Ming-dynasty Japanese-style Waist Saber Details

This knife with a weight of 703g is the so-called Japanese-style waist saber, invented by the renowned general Qi Jiguang (1528-1588 AD) of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD) based on improvement of the Japanese waist saber, hence the name. Made of high-quality metal, this saber has a slender shape and a curved edge. An oval iron cross-guard with narrow folded edges is attached to the joint between the hilt and the blade via an iron ring, which sits right next to the link between the thumb and the index finger when the knife is held by somebody. Such a ring, also called “edge opening”, has a rectangular cross section and a trapezoid side view. Its pommel is in a shape similar to a fan. All these components combined make an awe-inspiring piece of weapon.