phil reid Posted August 12, 2020 Report Posted August 12, 2020 Hello Gentlemen, Any thoughts on style/ era on this tanto? Hopefully the blade photos and (cutdown?) tang come though 1 Quote
Featured Comment Grey Doffin Posted August 12, 2020 Featured Comment Report Posted August 12, 2020 Hi Phil, Best guess is that this is the end of a broken sword repurposed after WWII to sell to members of the Occupation Forces. No real tanto is ever shinogi zukuri; that is an easy clue. Grey 6 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted August 12, 2020 Report Posted August 12, 2020 Probably a piece of a broken blade reshaped by an amateur with the intention to make a TANTO (but failed). Quote
Geraint Posted August 12, 2020 Report Posted August 12, 2020 Dear Phil. Take a good look at the habaki and the mekugi ana. All the best. Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted August 12, 2020 Report Posted August 12, 2020 It's the right length for a blade that was cut in half after the war. Thousands were cut in half. 1 1 Quote
mtexter Posted August 12, 2020 Report Posted August 12, 2020 I never knew that Bruce. it makes sense, and I guess it beats being burned or melted or dumped in the sea, still sad though 1 Quote
phil reid Posted August 13, 2020 Author Report Posted August 13, 2020 Interesting that theyd be able to sell even repurposed broken blades to the occupation forces. Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted August 13, 2020 Report Posted August 13, 2020 On 8/12/2020 at 4:11 PM, mtexter said: I never knew that Bruce. it makes sense, and I guess it beats being burned or melted or dumped in the sea, still sad though Expand Richard Fuller, "Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks", pg 249, said they were cut in half before melting. I have seen full sets of koshirae (fittings) for sale with the half-blade still in the tsuka (handle). I don't recall where I read the letter, but it was from a Japanese citizen who witnessed many blades being cut in half. On 8/13/2020 at 9:31 AM, phil reid said: Interesting that theyd be able to sell even repurposed broken blades to the occupation forces. Expand You would be amazed, then, at what G.I.s are willing/gullible enough to buy, back then and today! While the war was still going on, there were scammers, even G.I. fakers, selling fake stuff to souvenir hunters who weren't on the front lines and wanted something to bring back home. This thread is about flags, but it highlights my point: https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/ken-jasper-international-militaria-forums/Japanese-militaria-forum/944383-allied-made-banzai-flags 1 Quote
phil reid Posted August 14, 2020 Author Report Posted August 14, 2020 Thanks gentlemen, Not surprised on gullible GIs getting diddle just surprised that the blades were broken and then allowed resold as tourist pieces cheers for everyone's help Quote
Mister Gunto Posted August 15, 2020 Report Posted August 15, 2020 Very cool knife, nonetheless. Kind of a snapshot in time as to what was being sold to the newly arrived GI's by the locals, in a bad spot there just after the end of the war. It's always interesting to me to see how weapons often end up being "recycled" into civilian uses. You'll often see western miltary bayonets that with cut-down baldes, and much of the hilt removed, in order to make a Hunting / Camp knife for someone. Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted August 15, 2020 Report Posted August 15, 2020 Yes, a nice knife. I haven't encountered any like this, so thanks for the info. Quote
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