Sun nobi Tanto

[Martin]

Hi all,

 

I have some questions regarding the production of Sun nobi Tanto. I really like short blades and would like to know more about long tanto in particular.

My books and online resources couldn´t really give any detailed answers - at least I didn´t find them... :?

 

1) When is a blade that´s longer than 1 shaku (30,3 cm) categorized as Sun nobi Tanto? Does it depend on the overall impression that reminds more of a tanto rather than a wakizashi or what exactly are the attributes for a classification?

 

2) Did Sun nobi tanto have a special function or was it just an aesthetical alternative to the tanto of usual length?

 

3) Is there a maximum length for Sun nobi tanto?

 

I would be grateful for any information on this,

 

cheers,

Martin

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Dr. T (Alexander Takeuchi) made a good article giving some feedbacks about this http://www2.una.edu/Takeuchi/DrT_Jpn_Culture_files/Nihon_to_files/Historical_classification_of_wak.htm .

 

Sunnobi seems to me a term that should be (correctly) used for blades

of a certain lenght made in a certain period only, but it's my feeling only. I'm not aware of specifics about their lenght as,AFAIK, they were all made before lenght specifics for blades begun to be released.

 

Others can give better feedbacks here, so take mines with a spoon of salt... :lol:

[Martin]

Thanks Carlo,

 

I already knew this article - but I still don´t find my questions answered by it. It mainly concentrates on the length of wakizashi and its historical background.

 

cheers,

Martin

[nagamaki - Franco]

Tanto - blade length is under 1 shaku

Jo Sun Tanto - blade length ~ 8 sun 5 bu - meaning prescribed length

Sun Nobi Tanto - blade length over 8 sun 5 bu

Sun Zumari Tanto - blade length under 8 sun 5 bu

Yamanaka Newsletters (revised) - Vol. II

 

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8187/Script.htm

 

Some of the longer lengths listed by some of the well known tanto makers during the early to mid koto period, seem to run 1 shaku and 1 or 2 sun more, but not longer.

 

FD