Bruce Pennington

Just came across one on this Wehrmacht-awards thread with similar fittings to Tom's @drb 1643. Don't think the blade is custom, but hard to tell from the photos. I'll ask the owner and update. Fuller calls this variation "scarce."

I can't remember, but there was something I found in the earlier book that wasn't in the newer version, but like John, I only reference the newer one now..

And it matches the look of the haikan band. Nice job.

Yes. So, the whole tsuka could be a very late war replacement, or post war, no way to know. @SteveM is that mei recognizable?

The blade is quite nice, however the tsuba, fuchi, and kabutogane are very, very crude; then you have brand new ito. Can't make out the imprint on the leather, but it reminds me of the kiku with vines/leaves seen on nakago. Very mixed bag.

Thanks, Mal, I somehow missed that one. I'll check it out. Update: In your bio of Masakuni you say "Masakuni was a senior smith during the war and in Showa 19 (1944) he became head smith at the Nishimura Nihontō Tanren Jo (西村日本刀鍛錬所) in Tokyo as well as Rikugun Jumei Tōshō." The wording makes it sound as if you officially became RJT in 1944, but the sword above was star-stamped in 1942. I also believe the RJT list on Japaneseswordindex was from 1942, listing him as "Sanekuni." So, maybe it was simply a case of lumping the two fact together in one sentence?

I can see why that pit looked like a Seki stamp in the original photos, but with the better lighting, I see that it is not. I am often the first to see stamps that aren't there! Ha! John, You didn't say how you cleaned, but, yes you are correct in not cleaning the nakago (tang). Please never do that. If there is orange, active rust, we want to stop that, but not clean it. Here is a good page about blade care: Japanese Sword Care - Japaneseswordindex.com

Oh HECK! I see my error. This is 2600 year 2 = 1942. Dang. My points still stands on the black saya. Seems early for that. Chris confirmed the name issue: "Kato Masakuni worked in the Meguro district of Tokyo. He used the kanji 眞国 which has several readings. 眞 is an old form of 真 I believe and the popular pronunciation is Sane. However, in conversation with Kato Masakuni's nephews, I was informed that their uncle preferred the reading "masa". Often times the common reading and the actual reading preferred by the smith can only be determined by confirming with someone who knew the smith personally." Re-checking JSI, they have "Sanekuni" on the RJT list. Can't find either name in Sesko, but that isn't unusual.

Chris Bowen posted this star blade on Facebook. I can't figure out how to post an address for it, but it's in the Military Swords of Imperial Japan Group. Unique in a few ways. It's a Masakuni, but using 眞国, dated Dec 1941. So the forth earliest RJT blade I have on file. It's in RS fittings, so the earliest dated RJT blade I have in RS fittings. The three earlier blades are in T98 fittings. Also, the saya is painted black, usually associated with later war design. Let me know what you think: I have only one other Masakuni blade on file, June '44, but the smith signed 正国. Japaneseswordindex only shows one Masakuni, but they don't show a first name or prefecture, and it's not unusual to see unlisted RJT smiths show up.

Nice one, Marcin, thanks!

John sent me a couple extra photos, but unfortunately, there weren't any other kanji (or stamps) that could be seen. Thoughts - On the one hand, I looked over my Kanesada blades on file from WWII. They all used the same style file marks as this one, and 2 or 3 had similar kanji for Kanesada. On the other hand, and I'll say right up front that I don't study nihonto, but one of the signs I've seen of age is the cutting edge machi (name for that, I don't remember) starts to disappear after too many polishings, as does the hamon. This one looks that way to me, implying age. But that's the best I have on this one.

Trystan, or @Kiipu Thomas - do you have any documents or info on the Hiroshima Arsenal? Did they have anything to do with swords?

Hi John! I think you just figured out that the hamon appearance can be affected by lighting and camera angles. Could you do us a favor and take a good clear photo of the top half of the nakago (tang)? I see there is plenty of corrosion which may block anything there, but it would be nice to take a look anyway. Straight on, not at a slant.

Wow! These were possibly side by side in the production! I say possibly, because over several years, a shop likely restarted numbering sequences. Pretty cool, though.

Kim, I have fittings, mostly tsuba & seppa, on file with three different star stamps. Yours is only the second example I've seen with the larger star with crossed points. Here is the other: Here is an example of a medium sized star: And I have several with these small stars: No one knows who used them, but I've always guessed them to be inspectors of the koshirae shops that made the fittings. Your idea about the Heijo factory is interesting, as they were known to make Type 95s late in the war. But this star is not one of the examples on the chart as it has cross strokes on each star tip. Doesn't rule it out, as even on that chart, they have a variant star indicated. All we can do, for now, is guess. But your guess is as good as mine at this point.

Yes. It's not common, however we have seen various arsenal inspector stamps on tsuba, seppa, kabutogane, and haikan. The Gourd - I have 5 blades on file with it, all navy stainless blades The "8" - I have 2 on file, both army; a Hidetoshi, and a Kanemichi Kanemichi Hidetoshi

Perfect, thank you, Ray!

Hi guys! Seems like I've seen this before, but can't place it. On a 1866 Hideyoshi blade on this http://Nihontowatch.com page. Is this a mon? If so, whose? Thanks!

I agree with Conway. Not the standard paint color for navy, but not unheard of. Alternating wrap turns are Japanese, but wrap style is not normal navy. Gaps in the wrap may point toward a re-wrap.

Nice, late 1500's! Sam, love that google translate "Fully assembled moped" Ha!

I've edited and turned them for easy reading for the translators: @SteveM @uwe @Ray Singer Blade, once we see it, might be moved over to the Nihonto section for better evaluation.

Are the daiseppa made of the same metal? Quite unusual.

A picture would help, but the brown saya is quite normal, but a custom job: I tried a search on that green ito, but keep coming up with army gunto discussions. Seems to appear more often on civil swords refitted for the war. So, don't know about what you saw.

Maybe it had a mon, now broken off?

You guys are like hens when they see a red blood spot on another hen. They peck at it till the hen dies. Try to be better than hens.