Bruce Pennington

Thanks, Paul! Looks like it was part of the stamping practice of the Shōheikan Military Uniform Co., Ltd, then. Might be able to move this small star out of the "Unknown" category. I'll have to do some digging first to see if seen only/always on Shōheikan fittings.

Not my forte, but thought you guys might appreciate this. Made by 菊岡 Kikuoka I thought it was interesting to see a habaki designed with the inner lining fitted to the bohi. Also, his method for attaching his name to the back of the menugi seemed unique.

I have my first opportunity to attend a sword club meeting, this one in Sacramento. It will be Tuesday, 18 Nov, at 7pm. Meeting is at the Sacramento Asian Community Center; 7334 Park City Dr., Sacramento CA 95831. Hope to see somebody there from NMB, but I don't know if we have anyone else here.

They are improving on the Kokura and Suya stamps! They still can't get the small, center, Tokyo 1st stamp, though. Yeah, that serial number is bad. No Type 95s have a zero at the beginning of the number. Another tell is the dimpling in the diamonds of the tsuka. They are raised properly, but blurred. So far, they have a hard time making clear, crisp dimples.

Brandon, Can you check this sword's seppa to see if there is a small star with a number?

@paul griff - Is there a small star on the seppa and/or tsuba of your Kanefusa?

I don't have my 200 one with me, but I have 134112, and it has the same flaw!

Sam, You probably already have mine? 202446

Minatogawa and Yasukuni blades as well. I'd say: "For the discussion and identification Japanese military swords of 1876-1945" would be a better fit.

I have Slough's book, but I guess I don't know how guys use it for translating mei. I am starting to recognize a small number of kanji, so I suppose if I have the first one, like "Kane" I could browse through the Kane... pages until I see the one I'm looking for. Hmmm. Never thought of that! Thanks Jeff! Of course, if I don't know the first kanji, then it wouldn't work.

For future readers: August 1941 From Mal Cox: "KATSUMASA (勝正), Tottori – “Hōki Kanaya Katsumasa saku” (伯耆金谷勝正作), “Hōki-jū Kanaya Katsumasa kore o saku” (伯耆住金谷勝正作之), family name Kanaya (金谷), he also engraved a single coin crest onto his tangs, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Second Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀 展覧会, 1941)"

I noticed slight differences between the two as well. That’s why I was curious about the serial number. The heavier one may have been an earlier one. Similar to the type 95s where the copper handles were quite heavy and later versions got lighter.

Chino, You might already know, but the small stamp at top, Showa stamp, was an inspector stamp of the civilian Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association. They tend to be really nicely made. The date range is 1935 - 1942, with most dated blades found 1940-1941. Could you post a shot of the full rig showing the fittings?

Very nice, Kris! I can see the serial number on the second one. Could you post a clear shot of the number on the top one?

Ha! Wouldn't we all! Thanks guys!

Thanks, John, perfect and saved to the file!

