Tanto Question

[meanoldman]

Tanto Question
A friend just bought a box of knives and among the treasures was a Parker Cutlery, Eagle Brand Knives Tanto. The blade is surgical steel. It has a document with it "Tanto Of Japanese Art".
The last paragraph--"Satake Cutlery has applied and received special permission from the Japanese Government to manufacture this tanto exactly as the old original. Over 100 operations go into the manufacture of each piece.
From the genuine sharkskin under the wrapped handle to the leather covered SAYA, rest assured you possess a piece of genuine Japanese art."

The leather is a green color. Anyone heard of these? I know Parker is out of business. Any idea of value?

Thanks,
David

 

[Alberta Ed]

Probably about $0. 'Surgical steel' is shorthand for 'the worst crap we could buy, so we aren't going to tell you.' The Japanese government doesn't hold any rights to cutlery design so far as I know, and there is not 'the' old original. Might be useful for opening letters or digging cabbages, so sorry...

 

[daverw]

This is a really late reply but needs to be said, I was talking with Jemmy Iwahara who coordinated the seki manufacturer with James Parker and Parker knives like this one were made by Kinryu, the same makr as the SOG seal and others like the scuba demo. Surgical steel was actually AUS6A the same steel as the SOG Seal. Just that nobody had heard of AUS6A in 1979. Some knives made by Kinryu were stamped 440 like the Valor knives but they also were AUS6A. These were fine blades no worse then SOG or Cold Steel, just had cheesy handles, or weak marketing. The Yen in the late 70's was worth half what it is today so these could be imported and sold cheep, so they were favorites in army surplus and smoke shops, but unlike todays crappy knives sold in the same places these were basically proto SOGs, and very good knives. The boot knives were very good and not one bit lesser quality then the Gerber MK1 they imitated. So Alberta Ed do your research before blerting crap

 

[KenHash]

Meanoldman;
do you have a photo of this tanto that we could see? And a photo of this document?
Does this Tanto come apart like a real Tanto?