Is this a cut down Sankaku Yari, an "Armor Piercing Dagger", or both?

[tbonesullivan]

This came in labeled simply as "Japanese Armor Piercing Dagger", and was mounted in tanto style koshirae. The blade is that of a Sankaku yari, but the tang is quite a bit shorter than I usually see on a yari, and does appear to have had the end of the tang cut off.  It's got a Bo'Hi with Red urushi, which I'm used to seeing on pole arms. I checked close up and the blade definitely has lamination lines and such.

 

I guess the question is, is this a normal type of alteration that was done? Is this what could be done if the tang ever broke? Is there an "official" name for this type of weapon?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[b.hennick]

Yes the yari has been shortened and used as a tanto. They are fairly common. 

[tbonesullivan]

43 minutes ago, b.hennick said:

Yes the yari has been shortened and used as a tanto. They are fairly common. 

Thanks! Do you know if there is any Japanese term for this type of alteration? 

[Tensho]

 

Maybe of interest. Not sure if there is a term for them in Japanese.  I have seen them pop up a few times for sell. 

[Bugyotsuji]

Uncommon, a hybrid creature, probably designed as a one-off for a spare spearhead, logically and grammatically as above it should be ‘Yari-tantō’, (as a type of Tantō) but I am not sure if this has ever been ‘officially’ decided by anyone.

 

If you called it a Tantō-yari on the other hand, it would be describing a type of yari, (which it is not) but even so, you’d be in the right ballpark and people would probably guess your meaning.

 

 

[b.hennick]

Cut down - - suriage,

O suriage is used when so much has been cut off that no signature shows