All About Pocket Knives

Here are pics of the second one of these I bought at a gun show. I see no hamon line. Is it a tourist piece? Dark laquered wood and the 'pleats' resemble a folded fan. 11" OAL I invite any and all comments..

I’m not familiar with that particular style of knife. My impression of this is that it’s more of a tourist piece. Since it doesn’t have a COO or any makers marks on it. The hamon line that is missing would be a pretty good indication that it wasn’t an expensive piece when it was first created. Other than those observations, I am not much help.

I did run this through Google and this is what it came up with:
This item appears to be a late 19th-century Japanese Fan Knife Tanto, often used as a concealed weapon.It features a wooden scabbard and handle designed to resemble a closed folding fan.The blade is typically crafted from steel, with examples generally measuring around 7 inches in length.Similar antique pieces have sold at auction for prices ranging from approximately $50 to $440 depending on condition.

Take that with a grain of salt, but it did come up with some reasonable information.

I have seen some "tourist" version tantos, and to me they look cheap. Yours does not. I choose to believe that yours is authentic.

scagel wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2026 1:30 pm Here are pics of the second one of these I bought at a gun show. I see no hamon line. Is it a tourist piece? Dark laquered wood and the 'pleats' resemble a folded fan. 11" OAL I invite any and all comments..

Samurai were barred from carrying weapons in 1870 and further diminished and outlawed with more bans and laws in successive years. The hidden aspect of this knife is likely in relation to that ban. This would place its date of production within a period of time in which swordsmiths and former samurai were still bitter enough about the bans to be in revolt of them. Also would explain why there's no makers mark as they would have been effectively signing their name to a crime.