The reverse Katana???

Question

Me and my buddy got into a whole conversation about the reverse Katana and I thought that it was made during the samurai era like the regular Katana but my buddy thinks it was made by mistake by someone from back in the samurai age but they never told the guy they sold it to.

I know hes full of it but where did the reverse Katana come from?? BESIDES THAT ANIME SHOW.

Answer 1

Reverse katanas are not historically accurate. It is a modern invention based on the desire in post WWII philosophy of non lethal force (unless absolutely necessary) - so its a club with a blade on the back, to prevent someone grabbing it, which can be inverted at a push to be used as a real sword...

so far as I can tell anyway...

Answer 2

im pretty sure it was made up for rouruni kenshin.  i havnt found anything about htem apart from that series. and they would be a pointless weapon as you noticed in the series everyone considered his reverse blade as junk and it would have been junk if it was made in real life.

just because something is on tv doent mean its real.

Answer 3

A sakabato (reverse-edged sword) is a fictional type of Japanese sword. On the normal katana, the outward curved side of the blade is sharpened, while the inward curved side of the blade is blunt. In contrast, the sakabato is made so that the cutting edge is on the side that curves inward. Although functional sakabato are currently being produced for purchase by collectors and fans, there is no record of them ever having been used historically in Japan. There is also no school of swordsmanship existing that employs them. However, historical use of "reverse-blade" weapons is evident from samples held at the Deoksu Royal Palace Museum in Korea. Because Japan at one time invaded Korea, the possibility remains open that a sakabato was developed based on Korean examples. However, as aforementioned, no historical record nor archaeological evidence currently exists to support such a theory. Some Tanto (Knives) have been found that have "reversed blades". These are labelled kubikiri, sometimes translated as "head cutter" or "doctor's knife". The sakabato is the main weapon of popular manga character Himura Kenshin in the manga Rurouni Kenshin, and as such is typically depicted as a 'pacifist' weapon by those willing to kill only as a last resort.

Answer 4

If it's real at all, it sounds like an experiment that didn't work.

Answer 5

You are right about your friend being full of BS.  Nobody makes something like that on accident.  There isn't much knowledge out there to be found, but here's what I know.  The regular and original Katana was made in Japan around the 7th and 8th century by decendents of Chinese and Korean sword makers who migrated to Japan.  The Reverse K was made sometime shortly after that because one smart @ss thought it would be cool to dull the blade portion of his crappy sword so he could use it as a club, ultimately stunning the opponent, while razoring the back side of said club to catch his oponents off guard.  Either way, it started out as a misdirection weapon that was designed to take a head off on the backswing.  

Not too many people know much more than that, so good luck.  I hope there's people who know more than I do, because that's about all I know, and I'm no expert.

Answer 6

What anime show? You mean Rurouni  Kenshin? I'm not sure where the reverse blade sword came from. My specialties do not lie in Kendo. Though I did take a little Shinkendo. From my martial arts experience, all I can say is that the reverse blade sword was probably made for more defensive purposes than offensive.

Answer 7

It was developed my Rex  (founder of Rex Kwon Do)