Help identifying a tanto blade

[kylem]

Hi,

 

I've inherited something that appears to be some kind of tanto blade. I'd very much appreciate any help in determining what exactly this is.

 

First, a little background that might be useful. I was given this by my granduncle. My granduncle was born in Los Angeles in the 1920s, and went back to Japan to attend school. That side of the family is from Kagoshima and traditionally samurai. A few years after the war, he returned to the U.S. Approximately four years ago my granduncle had a stroke. I was given this, and although he's still alive he can't really communicate, which is why I'm seeking help here now.

 

My granduncle has always been into kendo; he used to practice before the war, and when he returned to the U.S. he set up a kendo studio. While active in the sport he attained the rank of hanshi hachidan -- if you follow kendo you might even have an inkling of who he is. He had a lot of kendo and samurai-related items around the house.

 

It appears to be a high quality knife blade with a handle made out of a tree branch--maybe cherry. The branch appears to have been split down the middle, hollowed out to accommodate the tang, and then glued back together. It is non-removable. There is a blade collar that appears to be bronze, as well as five parts that appear to be guard accessories--also made of bronze.

 

There are no markings on the blade, handle, or guard accessories. The blade is very sharp and has a few splotches of rust.

 

Oddly enough, the blade was wrapped in a sheath made of paper, masking tape, and electrical tape. On it was written a mixture of English and romaji (see below.)

 

I believe this is something that he brought back from Japan in the late 1940s. I believe that he removed the actual handle, guard and scabbard for travel purposes. As for the Romaji on the scabbard, it seems likely that he wrote it down from memory--one thing to keep in mind was that he had to learn (or re-learn) English when he returned, and it makes sense that he would write it in an English/Japanese combination. Some cursory research I've done online suggests that the romaji is a duplication of some kanji that is on the tang.

 

Information and pictures below. I'd welcome any theories or information on this blade. If it is what it I think it is I would restore it. Thanks!

 

 

Dimensions:

 

277mm from tip to bronze base

 

125mm grip (wood)

 

 

Side 1:

hizen kuni hirosada

 

kani kyuju nen nigatsu kitsu jitsu

 

1639

 

 

 

Side 2:

 

 

(covered by tape)

 

Kan-ei (Kan'ei)

 

kwansei kyu ju nen nigatsu kitsu jitsu

 

Feb. 1643

 

(Edit: clarity)

[Brian]

Normally there is a wooden peg through the handle, holding it on. Pushing out the peg will allow the handle to be removed. I notice what looks like a small hole in the handle. Check if there is a peg in there? I feel there must be a way to get that handle off.

From what I can see there, the tanto looks like it might be of some quality, especially if the writing mirrors what is on the tang. It may be worth professional restoration. Nice clean lines and shape.

Those other fittings don't seem related to this tanto. They are mostly from a WW2 katana.

 

Brian

[kylem]

Normally there is a wooden peg through the handle, holding it on. Pushing out the peg will allow the handle to be removed. I notice what looks like a small hole in the handle. Check if there is a peg in there? I feel there must be a way to get that handle off.

From what I can see there, the tanto looks like it might be of some quality, especially if the writing mirrors what is on the tang. It may be worth professional restoration. Nice clean lines and shape.

Those other fittings don't seem related to this tanto. They are mostly from a WW2 katana.

 

Brian

 

Thanks for the reply. Correct, there are two holes of 5mm each on the left and one 5mm hole on the right. I just took a flashlight and a tap and probed around down there--the hole leads straight down to the tang with no detectable pegs. The fit is very solid; it's possible that the holes in the tang itself are notched into the inside of the handle.

 

I'm going to have to think about removing the handle. It's a well selected piece of wood--there' just enough bend in it to fit the hand perfectly.

 

As for the fittings, something I didn't mention earlier was that my granduncle was drafted into the Imperial Army during the war and sent to Manchuria. He barely made it out of Korea without being captured by the Soviets.

[sohei]

Removing the handle, and allowing us the see the nakago is important. It's like looking under the hood of a car.

 

Here is a link to a common way to remove the handle:

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_5665404_remove- ... sword.html

 

the only thing I would add, is you are hitting your wrist (or behind thumb area) of your hand holding the blade in a downward strike.

Thanks, Mike

[kylem]

Good to know. I can't get to it for a few days but I'll try to remove it this weekend and report what I find. Thank you!