Same here, DS, complete zero and obviously a dabbler simply passing along what I have learned....a world of knives to explore and this is something lighter in subject, hopefully entertaining and informative, and diverting break over how many sheath thread stitches per inch in 1963 debate type posts. All worthy of detailed research, including same detail on Nipponese swords, but many other interesting things, too...

For those considering a play sword of whatever style/length/culture/epoch, there is a marketing phrase used to separate the fragile dangerous true wall decoration type from those which should not break if bashed, and that common phrase is "battle ready"......no guarantee of anything until tested, but it should not snap like an icicle. You are on your own as for edge not denting when chopping various stuff or blade not warping...but it should not break.

and ANOTHER PS (to keep from running up own post count on threads)- if anyone curious, what appears to be an ornate handle style seems actually to be an evolution purely for function....going from a wood handle found too slick, to ray skin added for traction, to laced flat wrap twisted a half turn to increase grip and thickness while adding "finger grooves", to adding the high relief metal figurines held in place by the laced wrap which provide offset swells on either side of handle flat.

Also, the metal spacer discs with pie crust edges on front and back of guard are there to act as stacked shims to tighten handle components.

AND, the retention of sword to sheath effected by a tapered fit of blade hilt sleeve into wood sheath (driving a new sword completely into sheath can split the sheath), with inevitable wear/looseness cured by glueing veneer shims into sheath mouth.

AND the blade hilt sleeve also there for the original thumb break release without slicing pad of thumb to the bone at the speed draw, every bit of it geared to fastest draw leading to immediate strike, and any sword fight lasting normally only a matter of seconds at most, depending on who messed up first, just as with our own culture.

AND, too many other details to ever recall, much less, post.