My garage sale find this past weekend

[KB1107]

Hello to the forum,

 

It has been a while since I’ve purchased any new pieces… primarily because our move a few months ago (and the price of things in today’s market). Anyways, I decided to hit a few garage sales this past weekend to take a break from home improvements. I found this tanto in a pile of knives… the blade itself is in decent condition (some staining and out of polish, but no major pitting). This tanto appears to be some kind of artwork from a GI? Maybe a katana that was found years ago… broken? Damaged? And maybe somebody decide to make a tanto out of it? What I found interesting is the habaki… it appears somebody made it out of wood and glued it into the handle. It’s amazing what people can do with the right tool and a little imagination!

 

Anyways… you can’t even buy a reproduction today for $30.00! As far as the history of this piece… it came from an estate sale years ago. Sorry for the low light pics… light distorts it too much. Some hamon still visible… 

[KB1107]

And a couple more photos…

[ROKUJURO]

This was probably made in Japan after the war for sale to tourists (or GIs). Often wrongly called KAMIKAZE TANTO, but had nothing to do with WWII.

It is a souvenir, unfortunately not more.

[Bruce Pennington]

Some of these were made from the halves of swords cut in two after the war.

[KB1107]

Yes…t hats what I believe this one is/was… thanks Bruce

[Bruce Pennington]

I would venture, though, that this blade tip shape is not a standard, or commonly seen shape on a sword found from the war - shobu-zukuri.  It would have been something older, civil.  Or it was simply something manufactured after the war, as stated earlier, for souvenir sales.

[Rawa]

Similar example from recent auction

https://www.catawiki.com/pl/l/99431749-katana-tanto-w-shirasaya-ija-ww-ii-kamikaze-pilot-kaiken-horimono-japonia