Tanto naoshi?

[Mikaveli]

So, after buying a few books to learn about Naginata and Naginata-naoshi, the Knutsen book on Japanese polearms mentions that at one point, repurposing yari (especially hira-zukuri) into tanto was fairly common.

 

Now, I've seen plenty of Naginata-naoshi and Naginata-naoshi-zukuri, but don't recall ever seeing a Tanto being described in a similar way (former yari with shortened nakago etc).

 

Does such a thing exist, or are they just described as suriage etc. (with or without mention of previously being a yari)?

[Ray Singer]

They're very common to encounter. You can see a few examples of legitimate osuriage yari remounted as tanto here within the discussion group. 

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-google&sca_esv=2bfcaaea2384c7b9&sxsrf=AE3TifPoslwv4YhitHhPuLVPMb1LgJ_g7g:1754992778757&q=tanto+yari+site:www.militaria.co.za&source=lnms&fbs=AIIjpHz2LkAPJDdeiKYzFgacvjxVmKaDDQLwycTxV2L0apBPyNTRLJN5Yi1fzSp12MAsxdeaIXGtpn83-U0_rPXqfbBYHI_6MRGAM5GT-Jk44eqm_NLeFGIQvAMLCAnX0EpIKaWXEXUWNi2G3LshYKQdwC_13f6w5JLvLuMwC4uT8VJ9c_M2S-7C4tDKTvnbMJSq5mbDzXZ6tCNI8KS0vJFyWM7cKn9p1FnUxd_EBtJJmfnTcY8MLr4&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp66TJgYWPAxWISTABHRn9ObUQ0pQJegQIHxAB&biw=411&bih=785&dpr=2.63

[Bugyotsuji]

There are plenty of Yari Tanto, (Ken too) but I do not recall having heard the specific expression of Tanto Naoshi, or even Yari Naoshi.

Hira-zukuri?

Kikuchi yari tanto were also produced though, many in Kyushu. I wonder if that is what he was referring to?

[Nobody]

A tanto transformed from Kikuchi-yari

[菊池槍] 祥末作 享禄三年八月日 田部興時 ｜ 刀剣、兵左衛門百観音堂・昌和美術刀剣

 

[Geraint]

Dear All.

 

As far as I can tell I have only heard the term naoshi used when the blade in question has had to be reshaped, not the nakago.  As yari mounted as tanto do not need the blade to be reshaped then the term would not apply.  I am also puzzled by those examples where the kerakubi would need to have been reshaped quite drastically as I have seen numerous examples where the kerakubi is untouched.  Always something new!

 

All the best.

[Mikaveli]

18 hours ago, Geraint said:

Dear All.

 

As far as I can tell I have only heard the term naoshi used when the blade in question has had to be reshaped, not the nakago.  As yari mounted as tanto do not need the blade to be reshaped then the term would not apply.  I am also puzzled by those examples where the kerakubi would need to have been reshaped quite drastically as I have seen numerous examples where the kerakubi is untouched.  Always something new!

 

All the best.

 

This brings me back to the Naginata naoshi debate.

 

It's not (always) clear whether a Naginata had to be reshaped, so I wonder if we're somewhat over interpreting 直し (なおし). Which literally translates to correction, mending, repair or rectification - Japanese has specific words for reshaping. So (only speculation) is it more accurate to think of Naoshi as meaning repurposing?

 

After all, some of the Tachi that we regard as osuriage also had some reshaping work, but naoshi isn't used to describe it (hence my theory that it hasn't been repurposed).