Tanto Construction

[Bencld]

Hello all. Just musing the other night on typical tanto conctruction. Did they use the kobuse method with the soft inner core and harder higher carbon outer skin to make tanto or were they made mostly with just harder skin steel ? 

 

Thanks in advance.

Chris D.

[Jean]

One piece of steel

[paulb]

Not sure about later work but older koto work by such smiths as Yoshimitsu and Sentogu kunimitsu were one piece construction. This why even after numerous polishes their hada still looks incredibly clear and fresh

edit:

sorry Jean we must have been typing at the same time and I repeated your comment please feel free to delete

[Brian]

Why would I delete your comment Paul? This isn't a competition..first one wins a prize
The more opinions (especially when they agree) the better!
If I am the one asking a question, the more posts from different people stating the same facts..the better
 

[Geraint]

But I'm guessing Paul meant to type Shintogo Kunimitsu..........

 

All the best.

[Darcy]

There can be some variance in the methods. Some of the worn down Masamune show signs of a soft core coming through once the skin steel has been polished way. But as Jean and Paul indicate above, one piece construction is there and on Awataguchi blades, they can sometimes never become tired because of this. 

 

This is an extremely important Awataguchi Kunimitsu tanto I once had (and stupidly sold before I understood what I was doing). It has a 1287 date.

 

 

This is the remains of the head of a suken:

 

 

This shows where the whole suken was:

 

 

The steel is still clear, bright and beautiful.

 

It's the only dated Awataguchi Kunimitsu by the first generation (era is on the other side). There are some other signed Jubi/Jubun Kunimitsu tachi but the signature looks more like the 1323 dated nidai tanto to me on those. So this could be the only signed Shodai piece. It's the only dated work though and the only signed tanto.

 

Selling this was one of the major mistakes of my life.

 

Later on a jackass dropped it.

 

It's somewhere in Europe or England now so one day probably will show up at an auction house. If you see it, buy it.

[paulb]

Geraint

you are absolutely right. Not sure whether to blame haste or stupidity so will say a combination of both

thanks for correction

cheers

Paul

[Gabriel L]

Darcy: also, a *long form* date!?!? On a Kamakura tantō?

 

And then someone drops it. PLEASE tell me there was no damage. Or just say nothing, not sure I want to hear about how there’s no more bōshi because someone managed to forget how to stably hold a piece of metal above a table…

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Years ago I sent pics to Darcy of a Muromachi Mumei Sunnobi Tanto and it pointed out were it was showing Shingane. FWIW I think both constructions were used.

[Jean]

In Nihonto, there are always exceptions

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

exceptios are the rule...