Thursday 19 May 2011

Sword saw

Chinese woodworker's home-made saw,  fitted up to look like a sword. Hardwood and brown lacquer.




 
Blade length is 375mm [14.75"] long,  the hilt is 204mm [8"] long, and the grip length is 102mm [4.25"].  Narrow blades like this are usually employed for cutting holes in wood rather than for cutting boards to dimensions.


The blade is fairly thick and has coarse, hand-cut teeth:


This is a nice example of the inventiveness of Chinese woodworkers. Woodworking tools were often decorated but his one is playful to the point of being humorous.


The decoration isn't perhaps what one would expect to see on a sword hilt, but it probably had some significance to the maker. The pommel is embellished with a bamboo motif, and the mask-head on the guard appears to be of a monkey in the clouds.


Slightly different on the other side:


Could this be the legendary Monkey King?

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