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Originally Posted by tom hyle
Having greater width toward the tip absorbs vibration and thus makes a blade better for impact cutting at the tip, increasing its effective length (for cutting) vs. a narrow tip. For an extreme dichotomy think of smallswords as compared to katzbalgers or to execution swords of the same culture. So it shows an interest in having reach for high-impact cutting. This is often seen on work blades, such as machete or bangkung.
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This is a very good point, thanks!
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Originally Posted by tom hyle
The idea that of Japan's cultural isolation is highly over-played. Japan has traded and warred (or piratted for whatever the difference may be) with its neighbors continuously and always, laws and declarations to the contrary.
The idea of "great cultures" from which ideas spread out, is not factually established, though it is often spoken of as fact. Chokuto, the ancient Japanese sword, had this type of tip; it seems general and ancestral to the region in some degree. If anything, katanas display a down-toned version of it, usually.
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Yes, the Japanese didn't truly attempt to isolate themselves in the way we think of it until after Tokugawa yes? And yet, still, there was a lot of trade between China, Taiwan, Japan,and SE Asia...
I know Tang Dynasty Chinese dao had this abruptly angled tip, as does the Chokuto as you mention, and the Paiwanic swords. I wonder if perhaps this was an old Han blade form that dispersed through cultural influence and trade. Ironically the two-handed long-saber style of blade form declined greatly in popularity in China until wokou pirates (mostly Japanese) began raiding the Ming dynasty coasts and this blade style, now further refined by the Japanese, caught the interest of Chinese. And we get all sorts of military forms/training and variants of chang dao, wo dao, miao dao, zhan ma dao, etc.
Maybe the tjakit had the old blade form but it too was changed to suit the needs of the southern Taiwanese villages... for work and war in an organized tribal warfare setting.