Managed To See The Hamon Line ,will This Help Date It ?

[matthew]

I recently posted a few pictures of this long tanto/short sword , and after holding the blade in the right light managed to get a picture of the temper line even though the blade is in bad condition, I'm just wondering if this will help date the sword ?

thanks

[Marius]

The blade is only out of polish, the condition seems good. In order to determine age, looking at the shape is the first step.

 

Actually, I will save you my babble, just go here:

 

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/appreciate.html

[Shugyosha]

Hi Matthew,

 

Length is also a significant factor in dating a tanto - if you are able to measure the cutting edge that might give an idea. I'm trying to remember where I saw a chart of the various tanto shapes/ lengths related to era and set out for comparison...might have been on here...??

 

Best,

John

[Marius]

In Matthew's pics this looks more like a wakizashi.

 

Correction. A tanto, indeed. The cutting edge is 12", which is ~30.5cm.

[Peter Bleed]

I bet it is by "KANEsometing" and dates to the 15somethings

Peter

[Marius]

Here is the link to Matthew's previous post:

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/24593-rcently-aquired-old-tanto-for-id-please/

[Alex A]

That's what I thought Peter, Mino.

 

Shortened.

[matthew]

Hi Matthew,

 

Length is also a significant factor in dating a tanto - if you are able to measure the cutting edge that might give an idea. I'm trying to remember where I saw a chart of the various tanto shapes/ lengths related to era and set out for comparison...might have been on here...??

 

Best,

John

hi john ,thanks for your response ,ive measured the blade again and it 34.5 cm to the tsuba

regards,matthew

[matthew]

The blade is only out of polish, the condition seems good. In order to determine age, looking at the shape is the first step.

 

Actually, I will save you my babble, just go here:

 

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/appreciate.html

hi , thanks for your response and link

mat

[matthew]

thought this picture may also help

[Jean]

Over 1 shaku (30,3cm), it is a wakizashi. This blade being 30,48 cm it is a wakizashi but more likely named a sunobi tanto.

[lonely panet]

im also with it will kane..... something too

[TheGermanBastard]

Prossibly Kanefusa Muromachi

[TheGermanBastard]

https://www.aoijapan.net/wakizashi-sunnobi-tanto-kanefusa/

 

I think the Habaki is probably a later addition and not original to the blade. Other mounts look original.

[TheGermanBastard]

That's what I thought Peter, Mino.

 

Shortened.

 

I don't see it beeing shortened. Maybe some Machi Okuri ... but likely neither.

[matthew]

https://www.aoijapan.net/wakizashi-sunnobi-tanto-kanefusa/

 

I think the Habaki is probably a later addition and not original to the blade. Other mounts look original.

I must admit the habaki doesn't fit as good as it could , but nice to think the other mounts are original ,I wondered if they were a later addition .

regards

matthew

[Alex A]

I don't see it beeing shortened. Maybe some Machi Okuri ... but likely neither.

 

Hi Luis, Machi-Okuri is a type of suriage (shortening of the blade) http://www.ksky.ne.jp./~sumie99/suriage.html

 

Its difficult looking at blades and judging them from photos, but this is just a thought I got whilst taking a look at the nakago.

 

First I thought it could be Machi-okuri, by imagining the habaki in the correct place with regards the bo-hi, two mekugi ana backs this idea up, you see it a lot on Sue Bizen katate-uchigatana. With machi-okuri though, I was thinking the nakago would also be longer than it appears to be.

 

 

Looking further, when you do this though, it appears the 2nd mekugi-ana is too near the tsuba, so, I was thinking "MAYBE" it was a proper suriage job OR after a bit more thought, had maybe Aikuchi fittings in the past.

 

As I said though, a pain doing it from photos, but I get the impression the nakago has been messed with.

[TheGermanBastard]

Hello Alex, yes Machi Okuri is a type of shortening you are correct qwhile it will not alter the whol blade length unless it goes along with a shortening of the tang at the same time - which hurts the blade as a whole much more. My impression is that the tang has not been shortened but I can not say for sure. My first impression of this blade, until we had seen the addditioal images, was that it was an older piece and not Mino.