[tom hyle]

The edges look rounded and of the same finish as the other blade surfaces; why are we thinking they have been blunted? Perhaps they were never sharpened (common with old European military swords, which this could well be a blade from), or possibly they were originally rebated for practice use. Without handling the sword I can't tell. There's a strange looking area in the close-up of the hilt where the blade goes in; it could concievably be a place where blade outside the hilt was narrowed, leaving a wider part visible in the guard hole, but A/ There's a definite line dividing whatever the light area is from the blade B/ doesn't it seem likely that if after-market rebating was done it was done at the time of the hilting? So why do it after? Inexperieced workmanship? That could also grind so close to the guard and not mark it? and C/ If so, what's holding the guard on? (though I've seen European bayonets with the very feature I just described; tang down thru hole to the very edge of the air is wider than blade; originally made that way; why I don't know, and the guard held on by rivets)
I'm still really puzzled by the hostility toward the very likely sincere religious inscription. I'm not nuts about electric engraving, but it's interesting to see from a bunch that usually isn't that hot on re-doing/undoing.....This may not be my favourite engraving, but let me be very clear: it is NOT damage.