WW2 Japanese Dirk

[easterneagle87]

Thought this was a Naval dirk, but have found out it isn't. Too high and too damaged for me, but can anyone ID the organization it goes with? 

[easterneagle87]

Nothing? Come on viewers!  

[St.Lukas]

Looks like a navy dagger to me

[SARGE]

Looks like a Naval dagger to me as well.  Why do you think is it not Japanese Navy?

 

 

[easterneagle87]

I believed it was too, however, I had another forum member point out that there are other Japanese departments that used dirks in recognition of their in departments other than the Navy. I was just looking for confirmation as to; yes, no, if not  ..what other department would it represent?  

[Gwar]

Japanese Imperial Naval Dagger, the posters seems to me messed with a bit, there isn't a blood groove on the blade, the brass piece on the blade by the handguard is missing and lastly the isn't any acceptance mark on the guard among a few other things..

Phot Credit: gerrit

[Gwar]

It almost start to feel like the blade was replaced altogether..

[Fortunes Of War]

Gwar-

     That was my thought.  It looks like a fake, post-war, or replacement blade.  

[easterneagle87]

I too, thought the blade wasn't up to snuff. I don't think its a fake, but I do think there are issues.  

[Airborne-Hunter]

For what its worth; my great uncle is still alive at 99 and he brought a naval dirk back from Luzon in 1945. He still has it and its probably his most prized possession. But his blade does NOT have a blood groove and is even more crude than the one shown above. His blade is extremely crude. He left the army before the 33rd went to Occupation in Japan. He never even made it to Japan and as far as I'm aware he hasn't travelled more than 200 miles from his ranch in 70 years. When he came back he paraded the dirk around town. He calls it his "Hari Kari Knife." I know for a fact his is wartime, but its way more crude than this one... I would not question the OP blade. Additionally, for what its worth, my Naval dirk, direct out of an estate, has a blade similar to this one, albeit longer and with black ray skin. Best ABN

[St.Lukas]

Tremendous amounts of variations and manufacturing differences. Could also be a very late cruder production example

[Fortunes Of War]

This example doesn't have to have a blood gutter to be authentic.  I have a similar war time example with no gutter.  We have seen late war swords, and bayonets as well with and without gutters, gutters on only one side, and some with no cutting edges (Dress daggers don't normally have an edge.  Those I have seen with one, are usually sharpened postwar, post capture and maybe even used in some instances in the field by the Japanese themselves.)  In any case, we have seen navy dress daggers with and without sharpened edges.  It's true that this example could simply be a crude, late war blade.  I have also seen examples like this that were post war;  the original blade was cut in accordance with regulations at war's end, and then a crude metal one was added later.  It's more normal to see where they added a wood blade and attached the rest of the fixtures to keep the parts together, all original and vintage (as is sometimes done with swords).  There could be a whole list of possibilities....