shortened tang

[bkt938]

Has anyone seen shortened tang or rough cut tang on ww2 koyama nobumitsu katana!

with one hole in tango he was rjt smith

[george trotter]

I have seen a handful of drastically shortened nakago on WWII gunto/gendaito over the years, but can't remember the meis now. In fact, about half the nakago was gone and there was no equal machi okuri to make a secure fit to a tsuka again...very unsafe from a battle point of view.

Don't know why it was done...such damage is not good in a modern blade. Maybe it is post-war vandalism?

Got any pics?

 

regards,

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning all,

 

George said:

  Quote

Don't know why it was done...such damage is not good in a modern blade. Maybe it is post-war vandalism?

 

I had heard that returning servicemen to U.K. were sometimes subject to U.K. Customs charges on souvenirs that did not fit in the duffel kit bag, so ever pragmatic in his approach, the soldier simply took the sword apart, cut the tang with a "borrowed" hacksaw and wrapped in up along with his troubles....

 

Cheers

[Dr Fox]

For returning UK soldiers in wartime, there was a distinction between legal possession and looting. Swords were given to serving soldiers as a legal trophy, with a certificate to attest the legality of possession. The standard kit bag was just too small to accommodate a 'looted' sword, so the tang was sometimes cut off to hide the sword which could be confiscated if found. I think i am right in saying similar rules applied to other armies too.

Denis.

[lonely panet]

Hello all,

 

Iv only seen one, a high end showato signed

FUJI WARA

SUKE YUKI

SAKU

not dated, in earler style shingunto mounts with a wooden saya.

it was only shorted by a inch or two.

 

interesting piece

regards Hamish

[bkt938]

Thank you all so much, ill try to post pictures later when i get of work sword has no date on tang only 2 characte mei has patches of nie above hamon thanks brian

[bkt938]

Short tang gunto pics

[bkt938]

Short tang