paul griff

Hello, If it wasn't for the kanji looking too decorative and 'clean' and the applied hamon I would have said end of war but unused island made sword...The blade looks to be stainless and a very nice shape whereas nearly all of the island swords I have seen or owned have been well made but 'rough' if that makes any sense...? The leather on the saya seems to have the right amount of shrinkage and the fittings look like well made island versions with a nice patina although the inside of the saya throat looks very clean...! Only my opinion but I would say it is a post war well made island sword with decorative blade... Regards, Paul..

Hello, I can see the mark the habaki has made on one of the seppa's so there must have been a blade there originally..The silk and cotton tassel looks in very nice condition even though it is missing the slider.....If it is put together then congratulations to whoever done it..A lot of work for not a great return...for that price and including any import tax I would say a nice buy...! I'd certainly buy one for that price... Regards, Paul..

Hello, At first I would have said reconstructed as shown by the fresh looking leather,bright studs, newish looking binding and two different textured same...but...that ashi is very nicely fitted over the leather and that little metal locating bracket fitted to locate the mekugi with a bit of fraying where mekugi peg ( or screw ) has been removed really does throw me ! This is a very nice koshirae and I wouldn't be surprised if it's 100% ....Would be interested to know what the leather smells like....normally a good age guide..! Regards, Paul.

Hello Bruce, I admire your passion and enthusiasm..Nothing like enjoying your hobby whilst sipping on your favourite tipple as the evening closes.. Regards, Paul...

Hello, I sold this gunto some time ago to a friend who wanted something interesting as a display piece..It came as part of a consignment from a museum a number of years ago and the dealer who was selling them couldn't move this one because of the damaged blade..I bought an expensive gunto off him and got this one for it's history..The sword looks like it has seen some heavy use and judging by the wear on the heavy duty ashi was carried for a considerable amount of time..The only parts of the sword not original to it are the tsuba,seppa's and sarute...The third party who picked the sword up for me switched them and kept them and the nice pierced tsuba that originally adorned it , he denied it and I couldn't get them back....lesson learned...! That's the only reason I let it go...A sad fate for many gunto..! Regards, Paul...

Hello, Very useful site Dave...Thanks for posting.. Regards, Paul..

Hello, Making them is not the problem ..it's getting the " definition " that's difficult ,so you are both right in a way..! The other problem is the alloy..difficult to replicate what the Japanese perfected especially early on in production when raw materials were more readily available...Good quality and easy to work with ..For example and in comparison tapping a hole for a thread on the alloy from China is not so easy as anyone who has tried will tell you...they haven't got that part right..! After the cultural revolution I think the Chinese lost a lot of expertise regarding metallurgy..but,without a doubt it will return...they are getting much better....! Regards, Paul...

Hello Kyle, I'm 100% convinced due to the casting marks..Ersatz ones are normally plain but if they do have any detail they are "crude" but well made...If that makes any sense..? Rough edges normally mean it's a copy...If you type in " sarute" for sale on google the vast majority of sarute are copies..They are being sold by dealers and private sellers from Europe,the USA and Japan and they nearly all exhibit the same characteristics including a pale colour as opposed to a richer,deeper colour...This colour can be obtained but to finish the sarute nicely takes a bit of time and effort....The next time I go to the Birmingham arms fair I will buy a "copy" sarute and post a photo and will see that apart from the motif they are the same... Regards, Paul..

Hello, The inside edge of the sarute looks to have a " rough " edge to it as do the arms that enter the barrel....For those reasons I would say it's a copy...If you google "sarute" or look on that big auction site sarute are being sold there have the same casting marks....But to be honest with very little work those rough edges can be removed....Genuine sarute are very tactile and should be smooth as not to fray the tassel.... Regards, Paul..

Hello, Nice sword especially with the retention slip and surrender tag..Well done.. Regards, Paul..

Hello Chris, The sword is on it's way to a new owner..I'm sure he will appreciate it.! Regards, Paul..

