Bruce Pennington

Anybody make out the Buddhist bonji? If so, and forgive me for opining as this is WAY out of my ballpark, but this doesn't look like faker work. At the least Edo/Meiji tourist piece. Never seen a faker carve in utsuri saya, and nakago looks too good for the fakers.

Daniel, Do you know the background on this sword? The blade looks like it was made for a Rinji seishiki model (Type 3; Type 100; Type 44; etc) and the fittings would look like this: If you decide to keep it in that Type 98 saya, I'd at least try to find a Type 3 tsuka (handle) for it. It would be a mis-match, but I have seen many gunto like that over the years. I found the missing parts for my dad's Mantetsu, but it took me 2 or 3 years. You can find parts for sale on ebay and other aution houses (Proxidbid and Invaluable show sales from a variety of auction houses)

Nice one posted by @BANGBANGSAN here: Made in the last month of the war, Aug '45, so pretty pristine:

Chris, Safe to assume there is no date on the other side?

It is a legit type 95. I wish they could all be rescued. If I had the money, I would do it, but if it is not your thing, like everyone said there are nice ones to be found out there. You’ll probably pay more money though.

Mon? Or mei?

Looks real Nick. Where is it, an antique store or pawn shop? Just curious.

Another nice example posted by @Nicholas HERE

Linking this one, John

Looked like, maybe, Nagamitsu?

Adding a link to Mal Cox' post showing a makers kokuin on the outside of a leather saya cover:

No, not a FB member. Thanks for posting it. Quite unique. Wonder if it was a single guy, Kiyomatsu, that made saya/fittings or was it a shop name? Both probably.

They also got the "spring" wrong, though they had it right, "autumn" at the top.

That would be an awesome book, Marcin! I'm just trying to imagine - All of Mal's articles on WWII smiths; the Mantetsu article; the Souvenir Article; Sam's Type 95 article; hopefully a Type 25 article from John. I'd have to check with Akira Komiya, and Nick's wife, but it would be great to include Nick's sword articles. Don't know if the Stamps doc would be too big to add. Hmmm .....

Marcin, Great find! At 21.5" it is a waki, and clearly made that way. That is now the 4th Mantetsu waki I have on file. Interestingly, they are all close together (not literally in a row, but close): 1939 O4 Spring 1940 O166 Autumn 1940 Wa33 Autumn 1940 Wa 73 Autumn @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN Photos from the links, for when they go dead

Marcin, That would be something more in line with Mal's - @mecox - expertise.

Marcin, No, don't have that one. Any chance of posting a photo of the date and one overall of the gunto? I don't have a FB account, so it won't let me see the link.

Jens, Kaz, over at this Warrelics thread got a full translation of the chart: 平時携帯兵器表 - Google Sheets.pdf

Thanks, Jace! That is the mark of Echizen’ya Tazaki Shōten, one of the makers of these swords. Also, one of the few we actually know the name of. Most are unknowns.

You could try taking a clear, close-up and post it. You are right, though, there is nothing to be gained by taking the 19 apart. As to the originality of the signature on your waki, the other guys would have to help you with that. It's not something I study.

Jace, You may already know, but the longer sword is a Type 19 Japanese officer dress sword (sometimes called a 'parade sword' by collectors). They were worn in non-combat situations and not a real weapon. You can read up on them on Ohuma's site: Command Saber - Ohmura What is the length of the cutting edge of the shorter sword? It appears to be a wakizashi, the shorter sword of the two carried by the Samurai. Under 24" is a waki.

Found this one on an auction site. Slightly different in that it's got the bamboo leaf tsuba, but sakura fuchi, and plain kabutogane: It has a 1940 Hidetoshi blade in it.

It has always puzzled me when others place their expectations on someone. We are all not the same. We do not learn at the same rates. My wife did that to me for decades, causing untold damage to our relationship and lives together. I'm proud of Steven for learning to tolerate the grief that he gets around here. It shows a great deal of patience and determination. I can vouch for the fact that he's making an effort to learn about this stuff. It's simply not going to happen at the rate some of you guys want. Let's just enjoy our time here, together, folks.

Ah, now that you mention that, I remember him. Thanks, Mal.

Hey guys, did I get this one right? Thanks! 1940 Hidetoshi