Japanese Edo Era Kankyuto (貫級刀) Double Edged Knife, Head Piercer, With Boars Eye Piecing and Silver Inlaid Cherry Blossom. One Piece Steel Construction And It is Also Called A Bashin (馬針) or Umabari

Often carried like a kodzuka in the small side pocket of a wakazashi or tanto saya. Original early examples are rare and highly collectable. However both bashin and umbari are usually not of one-piece construction, have a longer blade and lack the hole at the end that kankyûtô always have.

Their original use was associated with the practice of cutting enemy heads and presenting them with a tag, a practice that continued into the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Theories vary about whether it was used to affix the tag, or having to do with adding a thread to a head for mounting or transport.

An alternative use was horse-healing for over heated limbs.

Beside their use for horse-healing, they are known as throwing-knifes (shuriken) or hidden knives. These were used as both horse bleeder tools and sometimes a backup weapon or "property marker" for samurai. Kankyuto (貫級刀) means a sword to pierce a head.

The usage of handling severed heads for formal head viewing (首実検: kubijikken) after battle by supporting the head like a stand.

Bashin was used as a throwing knife as well as a tool for horses. And during Sengoku era, it was used to support a cut head of enemy when it was examined.

Found on mountings sometimes in place of a kogai, Umabari ("horse needle"). The handle portion is inlaid with lotus blossom. It is believed their principle region of use for these was in the province of Higo, but they were carried elsewhere as time progressed. It is said there are numerous stories about badly wounded Ronin on the battlefield who would use their Umabari to attack one more foe as the victors moved among the fallen samurai warriors to finish those who were thought helpless.

5 1/2 inches long.

Code: 26173