Excellent thoughts... can I offer one small counterpoint as someone who has owned and had the opportunity to wield swords? Your blades are revered, never, and I mean NEVER, have any of mine been disgraced by clutter. I think that there's certainly a historical precedent for this also. I know you are considering image presentation here, but seriously, I think that anyone who's life or honor depended on an edged weapon would only feel more strongly about it than I do.