Tomotsugu, a KOTO Circa 1492. Armor Piercing Tanto (Yoridoshi)

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“TOMOTSUGU”

“KOTO” C-1450 ~ 1550 AD. (EST.)

“SERVING SAMURAI”

YOROIDOSHI (METAZASHI)

ARMOR PIERCING TANTO!

“THE ARMOR PIERCING TANTO”

ULTIMATE TRUSTING WEAPON…

INNOVATIVE, DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY, DEVELOPED TO ACCOMPLISH THE ULTIMATE TASK FOR A TANTO, ” PIERCE STRONG ARMOR”! NO ONE (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE) CAN STATE WITH CERTAINLY EXACTLY WHEN, AND BY WHOM THE “ARMOR PIERCING TANTO” WAS DESIGNED, AND CREATED. IT IS MOST LOGICAL, TO ADHERE TO THE THEORY THAT IT IS A PRODUCT OF SWORD CONSTRUCTION EVOLUTION. I HAVE SEEN TANTO THAT WOULD SATISFY THIS TERM, THAT DATED TO THE MID KAMAKURA (ABOUT 1250 AD) PERIOD. THERE ARE PROBABLY EARLIER EXAMPLES. THE MAJORITY OF EXAMPLES ARE EXTREMELY THICK, AND RATHER NARROW. IN SOME CASE’S THE THICKNESS IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 OF THE BLADE WIDTH (MOTOHABA). THE SHAPE IS ALMOST ALWAYS “HIRAZUKURI” (FLAT SIDED), AND HAS NO SHINOGI (RIDGE LINE). THE MUNE (BACK RIDGE) IS ALWAYS “EXTREMELY THICK”. ITS STYLE DEPENDS UPON THE SCHOOL, AND MAKER. THIS PROVIDES THE BLADE WITH A NEARLY TRIANGULAR CROSS SECTION, AND TREMENDOUS TRUSTING ABILITY. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT “WOUNDS” LEFT BY THIS STYLE OF BLADE ARE AMONGST THE SLOWEST TO HEAL, AND CAUSE SEVER BLEEDING.
“MASAME” (STRAIGHT GRAIN) HADA, MIXED WITH “ITAME” (NORMAL WOOD GRAIN) IS FREQUENTLY USED. THE STRAIGHT HORIZONTAL GRAIN, PRODUCES A SUPERIOR THRUSTING BLADE, OF GREAT STRENGTH, AND RESISTANCE TO BREAKAGE. THE STRAIGHT LONGITUDINAL “MASAME” (SOME LOOSENESS IS NORMAL) GRAIN, IS SOMEWHAT LIKE UTILIZING IRON NETTLES, THAT ARE BUNDLED HORIZONTALLY, FOR SUPERIOR FRONTAL STABILITY. THE “ITAME”, PROVIDES ADDED FLEXIBILITY.
THE HAMON’S THAT SEEM TO BE THE MOST POPULAR ARE “SUGUBA” (STRAIGHT), OR “HITATSURA” (FULL TEMPERING). BOTH, PROVIDE SUPERIOR STRENGTH FOR TRUSTING. THE ARMOR PIERCING TANTO IS A UNIQUE, RESILIENCE, AND SUPERIOR WEAPON.

THIS KOTO TANTO IS SIGNED BY TOMOTSUGU. THERE ARE SEVERAL MAKERS BY THIS NAME, WHO WORKED DURING THIS PERIOD. THIS IS APPARENTLY THE WORK OF ONE OF THE UDA SCHOOL MAKERS, FROM ETCHU, OR KAGA ( PROVINCES ). THE SIGNATURE RESEMBLES THAT OF ETCHU TOMOTSUGU, WHO IS LISTED IN FUJISHIRO’S KOTO BOOK, AND RATED ABOVE AVERAGE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS “TOMOTSUGU’S” WORKING WITHIN THIS TIME FRAME, AND ONLY THREE ILLUSTRATED SIGNATURE EXAMPLES COULD BE FOUND. THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE SIGNATURE IS UNEQUIVOCALLY WARRANTED.

THE HADA (GRAIN STRUCTURE) IS PREDOMINATELY “MASAME” (STRAIGHT GRAIN), MIXED WITH “ITAME” (NORMAL WOOD GRAIN). THIS COMBINATION IS VERY STRONG, AND RESILIENT. THE HAMON (HEAT TREATING) IS OF THE DESIRABLE “HITATSURA” (FULL TEMPER). THIS ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO ITS STRENGTH. THE ARMOR PIERCING TANTO IS A FASCINATING, UTILITARIAN WEAPON.

THE KOSHIRAE (FITTINGS) EARLY TO MID “EDO” C- 1600 ~ 1700 AD (ESTIMATED) THIS IS A WONDERFUL, SELDOM ENCOUNTERED “TRUE SAMURAI” TANTO (HAVING A TSUBA) KOSHIRAE. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT IS BASICALLY AS IT WAS WHEN IT LEFT AS WORN BY THE SAMURAI, WHO CARRIED IT.

THE KODOGU (METAL FITTINGS) ARE CONSTRUCTED OF “YAMAGANE”, LITERALLY “MOUNTAIN METAL”. YAMAGANE IS UN-REFINED COPPER, IT HAS A REDDISH HUE (VERY ATTRACTIVE). THE “TSUBA” (HAND GUARD), IS MATCHING YAMAGANE. THE “MENUKI” DEPICT A FLOWER ARRANGEMENT (THE SAMURAI LOVE NATURE), AND ARE MADE OF “SHAKUDO” (RED COPPER, ALLOYED WITH PURE GOLD). THE “MEKUGI” (RETAINING PIN ) IS VERY EARLY, WIT HAND CUT REVERSE TREAD. THE “SA-ME” (UNDER SKIN OF A STING RAY FISH) , IS ALSO OF THE PERIOD. THE HIGHLY UNUSUAL “SAYA” (SCABBARD), IS IN THE STYLE OF A “PEA POD” (OR BEAN). THE LACQUER IS DEEP, HIGH LUSTER BLACK. IT WAS PROBABLY RESTORED DECADES AGO, AND IS IN VERY FINE CONDITION. THIS “TANTO” IS QUITE STRONG, AND ATTRACTIVE. THE DESIGN IS “SHIBUI” (SIMPLE GRACEFUL, AND ELEGANT), EXACTLY WHAT A DIGNIFIED SERVING SAMURAI WOULD HAVE CARRIED.

GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC AND REASONABLY PRICED.
© DAVID E J PEPIN

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