I finished examining the Saka and Star stamped files On the two questions: 1. Was there a pattern of hamon changes over time - Not that I could see. Yes, toward the end of the war, the hamon was harder to see, but I believe it was still there. Why the late war blades tended to be in worse condition making it harder to see, I can not say. 2. The "standard" steel, light tan saya - They don't seem to have shown up until 1943. The RJT seem to adopted their own version - a medium tan, steel saya with 2 buttons in Feb 1943, and then really took off in 1944-1945. RS in general, are seen as early as May 1942 with RJT blades, custom fittings, 2 buttons. So the quality RS fittings are actually seen a year earlier that the cheaper, no frills RS called for in the original design concept! Black RS saya started showing up in 1943. I documented a couple that even were in late war quality fittings, but there were more than I noted (exhaustion has set in, sorry), two with only one button. Saka Stamped Blades [Note: Not charting when saya not shown] 1944 No Date Nagamitsu Not Shown Custom, 2 button Medium Brown N.D. Nagamitsu Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown N.D. Nagamitsu Wavy Custom, 2 button Dark Brown N.D. Nagamitsu Wavy Custom, 2 button Black N.D. Nagamitsu Wavy Custom, 2 button Dark Brown N.D. Nagamitsu Suguha Custom, 2 button Black N.D. Nagamitsu Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Star Stamped Blades [Note: Not charting when saya not shown] [“Standard” denotes steel saya and Tan color] 1941 NONE 1942 May Akiyoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Oct Akiyoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Dec Nobutake Not Shown Custom, N.S. Dark Brown 1943 Jan Akihisa Suguha Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Jan Kaneyoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Feb Chikafusa Suguha Custom, ? button Medium Brown Feb Tsugukiyo Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Feb Tsugunobu Not shown Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Mar Kiyokatsu Wavy Custom, 2 button Lt Brown Mar Nagamitsu Suguha? Custom, 2 button Black Mar Tsuguhiro Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Spring Sukenobu Suguha Custom, 2 button Dark Brown Apr Kanehisa Suguha Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Apr Mitsuhiro Suguha Custom, 2 button Medium Brown May Nobutake Suguha Custom, 2 button Medium Brown May Sadakiyo Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Jun Chikafusa Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Jun Hirotoshi Wavy Custom, ? Medium Brown Jun Nagatoshi Not Shown Custom, 2 button Black Jun Nobutake Wavy Custom, 2 button Dark Brown Jun Sadakatsu Not shown Custom, ? Black Jul Munetoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Aug Akimitsu Wavy Custom, ? Medium Brown Aug Akinori Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Aug Kanehide Wavy Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Aug Zuiho Wavy Custom, 2 button Dark Brown Aug Zuiho Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Autumn Katsukiyo Wavy Custom, 2 button Dark Brown Sep Masanaga Suguha Custom, 2 button Dark Brown 1943 Zuiho Suguha Custom, 2 button Black 1944 Jan Akiyuki Wavy Custom, ? Dark Brown Feb Kaneoto Suguha Custom, 2 button Black Feb Sadaroku Wavy Custom, 1 button Black Feb Sukenobu Wavy Custom?, 2 button Black, late war Feb Zuiho Suguha Custom, ? Black Mar Kaneoto Suguha Custom, 2 button Black Mar Kazunori Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Mar Masanaga Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Mar Masashige Suguha Custom, 2 button Dark Brown May Kiyokane Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan May Masatomo Wavy Custom, 2 button Black May Masatsugu Wavy Custom, 1 button Black Late war May Masayoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Jun Kanehide Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Jun Kanetoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Jun Masakuni Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Jul Kaneshige Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Jul Kanetoshi Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Jul Tomonari Suguha Custom, 2 button Medium Brown Aug Hidemine Suguha Custom, 2 button Dark Brown Aug Kanehide Suguha Standard, ? Black Aug Kanemitsu Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Aug Kanemoto Suguha Custom, 2 button Black Aug Kanemoto Suguha Custom, ? Black Aug Masamichi Suguha Standard, 2 button Dark Tan Aug Sadashige Not shown Custom, 2 button Black Sep Mitsunobu Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Sep Sukenobu Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Oct Kanefuji Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Oct Masaharu Not shown Custom, 2 button Light Brown Oct Masayoshi Wavy Custom, 2 button Dark Brown Oct Sadashige Suguha Custom, ? Black Dec Mitsunobu Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan 1944 Kanemitsu Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan 1944 Masashige Suguha Custom, ? Black 1945 Jan Akitomi Wavy Custom, 2 button Black Jan Kanetomo Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Feb Kanehisa Wavy Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Feb Kanetomo Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Feb Kanetoshi Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan Feb Mitsunobu Wavy Custiom 1 button Black Mid Spring Kanetomo Suguha Standard, 2 button Medium Tan

Could I get a smith name? @SteveM? Think I've seen this one, but don't recall: Edit: I think I found it - 包平 (Kanehira)

Thanks, Ray! I thought I had saved a copy of that style month naming, but I couldn't find it.

That's one short of a Meatloaf song! Ha!

Thanks guys, I tried:

Haven't seen that done before! Thanks! Nagoya inspector, 1943 and on. Seen NA stamps on them, but not the Seki

Thanks, John, Wakase Co.. Made fittings.

