MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > Knife Making Discussions > Historical Inspiration

Historical Inspiration This forum is dedicated to the discussion of historical knife design and its influence on modern custom knife work.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-29-2017, 12:54 PM
Andrew Garrett's Avatar
Andrew Garrett Andrew Garrett is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nampa, Idaho
Posts: 3,584
Mystery Blade from Japan

I just took a commission to refurbish a blade that I want to know more about before I begin.

The blade has four Kanji symbols stamped into the blade and then ground flush.
Without a handle, then blade is 10.25".
The cutting edge is 7".
It is chisel ground on the right with a slightly convex bevel.
It is forged carbon steel (hammer marks on tang).
It was a hidden tang design.
Its width varies between 1/4" and 5/16".
It has a beveled spine at the peak (perhaps for prying apart bones at the joints).
The wooden scabbard is a softwood with wood veneer woven through thin slots for aesthetic effect. It was never sealed with a finish or glued or nailed together. My best guess it that is was simply wrapped with something.

The knife was acquired in Japan in the early 1950s by a military member. It is owned by his grandson now.

What I find most puzzling is the angle of the handle to the blade. When I stand the blade on edge, it is flat and the tip of the tang becomes a second point of contact with the flat surface. The spine is rounded downward. This doesn't seem consistent with examples of other Japanese blades. It also makes for very limited relief for the hand. It would be impossible to chop on a cutting board even without a handle without slamming your knuckles into the board before the cutting edge does its work.
I wonder if this means that it was designed to chop hanging meat. Maybe?

The spine of the knife has been used significantly as a hammer for some purpose. This has widened the steel at the spine from impact.

There is a deep 4" fuller on the left side of the blade.

Pictures attached.

Penny for your thoughts...







__________________
Andy Garrett
https://www.facebook.com/GarrettKnives?ref=hl
Charter Member - Kansas Custom Knifemaker's Association
www.kansasknives.org

"Drawing your knife from its sheath and using it in the presence of others should be an event complete with oos, ahhs, and questions."
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-30-2017, 03:28 PM
Daevos Daevos is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Minerva, Oh
Posts: 9
Is it possible that it's a wood working tool or carving tool instead of a kitchen tool? A draw knife or something like it.

Last edited by Daevos; 01-30-2017 at 03:31 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-07-2017, 04:22 PM
Andrew Garrett's Avatar
Andrew Garrett Andrew Garrett is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nampa, Idaho
Posts: 3,584
At this point, anything is possible.
Still in the dark...


__________________
Andy Garrett
https://www.facebook.com/GarrettKnives?ref=hl
Charter Member - Kansas Custom Knifemaker's Association
www.kansasknives.org

"Drawing your knife from its sheath and using it in the presence of others should be an event complete with oos, ahhs, and questions."
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-07-2017, 08:47 PM
Daevos Daevos is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Minerva, Oh
Posts: 9
Look up brush nata .. I saw something similar in Design in a YouTube video I was watching today
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-20-2017, 01:04 PM
Andrew Garrett's Avatar
Andrew Garrett Andrew Garrett is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nampa, Idaho
Posts: 3,584
You are correct! Thank you! It is a Nata.

I fixed it up a bit for the owner:
Black Palm and a brass ferule.


__________________
Andy Garrett
https://www.facebook.com/GarrettKnives?ref=hl
Charter Member - Kansas Custom Knifemaker's Association
www.kansasknives.org

"Drawing your knife from its sheath and using it in the presence of others should be an event complete with oos, ahhs, and questions."
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-20-2017, 02:17 PM
Daevos Daevos is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Minerva, Oh
Posts: 9
Looks great .. the owner should be pleased .. love the handle
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
angle, bee, bevel, blade, blades, carbon, carving, design, edge, finish, fixed blade, flat, forged, hammer, handle, hidden, hidden tang, japan, japanese, knife, military, relief, steel, surface, tang


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
??????Mystery Marks?????? dtec1 The Newbies Arena 10 06-12-2016 08:59 AM
WWII Japan knife BrianT Ed Caffrey's Workshop 8 01-10-2008 09:42 AM
Japan Fighter bullet101 The Display Case 7 01-05-2005 05:19 AM
Mystery Mace The Display Case 8 10-25-2004 05:13 PM
Mystery Metal Joe Mason Fine Embellishment 5 07-14-2003 07:37 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:36 PM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved