Traditionally Made?

[Bruce Pennington]

Any idea on what this is?  I've seen a couple of them on Guns.ru.  They don't seem to know either, although the running theory is some sort of ship boarding or un-boarding weapon.

[Wolfmanreid]

It’s a tool for hauling eels out of the water I believe.  The spike is supposed to stick in and hold the slippery eel. 

[ChrisW]

Looks like an old blade was used for this purpose, that's really too bad!

[robinalexander]

Wow, so essentially its a just a variation on the common fishing hook.

 

[Nobody]

FYI; Eel scraping

 

 

[ChrisW]

Interesting! Were these purpose made this way or made from recycling old blades?

[vajo]

I'm fascinated of this fishing tool. It looks very cool. I bet not one Fishing museum in the west have one.

When you sent the guns.ru site through google translation. On page 14 of the thread it is explained as eel catching tool. 

Great find Bruce. Every day i come to the board i learn something new. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Reminds me of the verse " and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)  So, not a "plowshare" but you get the picture!

[FZ1]

@Bruce Pennington, I think the local variation now reads:

 

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares; and if any of those swords are nihonto, there will be a wailing and a gnashing of teeth on the NMB. And there shall be a plague of sad-emoji responses and down-voting of the beaters of swords"

 

 

[GrozaB]

Eel grabbers. I saw few over the years. Some made out of very good swords...

[Bruce Pennington]

50 minutes ago, FZ1 said:

@Bruce Pennington, I think the local variation now reads:

 

"And they shall beat their swords into plowshares; and if any of those swords are nihonto, there will be a wailing and a gnashing of teeth on the NMB. And there shall be a plague of sad-emoji responses and down-voting of the beaters of swords"

 

 

HA!!! Love it!  I'd give it a "thumbs up" but I'm blocked, for some reason @Brian, from making any "Likes" etc.

[Stephen]

One only gets so many a day Bruce,

should be back tomorrow.

[Surfson]

It looks like it could catch and hold a rope as well.  

 

[Dave R]

It's worth remembering just how many swords there were and are in Japan. Also a good maker does not mean that a good sword was used, most likely damaged blades. Anything saleable would have gone to market.