Just for fun: the "beheading" katana from...Knott's Berry Farm!

[Shuriken]

I'd never been in the museum at Knott's Berry Farm amusement park. Normally it's not open. Today it was, and it's actually quite good. All kinds of stuff in there; mostly pretty cool old Americana. There's also quite collection of weapons--1800's pistols and carbines, and some edged weapons. And, literally in a dark corner, was a katana in display case. Labeled as "400 years old, record is in the handle". No record of when it was donated, probably the 1960's, although the person who did, Vernon Hudgens of Huntington Beach, is noted.

 

It's an interesting katana.

 

• "Type 3" mountings.
• Blade looks beefy, is is pretty good polish, and a solid hamon is visible.
• Would love to see the nakago. 400 year old blade in a Type 3 mount setup? Yet someone back then knew to check the nakago for mei...

 

I have half a mind to contact the PR dept of Knott's and ask if it might be studied. Worse they can do is say no. It's like the katana at the Palm Springs Aviation Museum. Looks super nice and has a surrender tag on it. Always wanted to know the provenance of that sword too.

 

Dave

[PNSSHOGUN]

Looks like a normal Type 3 Gendaito, same profile as Nagamitsu and the other commonly found good Gendai in these mounts.

[Utopianarian]

The museum must not think much of preservation of this sword. They drove a screw thru the Mekugi-Ana to mount it on the display. Knotts Berry Farms in Buena Park is literally a few miles away from the Trauma center I work at. Small world. I’ll have to check it out some time. I never knew they had that display. I used to go to the theme park there when the kids were little years ago.

[Shuriken]

I'm a nOOb, but I think Type 3's did have a screw in the upper mekugi-ana.

[Utopianarian]

You are right. 1 mekugi and 1 screw. They also have a screw thru the kabuto-gane which might be used to mount

[Bruce Pennington]

Dave,

Please try to contact them!  Let them know that thousands of WWII Japanese sword collectors really want to see that nakago!

[vajo]

I think its a showato. If you filtre the picture so see a dark shadowline above the hamon and nothing else.

The binding speaks for showato too.

 

But interesting i never heard from Knott's Berry Farm and Google it. He was the first worldwide who introduced Halloween as a party in 1973. I would like to notice that many belive that Halloween parties are an very old tradition. A lot of people here in germany are annoyed when "modern" families celebrate it because it has no tradition here.

 

Now i know who is responsible for that! 

Its Mr. Knott 

[Utopianarian]

Another interesting fact about Knotts Berry farm is Walter Knott was the first to commercially cultivate the Boysenberry. It’s my wife’s favorite Boysenberry preserves sold by Knotts Berry Farms.

[Stephen]

I don't know where to start with you Chris we see lots of  gendiato in RS mounts.

John has it the hamon is very Nagamitsu.

Bruce I disagree, we dont have to see every nakago i can picture some young worker at KBF buggering it up real good.

Chris not sure what you're saying about Halloween parties I was born in 1945 and as early as I can remember we had Halloween parties so maybe I'm lost on your translation.

 

I  took my kids to Knott's Berry farm in the seventies early 70s its very popular attraction It had alligator pits and several  rides for the kids. Sad to say I didn't get to see the museum.

Hey at least they used the ana and not drilled through the nakago

[Stephen]

PS 

Just visited Knott's Berry farm website that is not my kids KBF. It had no big attractions as they have now.

More like the cowboys old town...heck they might not even have alligators anymore.

 

[vajo]

I read it on wikipedia (the german edition). 

Knott’s Berry Farm – Wikipedia

 Zwei Jahre später, im Jahr 1973, veranstaltete Knott’s Berry Farm das weltweit erste Halloween Fest.

Two years later in the year 1973 Knott's Berry Farm organize the worlds first Halloween party.(3)

They took it from Knott's Berry Farm Media Center

 

Haha maybe its a promotion hoax 

[Stephen]

Who knows Chris, maybe first amusement park? Who held party's

[Stephen]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knott's_Scary_Farm

 

Its from them turning the the entire park into Knott's scary farm in 73 so that's where that comes from.

 

[Shuriken]

@Stephen I love that it had "alligator pits" back in the day!!

[DTM72]

I gots wanna dem there gator pits in ma back yard. They quite onry cause they gots all dem teeth and no toothbrush. Guess thats why they wanna be eatin ma lil doggies.

[Shuriken]

And now we know why you own nihonto @DTM72  because you just might need one in your own backyard!

[DTM72]

They were in this area long before we were. Never had any problems except when you get a fish on the line, they want to steal it from you. That can piss you off losing the fish, and the lure.