Bruce Pennington

Sorry, Thomas, I didn't see your post until after I posted the same thing! "Yasunori? No.."

Here's your guy: "KANESUMI (兼住), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanesumi” (兼住), real name Satō Kōhachi (佐藤幸八), born October 10th 1891, he worked as a rikugun-jumei-tōshō" The large Seki stamp was the approval stamp of the civilian Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association. They used this stamp from 1940 to 1944. Most blades with this stamp that are dated were made in 1942. They are usually very nice blades, but likely not fully traditionally made. Here's some tips on caring for your blade: Japanese Sword Care Guide Yours is a Type 98 Japanese Officer sword (gunto). You can read about them here: Army Commisioned Officer Gunto I can't tell if the saya (scabbard) is metal or wood from your picture, but if wood, it is called a field saya (or as Ohmura called them, informal saya). You can see them here: Informality Mounting

Robert, From that last photo, it looks like the saya end has a drag? Also, which blade is in this one? Can you take a shot looking at it from the side, to show the shape more clearly?

Japanese to English translate says "Ichimoshi Yasunori". I can see a 保 Yasu, but not nori. Help, please?

Mark, Is this the only photo you have? Without a more clear picture, I can't say. I've played around a bit to see if I could bring it out, but, inconclusive. It still could be a Seki:

I just saw it one sell for $1,900.

That is a beauty, Marzio! Thanks for sharing it. I really love my Takayama style blade. They are something special.

Or a recently made cover. Seth, what do you see with the cover in hand? Does it appear to have any age?

Well shoot! Now that you say that, I had to re-look, and how about that tsuba?! It's the 'pine tree' tsuba @IJASWORDS and @Bruno brought to light: What initially bothered me was the Like-New canvas cover, then the wrap, then the like-new nakago with wavering shinogi. But now, with this tsuba, it very well could be late-war, made in Manchuria or other areas.

Agreed. All the signs point to modern Chinese. Hope you didn't pay much.

I'm realizing the belt topic, like swords, is going to be bigger and broader than I'd imagined. Here's a belt shared by @Marcin. It's advertised to be a "youth school, pre-military" belt. I asked Akira Komiya at Warrelics about it and he believes it to be a "...belt with the round buckle to be for a girl’s school uniform. I remember seeing some school girls wearing such belts with their summer white sailor jacket style school uniforms while commuting on trains. I believe they were students of the high school/junior high school attached to the Ochanomizu Women’s University as they would have taken the same line as I did. Here is an example photo of the uniform complete with belt. Although the belt is not identical, there are other schools which uniforms came with belts" So, essentially correct. Belt in question: Akira's example:

Excellent, Ian, thank you! I had a feeling the Navy belt I posted earlier was not the total picture.

Thanks Adrian! Yes, that "KA" is in the location where we see shop logo. So, I would say we are seeing an unidentified shop that made these fittings, or at least the tsuba. So, the "23" of your fittings doesn't match the "44" of your blade. A couple of options: 1. The "44" is from the original fittings shop, but the blade saw a fittings change either during the war or after. 2. The "44" was put there by the smith or the arsenal, and the fittings shop used their own numbering system, not caring what was on the blade. We see plenty like this and there is no way to know the significance. Thanks again for the photos!

You can find the pages posted here:

Found this Company grade leather belt at Military-antiques-Stockholm.com (lost the link):

Wow, John, I think you've uncovered your next career! But, I asked because I was wondering if that guy in the photo was Brett.

Thanks Adrian. Any chance of getting a straight-on, clear shot of the shop stamp at the top of your tsuba? I don't recognize that one.

Thanks Conway! I had this one from last month, for sale at Gunbroker, but their pictures weren't good enough to see the yamagata. Chart, updated thanks!

Is this someone we might know???

Congrats, Ashely! What was your technique for getting it off? You might remove the hand guard and other parts to check for stamps near the top. Oh, and just another example of how far the AI computers have before they can be relied upon concerning Japanese swords!

Adrian, Do you have fittings, or just the blade? If fittings, please check the metal pieces - tsuba, seppa, fuchi, etc for a a stamped number. If there, they might match the 44 on your blade. I have a number of blades with stamped numbers. When oriented like yours, vertical numbers, blade tip up, they are dated in the 1943-44 years. Don't know the significance. I suspect these were put there by the fittings shop to keep matching parts together. But we don't actually know. They could be contract numbers, or something else. I might also add that the other blades around your 44 number are blades made by Yoshiharu and the file marks look the same as yours. Although the nakago jiri (tips) are shaped different. Here's a Yoshiharu, though, with a similar tip, made in 1944, #200

I'm glad Ian commented on this, and glad I'm wrong! I often get into trouble when I'm commenting on swords out of my normal field of study. Thanks Ian!

I suspect this was made very late war, possibly in occupied areas. It appears to have originally had a haikan (belt hanger) where I've put this arrow, and likely a leather cover that is now missing. The tsuba (hand guard) was made to go with a leather cover, as it has the side-hole for a leather retention strap. It is only because of your knowledge that your grandfather brought this home that I say this, as the workmanship of the blade and fittings doesn't really match Japanese qualities. Without your provenance, I would have assumed it to be a replica made for tourists. I don't mean any disrespect as this is a family heirloom brought back by your grandfather.

This is the main part we need to see. If the photos are too big, you can try the Edit function on your photo viewer to crop them a bit. If that isn't enough, google "free photo resizer" and you can reduce the MBs of your photo.

Ok, we do run into that now and then. Problem is these often got dirty inside, or wet, and grit can hold the parts in place. Also, sometimes the fit can be a little too tight where the nakago goes through the spacers/guard. I wrap a thick cloth tightly around the blade, so I can grip it with my left hand, and use a rubber mallet, or block of wood, etc, to give a moderate 'whack' on alternating sides of the guard. You won't hurt anything be doing this. And you'll see that you are able to dislodge them so they will slide off.