Japanese Navy Air Force Dirk.

[Kai-Gunto]

Got this dirk in my collection.

It looks like mid - Late war and has brown brown polished rayskin handle and a star mekugi instead of the sakura.

Theres also an exampel in the book "Japanese pattern dirks" the banks collection.

 

Has anyone seen this type before in hand or in period photos?

[zentsuji2]

Never seen it,but glad you posted it,a lovely dirk,thanks for sharing.

Regards

Ian Bellis

[RobertM]

Can we see pics of the blade?

[Kai-Gunto]

The blade is nickel plated and has fake hamon.

[zentsuji2]

Would this be carried by a pilot?

Or airstaff ground personal,I haven't seen many air related swords, apart from suicide daggers.

Who would wear it.

Thanks Thomas.

Ian Bellis

[Kai-Gunto]

Heres a close up of the blade.

Theres no prof of usage of this type of dirk. But there are several other examples known.

In the book dirks of Banks collection is written:

Said to have belonged to pilots in the tokubetsu / combined Army/Navy Air groups that where put together late in the war when both groups were running low on pilots. This is only speculation without better provenance.