Showato tanto purpose

[Ron M]

Hi you all I am wondering why these type of oil quenched Showato tanto are made. What purpose are they for, mainly. Some are really crappy made but this one is signed and the nakago is finished with yasurimei.
V

[Brian]

I'd say general soldier's tanto. Basically a knife to take to war. Some of the cruder ones are said to be shrine trinkets and curios bought at shrines. Ones like yours I'd suggest are Showato tanto, private purchase. If it is in fact oil quenched and not a Shinshinto.

[Bruce Pennington]

The only factual references. I have read, talk about kamikaze tonto and army, tonto. Clearly, many others against exist, and probably fall into the category that Brian described. But for the most part, we don’t know.

[ROKUJURO]

To me, the SHIRA-SAYA means that this blade was not carried. Maybe a boys' day present or a marriage gift?

[John C]

Ron:

Based on some of the research I have done, these tanto were ordered by soldiers and came in a variety of quality; everything from a piece of mass produced sword tip to a Gassan Sadakatsu (see below). Most came in shirasaya, with some having a leather cover. Below are some examples of others.

John C.

[John C]

Here is another interesting one originally posted by another member (Thomas?).

John C.

[PNSSHOGUN]

In the book "No Surrender" by Hiroo Onoda, he mentions bringing a dagger from home as a keepsake and in case of needing to commit suicide. As an observation, beyond IJN daggers, the majority of the these (Gendai or oil quenched) can be found in Shirasaya without any further modifications. 

[Volker62]

Tanto used as a mobile shrine, like this unusual one.

 

 

This long beautiful blade was made  by Hori Toshihide,according to the opinion from Ogasawara Noburo san and mr. Han Bing Sion

 

The soul of a fallen officer (a buddist) was initiated into this blade

 

 

 

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Bruce, 

The only factual references. I have read, talk about kamikaze tonto and army, tonto. 

 

Kamikaze Tonto?

 

Has the Lone Ranger got a new Sidekick? 

[Matsunoki]

Maybe owning a Tanto during those times was often also simply a matter of “pride/pleasure of ownership”…..harking back to the days of the Samurai. A nice Tanto had always been a desirable/treasured object. And, like gendaito vs showato…….they bought what they could afford. I look after Tanto by Horii Toshihide and Watanabe Kanenaga, both dated 1937 suggesting good quality was in demand years before the war kicked off…..and that the top smiths of the day were happy to meet that demand?

Just some musings. Best. Colin

[Bruce Pennington]

8 hours ago, Baka Gaijin said:

Hi Bruce, 

The only factual references. I have read, talk about kamikaze tonto and army, tonto. 

 

Kamikaze Tonto?

 

Has the Lone Ranger got a new Sidekick? 

Ha!  So, now you got me going - sorry for the off-topic, but:

"The Lone Ranger and Tonto were hunkered down behind some rocks.  Lone Ranger says "Oh no!  Indians on all sides!  Looks like we're surrounded, Tonto!" and Tonto says "What do you mean "WE" white man?"

[Bugyotsuji]

"The Lone Ranger and Tonto were hunkered down behind some rocks.  Lone Ranger says "Oh no!  Indians on all sides!  Looks like we're surrounded, Tonto!" and Tonto, drawing his tanto, says "What do you mean "WE", white man?"

 

There, fixed it for ya! Pronto! 

[Nihonto Chicken]

20 hours ago, Baka Gaijin said:

Hi Bruce, 

The only factual references. I have read, talk about kamikaze tonto and army, tonto. 

 

Kamikaze Tonto?

 

Has the Lone Ranger got a new Sidekick? 

 

Yes, but he didn't last very long. 

[The Blacksmith]

Sorry about this, but I simply couldn't resist it....................

 

"You wait out here Tonto," says the Lone Ranger. "I need to see a man in the saloon. They won't let you in, and anyway it's illegal to serve firewater to your people."
"But it's freezing," complains Tonto as he hitches the horses to the rail. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Run up and down to keep warm," the Lone Ranger suggests, and with a grunt of ill satisfaction Tonto begins to run up and down and round and round, occasionally giving a muted war cry as he does so.............
Meanwhile, inside the saloon, the Lone Ranger finds the man he needs to talk to, and they're deep in conversation when the sheriff comes in and spots the stranger. "Hey there mister", he says to the masked man, "is that your horse outside the saloon?"
"Sure is," says the Lone Ranger. "It's hitched up all right though isn't it. Do ya want me to move it?"
"No", says the sheriff, "...but you've left your injun running."

 

Apologies for that............

[Volker62]

Katsumura Masakatsu 

 

High ranking smith (saijo saku)

 

blade in Yamato Hosho style pue Masame Hada

 

interesting late date, that underlines the impotance of the Tanto during WWII

 

 

 

 

pics of the Blade soon

[John C]

It's probable that every soldier, in every army, in every war carried some type of knife. Wether a bayonet, trench knife, fighting knife, or a swiss army knife, they are just part of the kit. 

Unlike most ebay references, however, I do not think the knives were carried by Japanese soldiers for the purpose of suicide. Unless every pistol was also a suicide pistol?

 

John C.

[Volker62]

 a really insightful explanation on this Topic John

 

 

thank you very much!!