Japanese short knife help

[tejanofig]

I found this at an estate sale friday.
I tried to find info on it and the only name I came up with is Tanto.
However the blade is different from the ones I saw.
There is no writing on the blade tand but some faded Kanji on the smaller knife.
Any help is appreciated.
The knife looks old and all proper.
Thanks in advance.
Jose Figueroa

[tejanofig]

2

[tejanofig]

3

[nickn]

its cut down from a longer sword
how long is the blade?

[tejanofig]

Up to hilt the blade is 13 7/8 inches long.
jf

[tejanofig]

Anybody have any idea as to age? What about the Kanji? Is it readable?
Any help appreciated.
jfig

[nickn]

impossible to date from the photos
1600-1800 is the best you will get
no the kanji are not readable but they dont mean much on a ko-gatana
dont let any of this put you off its a nice genuine old sword
nick

[Bob Coleman]

The blade is a short sword known as wakizashi. The tomoei mon on the scabbard is one of the most common ofund in Japan. From the pictures, it is impossible to date the blade as you show nothing of the temper or forging grain. The patina on the nakago would indicate an older blade forged of native tamahagane or steel made from sand iron ore. My guess is it is a shortened wakizasji from the mid to late 16th century.I would like to see a picture of the tsuba or sword guard.

[nickn]

The rust/ patina ,or lack of , On the nakago gives no indication of age as it's not the original
It looks as if the sword was shortened long after the blade was made

[tejanofig]

The blade is hard to photograph. It has no temper line.
It is very sharp though.
The guard is very light and thick.
Thanks for all the help guys as I love this sort of stuff.
My dad told me stories of hugh piles of swords that were burned, crushed or melted down. He was in the 25th Infantry during the occupation.
I asked him why didn't he bring one back.
He said he had a few under his cot until the FNguy burned down the barracks. After that he was shipped home.
jfig

[tejanofig]

2

[tejanofig]

3

[Bob Coleman]

I can see temper in the point which is known as the boshi. A good way to test for temper is to take a penny and run it across the cutting edge. If there is temper, it will catch the copper in the penny. If no temper, the penny will slide efortlessly across the blade

[Bob Coleman]

The hole closest to the butt end of the nakago is the original mekugi ana. The overall shape of the blade is reminiscent of the kogatana(short katana of wakizashi length)that were popular in the 16th century. Judgement by photos is difficult but for me, the blade shape is slightly older than Edo period.

[tejanofig]

Any ideas on the Menuki?
A word I just learned.
Any web sites that would teach me?
Thanks again.
jfig