Bidspirit auction | Japanese antique Samurai tanto sword,

Japanese antique Samurai tanto sword, 31 cm, used in hara-kiri, Edo period (1600-1868) - Japanese antique Samurai tanto sword, 31 cm, used in hara-kiri, Edo period (1600-1868)? Overall length: 477 mm = 47.7 cm; Length of the blade (nagasa) only: 310 mm = 31 cm. Blade is very sharp; Weight of tanto sword: 278 g; Total weight with scabbard: 389 g; Sori (curvature): 3 mm; Nakago (tang): one round hole; Habaki (collar) – present; TSUKA (handle): present; SAYA (scabbard): wood; Provenance: Private collection of arms in Florida. The tantō is a dagger, but is used as a knife. The blade is single or double edged with a length between 15 and 30 cm (1 Japanese shaku). The tantō was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tantō are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline),[1][5] meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana. Some tantō have particularly thick cross-sections for armor-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi.