Flea Market Japanese Tanto

[Airbornehunter]

A friend of mine found this at the flea market on Sunday. I'm not the best with Japanese blades, but to me this one looks unusual. Obviously, to me, the sheath does not appear correct as it is too long. The handle looks to be of WW2 era, but the blade seems earlier to me. Again, I am not good with Japanese blades, but the this one has an unusual looking fuller groove and an odd line running up the blade. There does not appear to be a signature under the handle, but three holes, to me at least, would seem to indicate multiple remountings, leading me to believe this one is old. There is a hamon line, but I wasn't able to photograph it the best. Can anyone tell me anymore about this one? Thank you ABN

[Sporter90]

How long is it? It's a mumei tanto or mumei wakizashi. It was carried as a wakizashi. Nothing wrong with that.

[Bruce Pennington]

I like it. Tsuka may have been re-wrapped during the war, but not much here can be said to be military. The missing kurikata (knob on saya) could mean the saya was leather-covered for the war, but all else is purely civil.

[Airbornehunter]

The total length is 22.5 inches. The sheath is 17 inches. The tip of the blade to the tsuba is 12 inches. Total blade length is about 14.5 inches. What does mumei mean? And what would the purpose be to carry it in a longer scabbard? To mean it looks like the handle was wrapped during the wartime period, but I presume the blade is earlier, is this correct? Thank you for the replies. ABN

[Sporter90]

12-inch means it is a tanto. Mumei translates "no signature" (to be seen).

To carrier a tanto in a wakizash scabbard was to save money. It's like wearing a dickey.

[Sporter90]

I like it. Tsuka may have been re-wrapped during the war, but not much here can be said to be military. The missing kurikata (knob on saya) could mean the saya was leather-covered for the war, but all else is purely civil.

I don't see any trace of military connection. The kurikata simply was lost somewhere in the US.

[Sporter90]

The shape of the blade is the shobu style. You could say "shobu zukuri" . This style is beautiful in wakizashi and tanto.