Hi all; this is the first sword I ever bought; it's several years old, and was originally bought as a wallhanger, unsharpened. Over the years I've done a couple sharpening jobs on it, got it up to a decent edge, and cut a few bottles with it. The other day I decided to take it apart, with a view to replacing the handle. I'm wondering if you guys think it's safe for use against light targets, or whether it should be put back on the wall permanently.
[note: these photos are right after it was disassembled, so I haven't cleaned off the cement and crud from the tang, or the remains of the plasticy leather stuff covering the handle]

[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iuzNyQh1h3s/Tw5upTxa-ZI/AAAAAAAAA3c/f5TmCtnD3X4/w500-h375-k/IMG_0088.JPG[/img]
The tang seems fairly substantial to me; it tapers in thickness from the round end to the blade, with the round stock being thicker; if there's a weld I can't see it

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z7mRV5udgbY/Tw5urtbO4HI/AAAAAAAAA3k/n5Kh9ZnBgwk/w260-h195-k/IMG_0090.JPG[/img]
This shows the radius of the shoulder; it seems to have been ground a little unevenly with a ~1/4" round file; the two sides are not symmetrical.

[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QUIUvdeGPnc/Tw5usLfyZbI/AAAAAAAAA3s/mqYylmqDDHo/w260-h195-k/IMG_0092.JPG[/img]
This shows the length of the tang from the side, showing a fairly even taper.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this - for the moment it's my only "sharp", such as it is, so I'm trying to make do with it until something better comes along.

Pictures appear to not to have imbedded; they're attached to this post.

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David,

I have this same sword and it is fine to use on light targets. Mine has not had the fittings come loose and has stayed tight for the entire time I have owned it.

Bill