saskcoin

No need to apologize Stephen. I consider you folks the experts and I am terrified of doing anything to damage it, so I appreciate when I see things like that. It makes me be even more careful! Especially as a newcomer.

I wiped it with a piece of paper towel and some goop remover(Goof off), then a light jay cloth and water wiping off the remaining crud. Those scratches were there when I got it.

Hopefully I am doing this right. Here are some pictures of the blade after a light cleaning. http://s1180.photobucket.com/user/saskcoin/library/

Thank you Caleb for that information. If what you say is true, I may just have to sell this one and rebuy when the market corrects itself. I could then buy three for what I would get for this one right now potentially!

THANK YOU EVERYONE! for the quick responses and re-assurances. I am going to work this morning to clean up the blade and get a few better pictures taken of it to post as well as starting to gather the historic information on it.

I just got this sword today from a friend. It was his uncles, who fought in WW2 and as long as I can and he can remember, his uncle stated he brought it back from overseas, along with a Bolo Machete. The uncle is long passed away, but I finally managed to buy it off his nephew today, although now, after reading the forum, I am concerned it may be nothing more than a fake? I believed it was a Kai Gunto, but there is no writing on the tang, although there are two matching numbers on the tsuka and the seppa? There is an oil substance on the blade that has been there as long as anyone can remember. There is also some age damage to the tsuka where it is cracking, and to the obi tori. Can anyone please be kind enough to let me know if I made a smart purchase, or if I have been the victim of a 25 year old fable. I paid $400 for it, so I either got a great deal? or got supremely taken. Thank you in advance, and if there is anything further you need for information, please let me know and I will post either pictures of information. I can tell you the blade is razor sharp, as I cut my finger bad trying to take it apart. Also, do I try to clean it up any or leave it as is? I suspect leaving it as is, if it is authentic, would be the wise choice.