tanto mei help. Found at a yard sale!

[mercierarmory]

I have a friend who just picked this tanto up at a yard sale of all things (and for $75 too!) I was trying to help him with the translation, but I just cant seem to get it. Could I get some help please?

 

Mike

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

Looks like Masakatsu 正勝, but i am not confident about the blade genuineness.

[John A Stuart]

I am having trouble reading the second kanji. Could this be Masayoshi? Looks like some grinding been done, pity. John

 

Your post came in while I was writing. Masakatsu seems correct. Pretty messy work. J

[shan]

HI,

That second Kanji looks "messed with" its not the same stroke pressure for the lower aspects of the character.

I am also less that sure about the blade itself from what i see and it looks very loke the "buffer idiot" has been to visit.

can we see the whole blade?

regards

shan

[Brian]

There is a clickable pic below the main one. Looks like a WW2 soldier's knife to me possibly, or a late Meiji tanto. I don't think it is wonderful, but I do think it is genuine. Worth a $75 bucks risk anyways. Question is going to be if it has a hamon or not. Mei looks added later.

 

Brian

[Guest nickn]

standard ww2 tanto if quenched probably in oil often sold on ebay as a kamikazi pilots tanto they seem to fetch $200-400

its not a fake