Korean Korea sword / sabre

Copycat · 11th July 2023, 08:18 PM

Hello All,

Please see below pictures. Is this a Korean sword? Definitely not a katana.There is little information on Korean sword. Online examples of Korean swords are diverse.

This also unlikely a Vietnamese or another South East Asian Japanese inspired sword. The tip of the sword is a Korean and central asian feature.

I am really tempted to inspect the tang.

Gavin Nugent · 12th July 2023, 09:54 AM

Not Korean... looks to be based on a Japanese WWII blade given the pin in the tang showing under the leather hilt wrapping.

Gavin

Copycat · 12th July 2023, 12:10 PM

Hi Gavin,

Thank you for your reply. Korean swords are diverse. A pin in the hilt is possible for Korean swords.

See below link.

https://nyaongzcom.wordpress.com/202...german-museum/

Edit:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Korea

Copycat · 12th July 2023, 12:44 PM

The appearance reminds me of a gunto.

Jim McDougall · 13th July 2023, 12:18 AM

My Korean saber, as per Scott Rodell & Philip Tom, seems quite similar.

Gavin Nugent · 13th July 2023, 03:17 AM

The hole relevance, as far as I understand it is in relation to the tang size and if it is or not retaining a fitting in place, and what size the knife or sword is.

The link you shared from the forum is a great example of the tang shapes and the hole position for a knife sized item.

Many are also peened tang and the hole is used for the lanyard, others I have seen are peened tangs and someone has filled the hole with a peg too, others are secured by the lanyard fittings alone, not an inserted pin...

A few of the Korean swords I've sold are seen below. they show some of the variances I note.

The sword you present looks Japanese to me with the images there are to work from, in appearances, style and aspects like the pin and the leather coverings.

Copycat · 13th July 2023, 06:10 AM

@jim
Thank you for your pictures. You saber is no doubt a handsome Korean saber.

@gavin
Maybe the knife was a wrong example. The other link has Korean swords With pins too.

Jim also posted a lovely example with a pin. This saber is also Japanese in appearance. However, it's absolutely not Japanese or Japanese influenced.

Your example looks more Chinese in appearance, but this does not mean it's Chinese or Chinese influenced.

Copycat · 13th July 2023, 06:35 AM

Peening and using a lanyard is both Chinese and Korean in style. An inserted pin is both Japanese and Korean in style.

11th July 2023, 08:18 PM	#1
Copycat Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 38	Korean Korea sword / sabre Hello All, Please see below pictures. Is this a Korean sword? Definitely not a katana.There is little information on Korean sword. Online examples of Korean swords are diverse. This also unlikely a Vietnamese or another South East Asian Japanese inspired sword. The tip of the sword is a Korean and central asian feature. I am really tempted to inspect the tang. Attached Images

12th July 2023, 12:10 PM	#3
Copycat Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 38	Hi Gavin, Thank you for your reply. Korean swords are diverse. A pin in the hilt is possible for Korean swords. See below link. https://nyaongzcom.wordpress.com/202...german-museum/ Edit: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=Korea Last edited by Copycat; 12th July 2023 at 01:02 PM.

13th July 2023, 12:18 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,801	My Korean saber, as per Scott Rodell & Philip Tom, seems quite similar. Attached Images

13th July 2023, 03:17 AM	#6
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	The hole relevance, as far as I understand it is in relation to the tang size and if it is or not retaining a fitting in place, and what size the knife or sword is. The link you shared from the forum is a great example of the tang shapes and the hole position for a knife sized item. Many are also peened tang and the hole is used for the lanyard, others I have seen are peened tangs and someone has filled the hole with a peg too, others are secured by the lanyard fittings alone, not an inserted pin... A few of the Korean swords I've sold are seen below. they show some of the variances I note. The sword you present looks Japanese to me with the images there are to work from, in appearances, style and aspects like the pin and the leather coverings. Attached Images

12th July 2023, 09:54 AM	#2
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	Not Korean... looks to be based on a Japanese WWII blade given the pin in the tang showing under the leather hilt wrapping. Gavin

12th July 2023, 12:44 PM	#4
Copycat Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 38	The appearance reminds me of a gunto.

13th July 2023, 06:10 AM	#7
Copycat Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 38	@jim Thank you for your pictures. You saber is no doubt a handsome Korean saber. @gavin Maybe the knife was a wrong example. The other link has Korean swords With pins too. Jim also posted a lovely example with a pin. This saber is also Japanese in appearance. However, it's absolutely not Japanese or Japanese influenced. Your example looks more Chinese in appearance, but this does not mean it's Chinese or Chinese influenced.

13th July 2023, 06:35 AM	#8
Copycat Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 38	Peening and using a lanyard is both Chinese and Korean in style. An inserted pin is both Japanese and Korean in style.