WW2 Japanese Issue Bush Knives??? Nata?

kronckew · 7th October 2023, 11:12 PM

A friend of mine uses natas, he sent me a picture of them and said I could use it here.

He was told they were carried especially by Japanese airmen as a survival tool if they were shot down, as they are small and easy to stow.

They also captured a fair number of Dutch Klewangs, used by the Indonesian military/police. They converted them by shortening them and cutting down the full guard bowl to a short cross guard. They called them 'Heiho'.

These are well discussed here on the forum, search for 'dutch klewang'. They were also used by US, and the Germans, as well as the Dutch.

Japanese officers were known to carry Burmese dhas in the jungle. The Chindits and Gurkhas acquired a few of these from the Japanese who no longer needed them.

I Finish with a photo of my Dutch Klewang (made in Solingen), which is what they made the heihos from

7th October 2023, 11:12 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	A friend of mine uses natas, he sent me a picture of them and said I could use it here. He was told they were carried especially by Japanese airmen as a survival tool if they were shot down, as they are small and easy to stow. They also captured a fair number of Dutch Klewangs, used by the Indonesian military/police. They converted them by shortening them and cutting down the full guard bowl to a short cross guard. They called them 'Heiho'. These are well discussed here on the forum, search for 'dutch klewang'. They were also used by US, and the Germans, as well as the Dutch. Japanese officers were known to carry Burmese dhas in the jungle. The Chindits and Gurkhas acquired a few of these from the Japanese who no longer needed them. I Finish with a photo of my Dutch Klewang (made in Solingen), which is what they made the heihos from Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 8th October 2023 at 08:28 AM.