Unusual Kashira

[SwordGuyJoe]

Could someone comment on the kashira on the blade posted here (http://www.nihonto.com/rh432.html). I have never seen anything like this before and am interested in why they made it this way?

[John A Stuart]

There are hidden techniques using strikes with the tsuka in many styles. eg. yonhonme -tsuka ate, hachihonme -ganmen ate, jupponme -shiho giri. I think this type of kashira would make the technique more effective. John

Oh!!, I forgot to mention where these kata come from. Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu. J.

[Gunome]

Hi,

 

here another exemple:

 

Sebastien

[watsonmil]

This type of kashira ( pommel ) was used as a shull crusher. A blow downward with the hilt in hand to your oponents skull generally killed instantly. The same device is often seen on WWII daggers as used by Commandos, OSS, SOE.

........ Ron Watson

[Toryu2020]

Niten Ichi Ryu or Musashi Koshirae -

No secret - the original Musashi koshirae had an enlarged iron Higo kashira, the hole for the tsukaito being much larger than it needed to be. It was not extended however. Attributed to Miyamoto Musashi and copied by students of his Niten Ichi Ryu, it slowly but surely became more extended and more pointed. This example is a much later example of this idea. I have seen this piece in hand, a nice blade and koshirae for the price if one is looking for an Iai-to

 

Strikes with the kashira, tsuka, tsuba and kojiri are common to many schools and not really hidden if you are looking...

-t

[SwordGuyJoe]

Thank you for the insight. While I have only been studying nihonto for a few of years, it is delightful finding new things and having a forum to ask stupid questions. Thank you so much.