Eunjangdo

Timo Nieminen · 2nd May 2012, 09:27 AM

Here's my one-and-only eunjangdo. Horn grip and scabbard, with silver(?) mounts. Unfortunately missing the mount over the underside and tip of the scabbard. It's very thin; the blade is 2.35 mm thick at the hilt, and the grip is 6.5 mm thick. The other side of the blade is flat.

I'm told by Koreans that these are, in terms of knife-use, purely suicide/self-defense knives (either being seen as acceptable for rape prevention), rather than being used for any kind of everyday utility tasks. Primarily for suicide, but killing the attacker would not be seen as dishonorable. For upper-class women only. Whether that means nobility or nobility + yangban (i.e., Korean gentry), I don't know, but I think the latter.

It also functioned as decoration and, more importantly, an indicator of class.

2nd May 2012, 09:27 AM	#17
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	Here's my one-and-only eunjangdo. Horn grip and scabbard, with silver(?) mounts. Unfortunately missing the mount over the underside and tip of the scabbard. It's very thin; the blade is 2.35 mm thick at the hilt, and the grip is 6.5 mm thick. The other side of the blade is flat. I'm told by Koreans that these are, in terms of knife-use, purely suicide/self-defense knives (either being seen as acceptable for rape prevention), rather than being used for any kind of everyday utility tasks. Primarily for suicide, but killing the attacker would not be seen as dishonorable. For upper-class women only. Whether that means nobility or nobility + yangban (i.e., Korean gentry), I don't know, but I think the latter. It also functioned as decoration and, more importantly, an indicator of class. Attached Images