Another neat Tanto!

[drbvac]

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-SHAPE-WWII-JAP ... dZViewItem

 

This must be a cut down sword, but from the color of the nakago, I would think early shinto?

[Grey Doffin]

Not early Shinto; most likely WWII era. You see a lot of this type of knife, often with unusual shape, almost always about 6" nagasa, and always with a short, ugly, artificially colored nakago. They were made, possibly during the war, for what use I don't know (they're often called Kamikaze dirks on ebay). Or, equally if not more likely, they were made right after the war to sell or trade to the occupying forces.

In any case, they're never very interesting; just stuff.

Any one have a different take?

Grey

[pcfarrar]

It was quite common for Japanese soldiers in WW2 to carry these small tanto. Sometimes they turn up in their original leather sheaths or cloth bags. I've seen a few with inscriptions on the bag giving the owners name/address. All ranks in the army could carry them. Some have old blades but the majority are mass produced showato like this one. I believe they were carried as a kind of spiritual samurai object, a link to the past meant to inspire the soldier. Also a very handy weapon to have on the battlefield.

[Brian]

Agree with Peter and Grey. The ones I have seen often go back to the war, and are of low quality. Seems they were more of a symbolic use, and sometimes have famous names or patriotic sayings engraved on the blades. Oil quenched usually ina sanbon-sugi style, and always have that rough nakago. Probably a general purpose soldier's knife. Maybe those who didn't have rifles with bayonets for this use?

The nakago and hamon are the give-aways, and the shape of the blade is always odd, usually with a shinogi line making them look like the front end of a katana.

 

Brian