn't this actually be a gaku-mei since it was channeled and not actually folded?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-Pair-of-Antique-Japanese-Samurai-Nagakatana-Polearms/164314528471?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908103841%26meid%3Dd396a4aaeece4e9f9a31583a48a5378f%26pid%3D100227%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D14%26sd%3D184312731889%26itm%3D164314528471%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2053904&_trksid=p2053904.c100227.m3827

[Geraint]

Dear DAn.

 

Orikaeshi mei, thinned down signature folded over and inlaid into the other side of the nakago.  Gaku mei, signature cut off, thinned and inlaid into the nakago.  This example is orikaeshi mei.

 

For what it's worth I think these are simply two blades mounted as nagamaki, so I suppose calling them nagakatana works.  I don't hink these were ever intended for use, at best parade items.

 

 

[Babu]

I agree both are swords mounted in naginata Koshirae. The naginata nakago needs more depth for strength and stability through impact force.

If these short nakago on these poles made contact with anything the point of stress would be spread over a tiny area and split the Koshirae or at least loosen up very swiftly.

My own naginata nakago is almost the same length as the blade.

This is designed to do the above,spread the stress over more area to allow shock absorbsion.

Still two blades for $2000 isn't a terribly bad price if flawless. One might be shoshin with orikaeshi mei. 

What's the modern red paint signifying?

[Jussi Ekholm]

I am not sure what is the correct reading of very rare term 長刀, I have it listed as synonym for naginata in one big glossary book, and Markus has it related to naginata too. Here is probably the only NBTHK paper where I have seen that writing used for an item and Aoi listed it as Nagagatana.

 

I would think like Geraint and Adam above that these blades are just pushed into old poles.

[Babu]

There were nagagatana or blades designed to be pole mounted that very closely resemble sword shapes.

However as I said consistent with any pole mounted slashing weapon, the nakago has to be very long to distribute force of impact.

With a sword this force is placed within the tsuka and in your hand.your assisting the strength of the tsuka and due to length and fittings that force is distributed evenly the whole length of the tsuka.

Put that sword on the end of a pole and the force is a 6-7feet from you. It's distributed to the tip of the pole.

When a sword breaks at the tip or halfway along it's length, this force principle is at play.

Someone swung a sword,it met with equal force and the end of the blade cracked along the path of least resistance and kept going in the direction it was swung.

Get a stick hit a tree, when the stick breaks that's the same force principle I'm trying badly to explain.

Put this with those nakago and no they are not naginata,nagagatana or anything but swords oddly mounted in someone's home project.