Leather field covered Tanto

[Butch]

Requesting help and opinions on this leather field covered Tanto …

It was purchased from the son of the veteran who fetched it back from Burma ..

Thanks Gareth

[Butch]

Pic2

[Butch]

Naming on Tang

[ROKUJURO]

MASANORI. Certainly not a military related smith.

[Butch]

Many thanks for your help.

[Bruce Pennington]

Interesting to see a tanto in military leather!

[Michaelr]

I own a very similar one and will post some pictures when I return home. I love it, thank you for sharing 

  MikeR

[ChrisW]

That's a very nice piece Gareth!

[Kiipu]

X田正則.  The first character is easily identified by radical but I do not see it listed in the modern dictionaries.

@BANGBANGSAN & @SteveM

[SteveM]

鎌田 Kamata for sure, but a bit of a mystery in terms of who he is as a swordsmith. There was a sword scholar in the late 18th century named Kamata using these same kanji, so maybe this person is related to that scholar.

[BANGBANGSAN]

  On 5/13/2022 at 8:15 PM, Kiipu said:

X田正則.  The first character is easily identified by radical but I do not see it listed in the modern dictionaries.

@BANGBANGSAN & @SteveM

Expand  

I‘m with SteveM  鎌田

[Dave R]

 You will see others like it here. Military Swords of Imperial Japan (Guntō)

[Michaelr]

Ok I just returned home and took some pictures of a similar Tanto that I own as promised. I don’t know if anyone can make out the mei but I got it the best that I could. Hope you enjoy

[ROKUJURO]

BIZEN OSAFUNE no JU..... (MASAYUKI?). Indeed very difficult to read. Lighting from the side may enhance the readability.

 

Otherwise a beautiful blade!

[Michaelr]

Thank you so much

 MikeR

[Bruce Pennington]

What is written on the habaki?

[Michaelr]

Not sure Bruce but I think it is someone’s SSN? I wonder if I can look that up?
 MikeR

[Baba Yaga]

I've never seen a  military leather covered Tanto before. 

[Michaelr]

I was told that sometimes they were carried by the pilots, but you know how that goes, anything is possible. I was also told by a high end Japanese sword expert/collector that a few that he had seen when the leather was removed it revealed information on the Saya. No way I will ever attempt to remove the leather from mine to find out. Also originally on mine the mekugi was completely covered and the leather had to be carefully cut to remove it to check for a signature   Glad you are enjoying these two Tantos

  MikeR 

[Ray Singer]

備州三原住正__作 (Bishu Mihara ju Masa__ saku. Perhaps 正廣 (Masahiro) or 正興 (Masaoki).

[Dave R]

A couple of examples from Ohmura. 

[WulinRuilong]

備州三原住正清作Bishu Mihara ju Masakiyo saku. 

[Michaelr]

WOW Thank you both so much for the smiths information. I am great full  

  MikeR