[Philip]

Thanks, Rick, for the tech tip.
Getting back to my earlier post, here are several examples of the forte sections of Chinese saber blades of the 17th-18th cent. (apologies for the one at far right, the curvature looks funny because of parallax, didn't adjust lens accordingly). You will find one format or another (fullers and chiseled decor) on any number of saber blades from Mamluk Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, Safavid Iran, and Mughal India, made between the 16th to 18th cents. There are other common elements to be found as well, including sharpened back-edges (in effect creating a double-edged point), the sleeves with scalloped profiles at the base of blades, etc. which also demonstrate the profound influence of western Asian traditions on Chinese armaments.