Welded Rat Tail Tang

by Bookie
(Corn Patch, Iowa, USA)

Many moons ago, yours truly was a helicopter pilot in a couple of Cav units. Since I was an officer, it was required to have a Model 1902 US Army original or replica saber for ceremonial duties. Being a rather low ranking Warrant Officer, my pay was not that magnificent, so the lest expensive sword was purchased. Not German, nor from Spain, not even an original government issue, but a sword churned out by the Cheena Tool Company from overseas. Fast forward to this evening.....

Finding the sword in some out of the way place today, and after examining my find once again, I decided to take it apart and etch the foreign country name from the blade. Upon dismounting the sword the tang was found to be welded in place as per Paul's Longquan sword factory movie. That means they've been perpetuating this fiasco for more than 50 years! In the movies, the weld is small, but seems decent, but this is what I found in the attached photograph. My questions are: Has anyone seen a rat tail tang any more dangerous than this one? Do the more upstanding sword purveyors (particularly on the SBG site) inform customers of such possible accidents waiting to happen because of questionable quality? Paul definitely does, but he's just one small voice to the masses. Thanks, Bookie