Truncheons - East Asian

[Timo Nieminen]

#7: Tessen or tenarashi, or tenarashi tessen. Specifically a gunsengata tenarashi (war fan shaped tenarashi). A fan-shaped truncheon. This imitates the flat (non-folding) fans used for signalling in battle. "Tenarashi" means "hand trainer", so these might be more intended for training than use (due to their weight). 784g. Supposedly antique, probably modern.

#8: Tessen or tenarashi, a sensugata tenarashi (folding-fan shaped tenarashi). Has fake folds along the sides to look more like a real fan. 878g. Supposedly antique, perhaps modern.

#9: Tekkan, or tetsu-ken (iron sword). Apparently these were used by merchants who were restricted in what weapons they could legally carry. Supposedly antique, probably 20th century. Sometimes these are described as tea-room swords, intended to allow the habitually-armed (i.e., samurai) to retain the appearance of a sword in the tea room where they were not supposed to have a sword (also being usable as a truncheon). 384g.

Some of the supposedly "hidden" weapons are not very well hidden. For example, some "fan knives", knives with handle and scabbard having the appearance of a folding fan (like #8 above), are very obvious. Perhaps weapon-like enough to let everybody know the wearer was armed, while providing sufficient excuse for the police to not arrest?

#10: Some modern jutte. The differences between these and the older ones (and the Hanwei replica) are clear. These have welded-on hooks (clearly electro-welded) and simple geometry - there is no taper at all (these are usually made from round bars, like these, but sometimes hexagonal stock is used). The bottom one has a hook like a sai hook. Sometimes modern jutte like these are offered as antiques. Top to bottom: 455g, 319g, 374g.