Bruce Pennington

I only file them if they had a kakihan (kao), so cannot speak to the others, but out of over 50 on file, 11 had no inlay.

Thanks for checking, Paris. Most on file don't either, but one does, so worth checking!

Yeah, you guys a right. I do have a strong tendency to see things that I like looking for. There are a couple of "points" at top and to the right of the corrosion that looks like star points, but after comparing to several actuals, the points are out of proportion to be a star.

I am on my phone and will explain more when I can get to a computer, but I think that is an intentionally obliterated star. We have seen this before. Some people believe the star stamp is just another arsenal stamp and values the sword. Standard officer swords Are valued around $1200, but a star stamped JT blade is worth 1,800-2,000.

Maybe not 'high end' but definitely unique/rare! Navy Diving School dirk!!! On this St. Croix ebay sale. I have never followed the dirks, but I'm quite surprised to see the standards dirks currently for sale in the $800 + USD range! That's double what I paid for mine pre-COVID.

I have a few of his blades on file, and few of them have been re-mounted like this one. Wonder why. Paris, Any dots at the end of the nakago?

Yes, I can see the top horizontal stroke, very faint, now that you point this out!

Wow, John, you called it exactly right on the Suya shop! Rob, Suya Shoten was a quaility shop with a long history. You can read about them on the Nick Komiya thread: The Untold Story of Suya Shoten

Thanks Ben! It's possible it is a gendaito. I don't see any of the telltale dark spots in the hamon, although the sanding job might be obscuring that.

Sword Care Guide: http://japaneseswordindex.com/care.htm

October 1941 Smith - Kanetoshi?

I think the date reads August 1836, but there's a kana after that "7" that doesn't make sense to me.

Dave, Robert did an excellent job summarizing our views on these. Thanks Robert! I have a few of these on file with this stamp/mark. Oddly, they all have the 'Manchurian' style fittings, whereas this one has 'Collaborator' (my term) with 'Japanese' style tsuba and, if legit (and it might be) a Gunzoku tassel. Interesting item. Edit: I should add the flower on both the tsuba and kabutogane is plum, not sakura, so still inline with Chinese/Manchurian made. Also, the machi (notches where the nakago meets the blade) are offset, not aligned, which is a Chinese thing. The blade is quite nice for one of these. Quite nice.

I have seen a small number of officer gunto with a screw/bolt. Seems like it would be a post-war addition to a sword missing the mekugi. But no way to know.

It certainly has potential. Sure wish we had one with a PX purchase certificate! It's the only thing that locked in the souvenir sword. At least the sword had the mish-mashed fittings. This dirk looks completely wartime legit.