Once more, this isn't quite the place to ask this, but I don't know where
would be a better place.  What is the tradition regarding naming swords?  Is
it just for legendary weapons, or for any?  How is the name chosen?

24 responses total.

I named my sword.  It's a descriptive name, but I don't remember it
exactly.  I'd have to translate it from the inscription.  It also
has/had parchments in the hilt with spells of protection and victory and
such on it.  Those would be burned up now, though.  Did some hot work on
the pommel.

Charles:
a) what language?
b) you're a smith?

Daniel- The Japanese certainly have/had traditions of naming a weapon, 
and referred to the Katana as "the soul of the samurai", but I don't
know how common the actual practice might have been.  Plenty of
references to British/European legendary heros' swords, but again- don't
know who else did it.  Now, if a sword is a)worth a year or more's 
livelihood b)considered somewhat mysterious in the making--smithcraft
was as much magic as science since they couldn't really test the 
hardness and strength of metal except in use c)likely to save or sell 
your life d)a mark of nobility since po' folk couldn't own or use one
and e)often passed down in wills, then I would guess it might aquire a
certain measure of fame and possibly also a moniker in the course of
use.  More, a name might be a bit of wish-magic to encourage the qualities
you were hoping the sword might bring--like Charles said; victory, 
protection, etc. 
What do you have in mind?

Not really a smith.  The blade is not my make.  That's the next step.

Well, I recently bought a boken to use as a practice sword for stage combat,
and my initial impulse was to name it, but it occurred to me that it might
be inappropriate to name something so unimportant, so I was wondering what
the tradition was.

Its importance is going to depend on your attitude toward it.  After all,
wooden or not, it *can* function as a weapon.  I'm not sure if there are
any 500 year old boken running around Japan, though...Perhaps the "soul" of
the sword is a function of the steel- more likely, of the work put into
it.  Your boken was probably mass-produced.   You could give it a name
which would tend to "invoke" safety for the folks practicing, or realism
for the audience...

That 'mass-produced' bit, I think, is the reason I felt so hesitant to give
it a name.  You're absolutely right about that, and I think that's the reason
it doesn't feel like it deserves it's own name...

There, then.  You'll have to make your own...<g>

Or, you could take that attitude that your own practice with the sword is what
makes it "yours" and perhaps you can name it then.

But then, I don't name *anything*.  ;)

I don't really know if the actual creation is important to me.  It is what
the sword stands for.  I have named all my swords, usually after women in
my life.  It kinda gives the sword an identity, and somewhat of a tribute
to what ever girl it is named for.  Of course, this is neither historical
nor philosophical... just a way to do it.

Hmm...well, currently at least it has next to no significance for me.  So,
it didn't come with significance because of how it was made, and it hasn't
been given significance, so I don't think a name would be fitting.

You name your sword after a woman?  Ummm....  Gee, find something that *isn't*
cheap sexual humour to say...Er, failing that, do you find that those names
reflected or encouraged a quality in the sword or your use of it that you
found desireable?

I have been a Strategant for many years. Before I began to master the sword
my life made me a weapons-smyth and Zan Taoist. It seems from the people that
I have made weapons for that it is of great import that they be named and
christened, that some act or ceremony be made over them. Historically weapons
were named for the atributes that they showed in combat. Often the sword would
be given the name of the household that it defended, or the name of the person
to whoms honor it was dedicated. The daggars and swords that I make, this
includes wooden pieces that are used for pratice, are all named. Honor, or
the lack thereof, is worn upon a name.
by the way there are no five hundred year old bokens, but there may be a few
that date back to the seventeen hundreds, it was around that time that dueling
in Nippon became more ceremonial than bloodthirsty.

Something else on bokens ... from an article in one of the self defense mags
about 1975 ... 'The Sword that doesn't Kill', a friend of mine has given me
the jist of the article. The author, whose name he dosen't know, espouses the
idea that the boken can and should be carried legally, it is only a stick and
should be defined by communities as the same as a walking stick or cane.
Several good techniques are given for the defencive use of the stick, all of
them non leathal. If anyone is intrested I'll try to find more on the
publication.
On a personal note; my stick goes with me wherever I go and on several
occasions it has beeen a most impressive arguement against aggressiors.
I have been told that an armed society is a courteous society, but this
sometimes seems to be counter productive to the further peaceful
realationships that we, as a race, have endevored to cultivate.

A display at my dojo's recent open house mentioned that in some cases, boken
were more effective that metal swords in Japanese warfare.

Hi, Scott! It could well be that sticks are more effective than swords ...
at any rate theres no need to sharpen and oil the boken (but, for artistic
purpose I give mine a coat of black about once a year). Have you read Go Rin
No Sho (Book of Five Rings) by Musashi? I preferr the Harris translation.

