I need some help identifying this sword.

[Trond]

I remember going to japan years ago, I was about seven. I can barely remember most of it, but a sword like this a guy had. The man was friends to my parents, I had forgotten his name, my parents had not talked to him in so long his name were blank to them. Anyways, I hope I could get help identifying this sword.

 

[Mike Cash]

I need some help identifying a piece of weaponry.

That is a sword.

 

[Trond]

That is a sword.

Mr. Specific. I meant what kind. I know it is a sword.

 

[Mike Cash]

I need some help identifying a piece of weaponry.

That is a short sword.

Seriously, though, I've never seen anything like it. It looks to me very much like someone took the broken end of a katana and ground it down to make a new tang, and then added a hilt that looks more European than Japanese.

I would guess that's a homemade one-off.

 

[Trond]

That is a short sword.

Seriously, though, I've never seen anything like it. It looks to me very much like someone took the broken end of a katana and ground it down to make a new tang, and then added a hilt that looks more European than Japanese.

Alright, I just remember him having a sword like this. It could be different, but if I remember right it is similiar, or also exactly like this. Thanks anyways.

 

[Mike Cash]

I need some help identifying a piece of weaponry.

The traditional two sword setup was a katana (the long one) and a wakizashi (the short one), but neither of those look anything like that, except for the tip. A really short sword was a tanto, but still didn't look like that picture.

 

[thomas]

Apart from the handle, it reminded me of a bayonet at first glance. Japanese bayonets looked slightly different though. Seems to be a short sword.

 

[Mike Cash]

I think we're answering a question about a random sword picture the OP found somewhere on the internet.

OP, do a search on "Japanese swords" and you should find tons of stuff, including pictures.

 

[Trond]

Mike, I guess it was just a shortsword then. Also, I did not just find a random picture off the internet. Yes I did with this one to show what I remembered it like, but it came closest to how I remembered it.

---------- Post added at 19:01 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

But anyways, thanks for the help you could provide.

 

[Mike Cash]

What I meant by "random picture off the Internet" was that it is not a picture of the specific individual sword you saw when you were seven. So we should direct our efforts toward helping you to resources about Japanese swords, hoping you might find something closer to what you're looking for, rather than attempt to provide information about that particular sword in the photo.

It is possible that what you saw was a non-Japanese sword, or perhaps a bayonet.

 

[ewww]

It's a dagger. Daggers are used for close fight, as primary weapon, or as complimentary weapon to sword or saber. Those, which are used as additional weapon, often has reverted hilt. Some as decoration, some, like that on picture, are made to catch enemy's dagger or sword. It is quite possible to break knife and even sword with such hilt.

That one is somewhere from europe, I think so.

Just 2C.

 

[Trond]

What I meant by "random picture off the Internet" was that it is not a picture of the specific individual sword you saw when you were seven. So we should direct out efforts toward helping you to resources about Japanese swords, hoping you might find something closer to what you're looking for, rather than attempt to provide information about that particular sword in the photo.

It is possible that what you saw was a non-Japanese sword, or perhaps a bayonet.

Okay. I also misunderstood the way you said it, very sorry. I looked up various European bayonets and a few or so more of them seemed similiar to the one I saw, so I will have to conclude it was a bayonet.

 

[ewww]

It is not a bayonet, usually bayonets have some ring or plank or channel, which are used to attach it to rifle.
That one does not have any.

 

[Mike Cash]

The picture is not the same exact individual sword he is asking about.

 

[Glenski]

I looked up various European bayonets and a few or so more of them seemed similiar to the one I saw.

Then don't expect any accurate replies. For all we know, that picture was a Portuguese handmade shiv for pirates.

 

[Speedy Japanese]

Hi Trond,

If the sword was similar to the one pictured I would think it was a European blade, Japanese swords come in a paired set as Mike mentions above but they have a number of features that differentiate them from European weapons. For example it is uncommon to see the hilt with a guard like that. Also most japanese swords have a curved blade as opposed to the straight blade used in medieval Europe, this is because the fighting style was vastly different, chances are your acquaintance acquired this from somewhere other than Japan.

 

[nnnaaa]

Something in Japan that could look similar to these (obviously) European blades is maybe Jyutte?
Jutte - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quite popular in any Samurai TV series, carried by the town police officers in Edo era .
It is not a sword (i think). It cannot stab a person. It is just to protect the users from blade attack (so far as I understand). Read Wiki for the correct info.
-> Now that I checked, there isn't much information in the wiki.
Carrying long swords were only allowed for Samurai class. This Jutte is not a sword so (I believe) this could be carried by non-Samurai people.

 

[Toritoribe]

You can see more detailed information on the Japanese wiki pages of Jutte. As we can see in Jidaigeki, jutte is carried by Yoriki or Dōshin(all in Japanese). They are Samurai.


@ The OP, see bayonets used by Imperial Japanese Army.
ﾂ銃ﾅ停?｢ﾂ 窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ坦 - Google ﾅ椎ｸﾂ催ｵ

 

[nnnaaa]

Thanks for the additional information, Toritoribe. The only source of information for such things for me is from the Samurai TV shows....銃剣 seems more like it.