Japanese Samurai Knife PICs

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Aug 27, 2007
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Hi,

I am helping a elderly neighbor to identify some Japanese items in his collections. He lived with a Samurai family in Mito, Japan for 7 years following WW2. This is a knife that was given to him by the family. It is 10 1/2" from tip to the end of the handle. The blade is exactly 7". Do any of you know exactly what this is called? It's beautiful, the craftsmanship appears to be of the highest quality. I don't see any marks of a maker.

Any info or comments are welcome.

Thanks very much in advance! Even if no one knows anything about it I thought you might enjoy seeing it. :)

Dan

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Welcome to Bladeforums! Let's try this on the Sword Forum; that's where people who know Japanese swords and knives can be found.

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Well the "knife" is called a tanto I can tell you that much I won't even hazard a guess as to its quality. I will say that the handle construction is rather unusual for an old tanto so perhaps it isn't old. I would suggest posting over in the nihonto subforum at www.swordforum.com for a more definitive answer.
 
it looks modern. the metal wrap on the blade isn't copper but some white metal. and the facet on the spine looks like those found on many officers' issue swords during the war. same with the ray skin handle (ray skin am i right?).

just the same fit and finish is luxurious. i'd put it at 7,000 at the very least.
 
hank_rearden said:
it looks modern. the metal wrap on the blade isn't copper but some white metal. and the facet on the spine looks like those found on many officers' issue swords during the war. same with the ray skin handle (ray skin am i right?).

just the same fit and finish is luxurious. i'd put it at 7,000 at the very least.
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Hi,

Thanks for your input. I'm not sure on the age. It had to have been made before WW2 for sure. The handle is lacquered. I believe that the metal on the end is sterling silver and the gold is actually gold. I can't believe that it could be worth that much, that's amazing if it's true. The blade is beautiful. Here are a couple more pictures that may help show the finishing and quality. It's very hard to take pictures of shinny steel.

Thanks again, Dan

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Wow, nice tanto, but rather unusual. The handle is lacquered ray skin. Nice hamon (temper line) on the blade too. What you mark as 'white metal' might be silver plated copper. If it has a makers name, it will be underneath the handle stamped into the tang. There is usually a wooden peg, and you need to push it out from the narrower side with another piece of wooden dowel. See if that silver beaded escutcheon unscrews and something is removeable? Then hold the tanto in a fist with the blade upwards and bang your other fist onto your wrist that is holding the tanto. The blade should release from the handle as the tang is tapered.
 
Andrew Taylor said:
Wow, nice tanto, but rather unusual. The handle is lacquered ray skin. Nice hamon (temper line) on the blade too. What you mark as 'white metal' might be silver plated copper. If it has a makers name, it will be underneath the handle stamped into the tang. There is usually a wooden peg, and you need to push it out from the narrower side with another piece of wooden dowel. See if that silver beaded escutcheon unscrews and something is removeable? Then hold the tanto in a fist with the blade upwards and bang your other fist onto your wrist that is holding the tanto. The blade should release from the handle as the tang is tapered.
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Andrew,

Excellent instructions! I GOT IT! I can't believe it. I didn't think I could remove the handle, but I did, and it is signed. Now, I don't know if I am posting this upside down or sideways because I sure can't make out what it says but you experts can have a crack at it. I'm now very anxious to find out who the makers was and hopefully the age.

Thanks for your assistance.

Dan Estep

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nice tanto, i thought i could see some hada. Try not to do anything to the tang to enhance the mei. looks like its in excellent shape.
 
yamato said:
nice tanto, i thought i could see some hada. Try not to do anything to the tang to enhance the mei. looks like its in excellent shape.
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Thank you yamato, I will be sure not to clean or do anything to try to enhance the signature on the tang. I hope it can be deciphered.

Dan Estep
 
I believe that the blade is relatively modern (~1oo yrs.) from the amount and color of the rust on the tang. It's a very nice piece. Do not attempt to clean it on your own. The quality of the piece probably warrants a proffesional appraisal.
 
Beautiful blade, it looks like there is some delamination throughout the blade, which will affect value. The dagger fitings don't mean anything since thousands of Japanese blades were reset into modern fittings before and during WWII. The real value is in the blade itself.

Where do you live? You need to take this for a professional appraisal.
 
An interesting tanto. At first before I saw the nakago I thought it might have been a cut down katana judgeing from the sugata, but now i am not to sure. Based on the mounting I can say it sure looks to be less then 100 years old, and the blade might be as well, however that could of been when it was shortened.

I lack the ability to read the mei (signature) but if you post it http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontom....php?f=1&sid=86d8971dc04ddee0eee8678b763231c4 here then I am sure someone would be able to tell you far more then I could.
 
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