An Interesting Sword

Oct 1, 2018
429
662
Western PA, Northern NJ
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Max
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This one needs a little bit of explanation. About 50 years ago my dad and his parents moved into a new house. After a few years, my grandfather found two Japanese swords and a Japanese flag in a crawlspace. My dad remembers them, but he doesn't remember any details, so they may not have even been Japanese for all I know. Around the early 70s, my grandfather sold the swords for somewhere around $1800 each. My dad doesn't know what happened to the flag. All I know about the previous owner of the house is that he was a veteran, presumably of World War 2. He most likely placed the swords and flag in the crawlspace, though I don't know why he wouldn't retrieve them before selling the house.

My dad first told me this whole story a few years ago, and earlier this week I resolved to investigate this crawlspace myself. I figured that if somebody had hidden 2 swords, they might have hidden more. That brings me to this sword here. I found this under some garbage in a different crawlspace in the same basement. Now, I don't know a whole lot about swords, but this thing doesn't seem like any $1800 piece of history. The blade is dull and the craftsmanship doesn't seem to be anything special. I think the handle is wood with rope wrapped around it. The hole near the tip suggests it is meant for display. The cross guard has visible hammer marks, but it looks like it was made in somebody's backyard rather than by a professional blacksmith. I don't see any distinguishing marks on the blade, but it is scratched and dented in some places. Considering the nature of the other items from the crawlspace, I would guess that this is also from Japan, but I haven't been able to find anything else like it online. My dad says he has never seen this sword before, so it probably also belonged to the previous owner of the house.

So, what is it? Where is it from? Is it worth anything?
IMG_20201229_192856.jpgIMG_20201229_192908.jpg
 

Appears to be a Chinese war sword.

Not to be indelicate but something an uneducated and untrained peasant could inflict damage with. Like an AR-15 or M-4.
 

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It’s definitely not Japanese but may have been picked up during the war. It’s a Chinese dadao, values vary greatly. This may provide a little more background:

https://archive.mandarinmansion.com/special-dadao

It has the similar style but this one is missing the fuller/blood grooves along the upper blade.

Duilian Broadsword (Chopper Sword)

Resembles the style also, though in the pictures this one has a hole in the top end of the blade-for hanging on a nail.

So it may just an early repro. of the original designs of both. For use as a machete type use-than fighting or ceremonial martial arts.
 

Upvote 1
It has the similar style but this one is missing the fuller/blood grooves along the upper blade.



Resembles the style also, though in the pictures this one has a hole in the top end of the blade-for hanging on a nail.

So it may just an early repro. of the original designs of both. For use as a machete type use-than fighting or ceremonial martial arts.

It definitely is supposed to look like the Dadao. The dullness of the blade and the hole at the end make me think it is made to be displayed, rather than used. Is there anywhere I could look on the sword for a maker's mark.
 

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After watching numerous videos on sword testing there is one exciting component that comes up with regards to the katana. it's far splendid at slashing. plainly the blade may be very forgiving inside the cut. some thing about the geometry of the blade and its curvature lets in it to trap and slice deeply into a floor even when the threshold alignment of the blade is off throughout a strike. its nothing magical. its simply the sword is made in a specific manner that made it quite desirable at doing a particular issue. the equal is true for plenty other styles of swords be they higher at piercing, hacking or cutting or some aggregate of all three.
 

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Old thread, but nice find. I think it's real. Probably dull because it hasn't been sharpened in a hundred years. Looks like it could be from the boxer rebellion. Old ones have guards like that. Looks like there may well have been a mark on the blade.
A executioners neck chopper..?
 

Upvote 1
Old thread, but nice find. I think it's real. Probably dull because it hasn't been sharpened in a hundred years. Looks like it could be from the boxer rebellion. Old ones have guards like that. Looks like there may well have been a mark on the blade.
A executioners neck chopper..?
Hard to say, I know a lot of these things were produced during WW2 to give to local militias in China. As the japanese advanced, the chinese tore up their railroads and turned them into these guys.
 

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The guard on yours looks much older like a village made one.
 

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