This is a well designed knife blade blank made by Tak Fukuta in Seki, Japan for Explorer circa 1980s. It measures 8.6" long overall and the blade measures 4.2" long and is made of polished AUS-8 just over 1/8" thick and has a tapered tang. Blade is marked "AUS-8 Seki Japan". We have included a brass guard for this - it is not original (opening thickness is about 0.025" too large vs blade thickness and interior of guard is tapered, so will have some gap on top between guard and blade), but with some adjustments to the guard it could work for this knife (the top could be trimmed so that the guard can slide up from the bottom).

Tak Fukuta was the first Japanese member of the American Knife Maker's Guild, and apprentice to Bob Loveless. He hand crafted fine quality knives that impressed his mentor. Over the years, his factory in Seki, Japan also produced knives for Parker, Valor, Gutmann, Explorer, Frost, and Browning among others. After his passing, several vintage old stock models were found at his warehouse. This knife is one of these rare finds.