habaki or not

E

elasmonut

Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
657
I am looking at building my first sword shaped object, something along the lines of a wakazashi. My query is how important is the habaki it seems a lot of work for not much gain. The only functions I can see are to act as collar to wedge the blade into the handle and maybe add some strength to the handle juncture or even less so to impede or slow an opponents blade. And would it be sacrelige or structurally unsound to pin it like a bolster. Many sabres and western blades seemed to survive fine with a normal plunge line.
So what I'd like to hear is the arguments for and against a habaki.
 
A habaki is a part of Japanese sword Koshirae. It isn't required if you don't want one. Bolsters would work, or just make a larger ricasso. I often make the habaki and braze ( hard silver solder) it onto the tsuba for tanto. That way the assembly goes on and off as one piece and stays rigid.

There are no nihonto sword police...... ( much as some would like to tell you that there are )....make your sword any way you want. Most folks who make a tanto/wakizashi/katana that is not traditional call it something like a "tactical Wakizashi". I made a friend a shoto wakizashi themed fillet knife for big Rockfish and called it a "Rockizashi".
 
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