Purpose of Kengata tip?

[Miyamoto Musashi]

Don't get me wrong they look awesome and I'm sure polishing one is very fun. Is there any practical reason for them?

 

[Qapla']

Depends on the definition of kengata. I've seen the word used to refer to both kiritsuke-style and tsurugi-style designs.

 

[Miyamoto Musashi]

I'm referring to tips like these.

Pictures are from @ryota_togishi on instagram

 

[ModRQC]

Reason you're not getting much answers is probably that "most of the time", Kengata is used by some makers or vendors as to design a K-tip or Kiritsuke shape on a double bevel knife. Most of us could roll out a lot of stuff about why they like or don't like that tip and what its theoretical advantage is. So something like that:

@Qapla' aptly pointed to the fact that it also sometimes is used to describe Tsurugi-style design. These are more "Katana"-shaped tips, and I'd guess always single bevel. This is what you've posted as pics. Except that it is derived from traditional Japanese sword design (I prefer to keep vague as I really don't know much), I cannot tell you anything pertinent, and possibly most folks couldn't as well.

 

[Qapla']

I'm referring to tips like these.

Pictures are from @ryota_togishi on instagram View attachment 199971View attachment 199972

I'm not the best person to answer this question (there are several people on the forum here who have actual professional experience and could give a much better answer), but it seems not too many people are posting on this thread, so I'll give it my best shot:

The sakimaru design, which you posted the pictures of, is essentially a compromise design between a takohiki (which is dead straight and has its point squared off) and a yanagiba (which has curvature and a point). Active users of takohiki's often make use of the vertex (since it doesn't have a point per se); the sakimaru design allows some ability to have a true point while also retaining the usability of that extra vertex. Many users, to my understanding, often might not use the cutting edge area of the point very frequently unless one is doing horizontal cuts; this is simply an artifact of the geometry. Some say it's also mainly an esthetic choice since it looks more sword-like. They tend to be between yanagiba's and takohiki's in weight and thickness. Forum consensus among users of the single-bevel designs maintains that the yanagiba is very much the superior all-purpose fish-slicer.
The sakimaru designs also exist in double-bevel knives (example here).

The tsurugi design (examples here and here) is also quite sword-like. I know very little of the specifics of its use. Like sakimaru-takohiki's, they tend to be lighter than most yanagiba's.
Where tsurugi designs exist in double-bevel form (example here), people likely just say "saber-point carving-knife" and call it a day.

@ModRQC already went over the kiritsuke design; single-bevel example here.

As for why vendors sometimes call all of them "kengata" (sword-shaped) or "kensaki" (sword-point), I have no idea; only the sakimaru and tsurugi designs, and not the kiritsuke design, resemble Japanese-style swords.

Hope this helps.