Help with Tanto

[thedragon]

I purchased this probably 20 years ago at a local gun/knife show. I liked the style and blade design, but don’t remember what else the seller mentioned about it. I’m curious if there’s any value here or not. I found a few sheets of paper where he wrote down some things, but I can’t tell exactly what’s going on with this blade. Pretty sure it’s a replica of some sort, but if anyone has any insight, it would be appreciated.

 

[Sigp210]

This is a post war souvenier/tourist trinket, with a homage name on the blade. It is poor quality, and oil quenched. Not traditionally made. Mass produced, and the maker has nothing to do with the name on it. Some people say these were sold at shrines as lucky trinkets, others that they were made as general purpose soldier's knives. But I think probably souvenir knives made for sale after the war. Either way, moderate value, maybe 50 to 100 bucks.

 

[thedragon]

Makes sense, appreciate the insight.

 

[Evan Wilson]

the blade seems to have a grain structure and hada and the rust on the tang appears to dark for the blade to be a ww2 trinket.
the hada /grain is difficult to see due to scratches.
that style hamon was comon late edo early meji I think.

if the rust was a dark brown then I might believe ww2 but that rust looks dark grey or black meaning a possible age of a a few hundred years possibly.

mid to late edo maybe?

I dont know about the signature but I think the blade is older than WW2 and I dont agree that it is a souvenir/trinket
the paperwork is very questionable I think if it were what was stated on the paper than more work would have been put into any documentation that aside it may be an old blade with a gi mei signature

 

[NihontoEd]

There is nothing to suggest this is an older blade, it looks like an oil quenched non traditionally made blade. It was most likely broken at some point and repurposed into this.
Better photos would help, especially one of the blade with everything removed. But is unlikely they would provide any evidence to contradict what has been said by Brian or myself.
I see no evidence of Hada or grain structure. All I see are scratch marks from the sandpaper used to clean it.
The hamon has no hatarake and is obviously oil quenched.
The Nakago (tang) can be repatinated easily to look older. The key here is the sloppy work of reshaping and repatinating the nakago.
This mei of Sukesada, if you want to call it that was added later to enhance the deception. Japanese swords were signed on the nakago (tang).
Occasionally there was some type of prayer or homage inscribed on the blade but very rarely a smiths name.

 

[Evan Wilson]

There is nothing to suggest this is an older blade, it looks like an oil quenched non traditionally made blade. It was most likely broken at some point and repurposed into this.
Better photos would help, especially one of the blade with everything removed. But is unlikely they would provide any evidence to contradict what has been said by Brian or myself.
I see no evidence of Hada or grain structure. All I see are scratch marks from the sandpaper used to clean it.
The hamon has no hatarake and is obviously oil quenched.
The Nakago (tang) can be repatinated easily to look older. The key here is the sloppy work of reshaping and repatinating the nakago.
This mei of Sukesada, if you want to call it that was added later to enhance the deception. Japanese swords were signed on the nakago (tang).
Occasionally there was some type of prayer or homage inscribed on the blade but very rarely a smiths name.

someone can repatina the tang.
how would this be done?

 

[NihontoEd]

Sorry for the slow reply, been in Japan for a month. A trained polisher can repatinate a nakago (tang).

 

[Evan Wilson]

Sorry for the slow reply, been in Japan for a month. A trained polisher can repatinate a nakago (tang).

no worries we all have things we have to do in life.
thanks for the info did not know that the tang could be re-patina.

 

[NihontoEd]

An authentic traditionally polisher can. It is a necessary skill for when a mei is removed.

There may be some other self trained, fly by night folks who can or claim to be able to. Like most things you get what you pay for.
Personally, I only use traditionally trained togishi and recommend everyone does the same.