No, haven't read that yet, although it does seem to be common reading.

Mushashi records that after his fourth or fifth duel, I think it read, that
he no longer used a real sword. It is intresting to note that he is shown
inmost all popular artistic renditions produced after his time he is usually
shown with a katana and wakashi. This is with the exception of the work
'Fidelity in Revenge' where Kuniyoshi (artist) depicts him both wiyth sticks
and swords, as well as other tools of the warrior's trade.talk Daemon
What can I do for you?

(Sorry about the intreruption ...) where was I ... the time that I had in the
'70s was very good ... epic fantasy was comming into bloom and it was a time
for capes and staffs. I never had any problem with people for the several foot
of fire hardened ash that we used to carry without restriction, law
enforcement or otherwise. The youth of today, the troubled one's of the inner
cities, seem to have no sense of self, honor or most anything else for that
matter, and carring guns seem to reflect this. The fact that they carry guns
is an earmark of low self esteem to begin with, and the 'mushroom' senario
means that they are not even properly trained in the use of the weapontry ...
I think that I was going someplace with this ... maybe it'll all come back
to me when I get more coffee inna my mouth ...

Greeting and salutations ... it looks like it's going to be a good day! For
anyone intrested I've gotten my hands on some functional blades. These Katanas
are 42 1/2 inch overall long and that gives them a mirror polished 440
stainless steel steel blade of 39 inches. I've got one right here next to me
and the balance is superb. Durable and functional. thr tsuba (guard) id
decorated with two dragons and the pommel has ray, goldfish and crab against
sea pattern all of this nicely cast hardward is finished in antiqued brass
finish. The hilt itself is wrapped in black mesh (simulated silk) syntheic
and it comes complet with extruded aluminan (spl?, you know what kola cans
are made of) black finished scabbard with cord. I myself have seldom seen a
better made production blade. When I got my hands on this I figured that It
must come with a real big price ... after all they do retail for somewhere
in the market of $100 - $125 or so. 
I'm loving this and I'm going to go but another one myself before they all
get gone ... Only $65.00 for the sword and scabbard and just $18.00 for
shipping.
You can send that to me here at:
JRG
Hillside #26
La Junta, Colorado 81050
or reach me care of birdnoir@grex.cyberspace.org
I'll keep ol' Mr. Lee posted about anything else that I happen to find.

JRG is crazy RM and he's going to have to get his own keyboard and account
... butthey are damned nice blades.

(Here we go again *sigh*) Hey, that crazy RM (room mate, registered maniac?)
JRG just begged and pleaded for me to get this out to all of you ... here
goes.
        He's gotten his hand on some high quality carbon steel blades in the
classical broadsword style. Each blade is 27" long, has brass cross guard and
brass accent on the wodden grip. They come complete with wodden scabbard (36"
overall in scabbard). The wodden scabbard and grip are fitted by hand, but
all swords are unique and of the utmost quality .... $80.00 plus $18.00 S&H.
This sword is also available in a Kriss style blade for $70.00 plus $18.00
S&H.
        He also has three (3) different style of Oriental Dragon Swords
(Highlander type katanas) the 420 J2 stainless steel blades are 28" long,
fully functional and sharp. They all come in the choice of antiqued copper
cast fittings with black laqured scabbards or 'gold' plated fittings with red
laqured scabbards. The grips are simulated ivory with antique finish. Your
discounted price is $60.00 plus $18.00 S&H.
        Send an SASE and I'll send you some pictures ....
JRG
Hillside #26
La Junta, CO   81050

Thanks.

If anyone out there needs to they can contact me, Brandon Lee, by phone at
719-383-2012. These items are of hightest quality from the best manufacturer's
and wholesale suppliers ... also if any one has information about up comming
fairs, cons, and events, drop me a line here at grex. Thank you for your time.

On a semi unrelated note, I know that blades of significance were named
in Islamic nations..... can't recal any in particular, but I would
assume they were associated with kinds and sultans, etc.

I know of a few in the Anglo Saxon and Irish tradition.....
No less than 3 are carried in the Coronation of a British sovereign.
The only one in particular I can fish out of my memory is unspellable :)
but is seen as the Sword of Mercy(I think that is what translation means)
as it is blunted with a large ball or somesuch at the tip.  It is
carried as a reminder that the Sovereign must execute justice with mercy.

I named my sword Sky, because it reminds me of my relationship with my 
friend of the same name.  The sword had many problems at first, which 
is much like the early nature of our relationship.  It has since been 
*mostly* fixed, which is more like our relationship the times I've seen 
him recently, we've talked nicely with each other and gone off to do 
our own thing, neither of us bringing up the past nature of our 
relationship.

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