Kiku Matsuda Tanto-2 pics

Status
Not open for further replies.
It is not canvas Micarta - It is probaby same as micarta SwampRat and Busse used. With bit fluffy-fabric feeling, because threads are not completely polymerized. I can not say that it is black or green - to me it is grey and plays with blade etching very well - better then G1 I guess (based on pictures from Neo post).

I also read that tanto is samurai utility knife not suicide knife - I guess time to time even samurai need to cut something plus use it as a back up weapon so it need to be suitable for fight.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Tanto date back to the kamakura period and were used for taking heads, suicide, and such. They were not utility blades. The kozuka, carried in the saya of a tanto, was used as a utility knife. Tanto were later carried by doctors, merchants, women, for self-defense. They were also part of the wedding ceremony later in the Edo period, which has continued to this day (Crown Prince wedding).

Swordsmiths are restricted to the number of blades they can license and thus sell, each month. They can not sell legally unsigned blades as these need to be licensed as well and would count towards their quota.

Any blade with a cutting edge longer than 15 cm, with a hamon and a mekugi-ana (hole through the nakago (tang), is considered a weapon (nihon-to= sword) not a knife, and requires a license.

Hope that clears things up a bit.

ejapaneseswords.com
 
A tanto is defined in Japan as a blade with a cutting edge less than 12 inches in length, with hamon and hole through the tang.

The link to the test explains how they cut newspaper with three different steels, Shown are the number of strokes and the layers of paper cut. The comments at the bottom are questioning whether this test can be believed and point out that it wasn't conclusive as it was a simple test (prone to a variety of errors).
 
Is it too generic?

I thought it should has certain shape and geometry. For example I notice that tantoes I saw in antic shop in Yokohama little bit curved, have simple handle? no pommels and tsuba as a guard.

Also I may refer to this webpage:

http://www.swordforum.com/sfu/japanese/americanized.html

...where author talks about styles like Hiro zukuri etc.

This is why I thought it should be bit more then what you mentioned, may be it is what was put in law or regulation, but I hope it need to match certain design pattern also otherwise it just too generic.

This is why I was too excited about this tanto because as I sad it came from 40 years experienced knifemaker in 5th generation from 400 years old samurai family.

Who else may has more rights to came up with modern tanto?

However I can imagine that that name was given not by Kiku Matsuda but by American representative - I can imagine this also...

I hope may be Kiku Matsuda will notice this thread and clearify this matter, as I understand he is on Blade West right now, so may be someone ask him this question?

To many here misrepresent Japan knife culture in marketing purposes (just read in October Blade how somebody in US make Tamahagani in their backyard... which originally require 15 tons charcoal and 15 tons iron sand burn for 3 days...) and so it will be nice to hear how it is for real.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
The definition of a Japanese sword by the Japanese government is as I listed above. "tanto" simply means "short sword". It is all about length, i.e., less than 12 inches is a tanto, though it also means that the blade has a hamon, mekugi-ana, etc. as that is the requirement to be considered a nihon-to, or Japanese sword.

There are variations based on blade shape and/or mounting style. For example, a yoroi-doshi is a thick tanto made for piercing armor. The aikuchi is a tanto blade in a mount without a guard (tsuba). You can't really call anything without a hamon or mekugi-ana a tanto. The blade you are discussing is simply a knife, not a tanto. Of course, you can call it a "modern tanto" if you want, but it does not meet the Japanese definition. In Japan, a knife is a "hocho", or, for something of the modern variety custom made like this blade, they call these "cutomu naifu" - custom knife!
 
Thanks, now I understand this better. So to be called Tanto it mast be samurai sword not a knife (hocho). I remember confusing hotel manager in Yokohama asking where to by just a knife calling it Tanto - she send me to antique store...

Is Hamon in this terms means result of differential Heat Treatment or different color of core steel in laminated blade (warikomi) also may be called this way?

Another question - is it suppose to be made out of tamahagane or it may be any steel?

This knife has two holes in the full tang to hold micarta scales, can it be considered as a mekugi-ana?

Thanks, Vassili.
 
when I sent a tanto back to Kiku-san, he was a little worried about customs also, but I see now he shouldn't be. His tantos (and those of Kanetsune's or Takeshi Saji) do not come under the Japanese definition of tanto, as they have no hamon and have the handle permanently bonded to the tang, so no mekugi ana. they do have a decorative mosaic pin / metal pin mekugi tho.
 
Yes, to be licensed and legal in Japan a katana/wakizashi/tanto must be made of tamahagane...During WWII, many blades were made with Western steel and these are not allowed back into Japan nor are they suppose to be licensed when found (they are suppose to be destroyed) as they are considered weapons, not "art swords". Modern custom knives tread a thin line in Japan. Larger, tactical style knives are in a "grey area" in this regard, and may actually be illegal. The authorities seem to look the other way as long as they don't become a problem like the butterfly knives did some years back, which got them and longer blades "outlawed".

Hamon means a water (technically) quench (differential hardening). Meguki-ana means the handle is held on by a removable bamboo pin through the handle.
 
Thank you very much for this very educational discussion!

So in general this is knife (hocho) made in Tanto style, but not Tanto. I guess knives we have here intended to American market and so named this way. However, I think that this is closest match to original then all what we have here.

It is absolutely clear that real tanto made from tamahogane with all traditions and by licensed master will cost tens thousands dollars and probably never even leave Japan to be available on this market.

Allow me so to continue to be very excited about this knife (hocho not tanto) which I think made as a tanto and as a modern knife both together. And it just high quality knife vary nice looking and extremely comfortable plus out of OU31 very promicing exotic steel.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
Yes, I think you could say it is a modern interpretation of the traditional tanto style....

Real traditionally made tanto by a modern swordsmith can run anywhere from $3000 to $30,000....depends on the smith. They do in fact leave the country....I have several smith friends and order them from time to time for people outside of Japan.

Yes, this custom knife is enjoyable in its own right as an example of modern technology.
 
Can you recommend good reading in English about Japanese sword and knife culture, tradition, terms?

Thanks, Vassili.
 
nozh2002 said:
It is not canvas Micarta - It is probaby same as micarta SwampRat and Busse used. With bit fluffy-fabric feeling, because threads are not completely polymerized. I can not say that it is black or green - to me it is grey and plays with blade etching very well - better then G1 I guess (based on pictures from Neo post).
Click to expand...

This is good to hear. That type of micarta is actually my favourite type, reminds of the Chris Reeve GB and NRW. I have a microtech currahee that I am planning to sand the micarta handle to hopefully get a similar effect.
 
few more pics:

Kiku_Matsuda-Tanto-2-015.jpg


Kiku_Matsuda-Tanto-2-027.jpg


Kiku_Matsuda-Tanto-2-028.jpg


Kiku_Matsuda-Tanto-2-017.jpg


Kiku_Matsuda-Tanto-2-021.jpg


Kiku_Matsuda-Tanto-2-023.jpg


Thanks, Vassili.
 
Thank you Vassili :thumbup:
These are now my desktop wallpaper, while looking out for the real thing
 
Please start with "The Craft of the Japanese Sword", by Kapp. That will give you a good overview....
 
tan means short. to means a blade or a sword. 短=short 刀=sword, also pronounced as katana. It just means a short sword.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top