Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Has anyone heard of the term "Island Swords" ?

katana · 22nd July 2011, 12:34 PM

Thanks Barry,
I was uncertain about the 'stories' of native manufacture .... the Japanese had limited supplies of 'raw' materials during the later stages of the war ....which may or may not have caused situations whereby blades were produced by 'local' techniques/materials. Many of the regions that produced Dha/Darb were occupied by the Japanese, and a lot of these blades were of very good quality.
Many of the later produced Japanese swords were of poor quality and not traditionally made....mono steel, oil quenched, machine made etc. So perhaps there may have been a few isolated cases of 'native produced' katana blades

As to 'Island swords' ....I only found one reference in a forum .....but no where else....so perhaps a Chinese fakers sales term to help sell their wares

All the best

David

22nd July 2011, 12:34 PM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Thanks Barry, I was uncertain about the 'stories' of native manufacture .... the Japanese had limited supplies of 'raw' materials during the later stages of the war ....which may or may not have caused situations whereby blades were produced by 'local' techniques/materials. Many of the regions that produced Dha/Darb were occupied by the Japanese, and a lot of these blades were of very good quality. Many of the later produced Japanese swords were of poor quality and not traditionally made....mono steel, oil quenched, machine made etc. So perhaps there may have been a few isolated cases of 'native produced' katana blades As to 'Island swords' ....I only found one reference in a forum .....but no where else....so perhaps a Chinese fakers sales term to help sell their wares All the best David