I have gone through a few sections of my files, looking for RS gunto and will summarize what I have so far. Showa stamped blades - 424 on file; 345 not dated I did not examine the blades from 1935 - 1939 as the RS version wasn't announced until Dec 1940. 1940 - 1942 and Undated blades examined No Showa stamped blades were found in RS fittings Seki (large) stamped blades - 473 on file; 348 not dated 1940 - 1945 and undated blades examined No large Seki stamped blades were found in RS fittings Seki (small) stamped blades - 63 (2 undated) 1943 - 1945 (no observed blades with no dates) 1943 - 4 1944 - 10 1945 - 7 Na stamped blades - 144 (4 not dated) 1940 - 1945 1940 - 1942 - 0 1943 - 7 1944 - 12 1945 - 0 No date - 0 Observations 1. Undated blades: There are no undated blades found in RS fittings, regardless of stamps. It has been my loose opinion that undated blades were mostly made before the Army assumed control of blade production in 1942. The fact that are no undated blades observed in RS fittings leans toward supporting that idea. 2. It shocked me to see that there are no observed RS gunto with Showa or large Seki stamped blades. This is understandable for Showa blades (1935-1942) although there exists a chance some 1942 blades could have been found in RS fittings, none have been found. 3. It also shocked me to see no large Seki blades in RS fittings. The date range, 1940 - 1944 certainly made it possible, yet none have been found. Aside: Why would blades inspected by the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association not be used in RS fittings? They were found in everything else - Type 94/98, Civil fittings, Kaigunto - but not one RS. 4. It appears that only arsenal inspected (small Seki, Na, and soon to be examined Gifu) blades are found in RS fittings. This will include star stamped RJT blades, yet to be examined, but they will be in upgraded RS fittings. 5. All non RJT blades in RS fittings have suguha hamon 6. The "standard" RS seems to have appeared in 1943. Strangely, to me, the upgraded RS fittings began much earlier with the RJT RS gunto in 1941 (to be shown soon). 7. It has been said that late-war RS blades were tempered but had no hamon. I don't have enough examples for a judgement, but those on file mostly show faint suguha hamon, but are obscured by use and abuse and poor polish. That's a lot to digest. I still have to examine Saka stamped blades and RJT blades. Keep in mind that these are just Seki area & Nagoya Army Arsenal blades with stamps. There is a need to survey RS gunto with un-stamped blades. These likely hold blades made for the Tokyo 1st Army Arsenal. But I do not track those. I could use help doing NMB searches for those gunto. Chart so far: Survey of WWII Rinji Seishiki Swords Showa Stamped – 424 (345 no date) Year Smith Hamon Saya Style Color 1940 NONE 1941 NONE 1942 NONE No Date NONE Seki Stamped – 473 (348 no date) Year Size Seki Smith Hamon Saya Style Shade 1940 NONE 1941 NONE 1942 NONE 1943 Small Akitoshi Not shown Not shown Not shown Small Kaneyoshi Suguha Standard Light Tan Small Kazunori Suguha Standard Medium Brown Small Kikuhide Suguha Standard Light Tan (Pinkish) 1944 Small Nobumitsu Suguha Standard Medium Brown Jan Small Kanenori Suguha Standard Medium Brown Mar Small Yoshichika Suguha Standard Dark Brown May Small Yoshimune Not Shown Not Shown Sep Small Masanori Suguha Standard Dark Brown Nov Small Kanemichi Suguha Standard Medium Brown Nov Small Nobumitsu Suguha Standard Medium Brown Nov Small Toshiharu Suguha Standard Dark Brown Dec Small Kanemune Suguha Standard Medium Brown Dec Small Nobumitsu Not shown Standard Medium Brown 1945 Jan Small Katsumasa Suguha Standard Medium Brown Jan Small Yoshifusa Suguha Standard Medium Brown Feb Small Yoshisada Suguha Standard Light Tan Mar Small Yoshitada Not Shown Not Shown May Small Yoshitada Suguha Standard Medium Brown Small Kanenori Not Shown Not Shown Small Yoshitada Suguhas Standard Light Tan Na Stamped - 144 (4 no date) 1940 NONE 1941 NONE 1942 NONE 1943 Jan Kaneyoshi Suguha Standard Light Tan Aug Kunitada Not Shown Not Shown Oct Katsumasa Suguha Standard Medium Brown Nov Akitoshi Not Shown Not Shown Nov Hiromitsu Suguha, maybe Standard Dark Brown Dec Daido Suguha Standard Medium Brown Dec Kazunori Suguha Standard Medium Brown 1944 Jan Kanenori Suguha Standard Light Tan Jan Kanenori Suguha Standard Medium Brown Jan Kanemune Not Shown Not Shown Feb Kanesada Not Shown Not Shown Mar Hiromitsu Suguha Standard Dark Brown Mar Kanemune Suguha Standard Light Tan Mar Kanesada Suguha, maybe Standard Light Tan Mar Yoshichika Suguha, maybe Standard Medium Brown May Katsumasa Suguha Standard Light Tan May Yoshichika Not Shown Standard Dark Brown 1945 NONE No Date NONE

That's cool stuff, John. Keep up the good work.