Copper aikuchi (???) dagger, flea market find....

[Milton]

Thanks for the additional information. I’m curious as to whether the blade may be older than the external fittings, as it shows (IMO), some real age. I suppose it could stand to reason that this could be the case, as it so often is w/ larger swords, or?...

[Bob Coleman]

I would agree the blade is likely older than the mounting. The raised discs on each side of the handle likely contain a screw and thread post to hold the tsuka to the blade.
With some patience, you can likely get it off. In some rare cases, the threading is reverse of normal threading direction.

[Milton]

Thanks Bob. Will look at it more closely today.

[Milton]

You were right Bob...a bit of gentle persuasion using nothing other than my fingernail, and the pin came out. Tang appears unsigned, however there "could" be something beneath the oxidation...I didn't attempt to clean it to find out. There was apparently a second hole through the tang, as evidenced by the "half" hole that's extant at the very end of the tang.. Perhaps cut down a bit from a tanto? Grabbed a couple of quick snaps while it was still apart....

[Bob Coleman]

Definitely a shortened tanto. The lack of a mei is not a surprise.

[Milton]

Thanks again for commenting Bob.