tanto ww2

[lassalle]

hello. I need help to know if Japanese ww2 is good? thank you very much

[Bruce Pennington]

Can you show a full length shot of the side with the fuller groove?

Guy will tell us if the writing says something legit.

It's a strange one, for sure. The hamon runs straight off the end, rather than following the curvature of the tip, so it looks like it could have been a re-purposed broken blade. But the nakago is soooo bad, even for something re-shaped. And the kanji look new. Hard to tell if the hamon is real or acid etched, with these photos.

If the nakago were nicer, I'd lean toward re-purposed broken blade. But with that horrid nakago..... I don't know.

[lassalle]

[Bruce Pennington]

The leather scabbard shows obvious wear, and the whole thing seems to have age. But I can't say any more than I have.

If you want expert opinions, post it on the NMB Nihonto forum here: Nihonto - Nihonto Message Board

[ghp95134]

It looks like an old (tang color) tanto that was a bit longer and broke off at the tip -- I see just a bit of hamon rising along the kissaki.

The writing looks authentic .... but all I can read is the first kanji, 中 naka/chū. I can clearly make out the second kanji but do not recognize it nor can I "build" it in a Japanese dictionary.

-- Guy

[lassalle]

thank you very much!