katana-sized kabutowari???

[fearn]

John Evans' book Kurikara: The Sword and the Serpent, a book on Japanese swordmanship, makes an interesting claim: the claim is that kabutowari (helmet cutters) were sword-sized battle weapons that had a sharp tip but not a sharp edge. The idea is that any katana would get dulled cutting into armor, so why not use a specialized sword, the "kabuto-wari," as basically a crushing weapon, with the tip sharp enough to pry into joints in the armor.

The logic sounds good, and Sensei Evans provides a picture and describes how he trained with one.

Problem is, the only type of kabutowari I've seen outside this book (and the only ones I've seen on the web) are basically a heavier version of a jitte, a metal bar cudgel with a hook about one foot long.

Has anyone ever seen a katana-sized kabutowari, especially an antique one? Or is this a modern invention?

Best,

F