The Samurai were some of the greatest and most disciplined warriors in history. One thing they were well known for was having the right weapon for the right situation. A Katana or Tessen had limited use against a mounted opponent. The Naginata was designed to put distance between the Samurai and his opponent.
At a glance, the Naginata looks similar to a spear with a long thin curved blade, but it is actually related to the poleaxe, halberd, and even more so to the glaive. The wooden pole was anywhere from 5 to 6 feet in length. The end of the Naginata was fixed with a 3 foot sword-like blade that had a long steel piece with a hole opposite the sharp end. This thin sliver of metal was slid through a steel cap in the end of the pole and a wooden peg was squeezed through the hole lined up with a hole in the pole. This made it easier for the warrior to sharpen his blade by removing it first instead of trying to maneuver around that entire cutting surface with a very long pole pulling on it.
At a glance, the Naginata looks similar to a spear with a long thin curved blade, but it is actually related to the poleaxe, halberd, and even more so to the glaive. The wooden pole was anywhere from 5 to 6 feet in length. The end of the Naginata was fixed with a 3 foot sword-like blade that had a long steel piece with a hole opposite the sharp end. This thin sliver of metal was slid through a steel cap in the end of the pole and a wooden peg was squeezed through the hole lined up with a hole in the pole. This made it easier for the warrior to sharpen his blade by removing it first instead of trying to maneuver around that entire cutting surface with a very long pole pulling on it.