Hello Chris, Yes, I think you are correct. The sword in the attachment above is a " better quality " example. All the numbers on the fittings including one on the nakago are matching.The silk Ito is covering a quality large nodule samegawa....The nicely forged blade fits perfectly in the lightweight saya...Looks like some officer commissioned the sword to be assembled with nice than average parts. Regards, Paul.

Hello, Chris, some of the tsuka-ito on shin-gunto are silk.I have attached a picture of a 23rd generation Kanefusa that I recently sold with a silk wrap.The sword is original as is the tsuka-ito.Even though it is intact it is very fragile..maybe that is why there are so many swords around with them missing ? The sword in question is pre 1942 with a showa stamp..All of the gunto I have with a nice and complete hilt wrapping are of cotton. The silk ones I have had in the past have all been very fragile due to as you correctly mentioned their organic make up. Regards, Paul..

Hello, Agree with you Matt ..I like Kanefusa swords and there are indeed some out there with Kikusui crests ...At the Birmingham arms fair last Sunday I was discussing them with two very well respected Japanese sword dealers... Regards, Paul..

Hello, I was advised to put the correct custom code on the item description but avoid the word "sword"....even if that means using : nihonto,tachi,katana etc...This is not to deceive customs but to lessen the chance of theft....Have used this to send swords to the U.S and Germany successfully using parcel force international signed for..Beware of the insurance as "weapon" or "antique" may have ambiguous clauses that prevents them paying out for loss or damage.... Regards, Paul.

Hello Peter, Well done..I do a similar thing making sarute..Visited an antique dealer the other day and he asked me to look at some of his swords he was selling ( not that I'm any expert..just a bit more informed than him )..sarute on the gunto was one of mine...good feeling... And I must add ...not made to deceive but to enhance...! Merry Christmas, Paul...

Hello, Very interesting article Bruce...Thanks for posting.. Merry Christmas, Paul...

Hello, Beautiful piece...Love to have it....! Regards, Paul.

Hello, Chris...reference prop swords...Kingdom of Heaven swords were for auction a few months back on The Saleroom .com they looked really good but were made of rubber...! Regards, Paul.

Hello Ed, Very nice sword..Saya and tsuka- ito in beautiful condition...Well done.. Regards, Paul.

Hello, Tassel looks right but not sure of Menuki...? Paul.

Hello Chris, WD40 ...That's a blast from the past...Well done...! I've accumulated and have been using such an array of renovation products "forgot my roots" with that one....! Have actually been renovating a gunto I bought last week ( the one I needed help with the Mei.....) Regards, Paul.

Hello Bruce, Well found ...Very enjoyable... Regards, Paul.

Hello Kris, Yes,your right red rust is active and must be treated..Here in the U.K. I use Renaissance metal de- corroder,same stuff they use in the British Museum and it stops rust dead....Must be something in the U.S that does the same thing..?After it's treated a thin coating of mineral oil should do the job ( if it was a traditional blade I'd say camellia oil or choji )....Also use Young's 303( a gun product that's a cleaner and rust preventer ) to temporary coat things if I'm working on them...but again ...not sure if that's in the U.S ...! Good gun products in the U.S... If it's good enough for a beautiful blued Colt it won't harm your blade.... Regards, Paul..

Hello Kris, Always controversial the topic of "cleaning swords"....If I bought a similar example to this I would clean the tsuba sympathetically with a bronze suede brush that doesn't scratch, for the hilt I normally use a clean soft shoe brush ( that hasn't had any polish on it ) and for the blade of similar type ( non-traditionally made oil quenched )...I use solvol autosol chrome cleaner to clean any grime off it then apply a thin layer of mineral oil thereafter....Blade only that is... and you have to remove the tsuba and seppa's ( washers either side of the tsuba...remembering to keep them in the order they came off...Also the brass sleeve ( Habaki ) in front of the tsuba needs to slide off...Handling the blade by holding the tang ( nakago ) is ok,if fact the oils off your hands add a patina to this part of the blade...Hope this helps and only my way of cleaning this type of sword not traditionally made ones that can be ruined easily... Regards, Paul..