Simple Question

S

ShiGuan

Joined
Jan 30, 2015
Messages
5
I'm sorry if this is a common question. After quite a bit of searching I've found nothing. So maybe I'm jus not searching correctly. But...

Can anyone please explain to me the method that European sword blades are held in their hilts. I've seen countless pictures and read a little bit about them but not me too of that is ever really made. And I cannot deduce it from images. In nihonto the blade is held in place by the mekugi pin that goes through the Tsuka and nakago. But European sword blades have smooth and usually tapered tangs. So what is the mechanism that keeps a European blade firmly attached to the rest of the sword.

So, if someone could please tell me how much of an idiot I am, that would be appreciated. Thank you.
 
With a lot of swords the tang (nakago on a katana) either have a nut on the end, or have the end of the tang mushed over (peened). Some others are just stuck in with resin/glue. With medieval swords, most had a peen. Some are a bit more complicated.

This one has both a nut and a peen, even if that block doesn't look like a nut
kd9xxh.jpg


Some just have a peen
2eevrwm.jpg


Sometimes the pommel itself is threaded
2evc7s6.jpg


Sometimes even very old swords had threaded pommels
2ahzcbt.jpg


Cheers

GC
 
Last edited:
...since the Roman times had the end of the tang peened over either the pommel itself or a small button on top of the pommel. Later, especially on military swords, the button became a threaded nut. Threading the pommel itself normally did not start until decorational swords came into vogue in the current era. Although, as the MS shows, they may have been used prior in a few cases.
 
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