Tanto Find

[cfm15]

My dad found this in a thrift store in AZ a few years ago and I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about it. I took the best pics I could,the hamon goes all the way to the tip but is very thin for the last 10 mm or so and there looks like a grain opening close to the hamon towards the last third of the blade that I tried to show in the close ups. Also there seems to be one very near the tip on both sides.
Is this a real nihonto?

[cabowen]

Appears to be a real nihon-to but better pictures of the nakago would be helpful.

[Kai-Gunto]

Looks like a turist piece.

[cfm15]

Gunto

I was thinking that also, did they make some of those in the traditional way , soft core outer hard layer? The grain openings are like i've seen on blades that I know were nihonto.

[cfm15]

enlarged pic of the nakago

[cabowen]

Tanto are made from one piece in general, and no doubt a tourist piece, which I agree this appears to be, would most certainly be one-piece construction.

[cfm15]

How do you explain the grain openings?

[cabowen]

Poorly forged steel.

[cfm15]

I've forged a lot of blades and it doesn't look like it ,especially  the ones on the tip where the hamon almost disappears. 

[cabowen]

Then how do you explain the openings?

[Ken-Hawaii]

cfm15, please sign all your posts with at least your first name, per Brian's rules.

 

Ken

[cfm15]

Looks like core steel showing through to me?

Chris

[cabowen]

Post some better photos....But why would a smith go through the hassle of putting core steel in a souvenir piece, especially a tanto? This is not the normal way smiths made regular tanto, never mind souvenir items.

[Jamie]

Crude nakago.

Even one piece construction can have grain openings.

[Jean]

CFM 15 (aka Chris),

 

Please edit your profile and fill in the blank, mainly your name, it is one the three mandatory rules of thumb of this board :-)

[cfm15]

Was it at least made in Japan ? If so about what time?

[Jean]

Made in Japan, probably end of 19th century beginning of 20th century.

[cfm15]

Thanks Jean

Is it worth anything?

[Jean]

Not much unless you find a greenhorn

[Brian]

Depends on your idea of value I guess. But even in that state, I guess you would get between $300 and $500 on eBay?

 

Brian

[cfm15]

Thanks Brian