Japanese tanto dagger, samurai knife. Japan – richly decorated silver-coloured handle and sheath – Blade in excellent condition – beautiful hakabi - mid-20th century. This is a samurai blade of compact size that is known as a tanto (dagger). The blade was hand forged from a combination of hard carbon steel after which it forged on a piece of soft wrought iron. After forging and shaping the blade was placed in the richly decorated handle with matching saya (sheath). The tanto dagger has a nice hakabi The handle, sheath and hakabi are still very tight and show no signs of slack. Both the silver coloured grip and the sheath have beautiful sculptures of typical Japanese scenes including Samurai Warriors, dragons, Lions and various Japanese coats of arms. I have received this tanto knife from a man who was captured as a child during World War II in a Japanese concentration camp in Indonesia. Despite his imprisonment the boy was fascinated by the weapons and equipment of the Japanese guards. A Japanese guard found the fascination of the boy so engaging that he gave him this tanto knife. After the liberation, the boy took this tanto knife to the Netherlands where he has long cherished it. Total length including sheath-41 cm. Length of the tanto knife-38.5 cm. Length of the blade-25.5 cm.