Bruce Pennington

Nice to see you again, too, John! Your idea is possible. I had the vague theory that the large was from post-war Tenshozan, while the small was from wartime Toyokawa. However, we (and I mean @Kiipu, @BANGBANGSAN, and @mecox) are trying to research the challenging idea that Toyokawa was not involved in making kaigunto at all and the circled anchor was a broad-based Navy stamp used by other/all Naval Arsenals. So, much work to be done on the Navy side of the stamping house.

Better than the average fake, but still lots of signs. It will bite plenty of the rookies, though.

That's a personal choice. If you search "preserve leather" or "leather preservation" you'll get a few discussions on the topic. Several guys have had success using various products. Here's one discussion: These guys recommend Ren Wax https://www.gunboard...403143#post-11403143

You already have more than Sesko lists: "AKIMARO (昭麿), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Niigata – “Akimaro” (昭麿), family name Yoneda (米田)"

A straight on, right side up photo of the stamp will help. It is the weekend, so responses will be slow. Also, if you don’t get answers here, there is a guy that does a lot of flag translation over there.

Minh, I know almost nothing about older nihonto, but the saying still stands "Judge the blade, not the mei." A gimei blade can still be valuable because of the workmanship on the blade. You can have accurate mei of a smith, but if the blade is mediocre or poor, it won't sell for much. And, yes, on the other hand there are, and will always be, people out there with money to throw away and no knowledge of what they are buying.

Far right side: August 8, 1943 Someone else will have to translate the rest

Yes, just what I'm looking for, thanks John!

Yes! That's exactly what I did with my collection. The stainless (anti-rust) blades were made all through the war, beginning in the mid/late '30s, so can't tell by that. Looking at the tsuka, it's got lacquered leather or skin of some type. I THINK that was later in the war, but still not definitive. That's the best I can give you on that. It's possible one of the other guys knows more about them.

Frank, For my current survey, could you post photos showing the overall fittings, the release button(s), and the mekugi pegs or screws? Thanks!

Here's another from the 3rd page of that Rinji Timeline thread:

山(yama) Matsuyama Branch office of Kokura Arsenal

Adam, that is a beautiful Hiromasa! Looks like I should have read that old Rinji thread before posting on it. It's got some outdated info that I'll have to update. The Contingency model was designed in 1938 and production and sales began 22 August 1940. Unveiling the Rinji-seishiki Sword in 1940 - Nick Komiya It's taking me a while to find his post revealing the Uniform regulation change that allowed, even required, simplified fittings designs due to war shortages and Allied bombing damage to the industry. I'll post when I find it (or maybe @Kiipu has the reference??) My gut feel is this style was due to that relaxation of the mil specs and request to simplify weapons production. Update: Found it! From Rinji-seishiki to Daiyou-seishiki of Weapon Specs - Nick Komiya It was 1943: "The Daisei-Heiki Era Then by 1943, this kind of choice would no longer be available, as the standard quality stocks ran out. By this time, even primary weapons like rifles were routinely produced in nonstandard specs. Such symptoms were no longer of a "Rinji" nature but a chronic one, expected to get even worse in the future. So they officially coined a new phrase to describe these items of “compromised specs” and called them “Daiyo-Seishiki-Heiki” 代用制式兵器, (Substitute-Spec Weapons), which they abbreviated into the term, “Daisei-Heiki” 代制兵器." "These downgraded spec standards were applied to items that had little impact on military performance, like weapon accessories such as muzzle lids, rifle oilers made of resin instead of brass, belts, holsters and ammo pouches made of rubberized canvass instead of leather, woolen uniform items replaced by cotton, felt or even silk mixed in wool."

I was reading a page on Doug Austin's, @Austo1, site Gunto Art Swords. He was discussing a custom Type 3/RS with a blade that had no star stamp. It had the double release buttons and 2 steel mekugi screws. His observation was that the blade was likely gendaito as Type 3's with steel screws will contain gendaito blades. I have seen that to be true for fittings with the double chuso buttons, but never noticed the point about the steel screws. I've done a brief survey and found the point to be true. I have loads of RJT, star-stamped blades for the survey, but could use some more standard Type 3s with showato for the data. So, if you have a standard Type 3 with a showato blade, please post for the survey. So far, I have 30 gendaito in the chart and all have steel screws, except 5 with only bamboo pegs. I have 13 standard with showato and all have bamboo pegs, except 3 with screws. In both cases, there is no way to know if the exceptions were original or post-war replacements, as many of our gunto show up missing mekugi altogether. But the overall picture is backing up the idea. Steel or Bamboo Mekugi – Rinji Seishiki Model GENDAITO Source Steel or Bamboo 1 or 2 Chuso Saya Type Standard or Custom Stamps date mei Steel, 1/? 2 Custom Star Dec 1941 Akihisa Windy, NMB Steel, 2 2 Custom Star May 1943 Chikafusa Vajo, NMB Steel, 2 2 Custom None Aug 1943 Kunitada Gunto Art Swords Steel, 1 2 Standard Star Feb 1945 Kunitoshi BWP Bamboo 1/? 2 Custom Star Jan 1943 Kaneyoshi NW, NMB Steel, 1/? 2 Custom Matsu on old blade No Date Kaneyoshi 兼賀 Apollox, NMB Steel & Bamboo 2 Standard Star Mar 1944 Kazunori Showa22, ebay Bamboo 1/? 2 Custom Star Mar 1943 Kiyokatsu Daniel, NMB Steel, 1/? 2 Custom Star Oct 1944 Masaharu ? Bamboo, 1/? 2 Custom Star Jun 1944 Masakuni Volker72, NMB Steel, 1/? 2 Custom Star Aug 1944 Masamichi Poulin Auction Steel, 2 2 Custom Star Sep 1943 Masanaga Bangbangsan Steel & Bamboo 2 Custom Star Mar 1944 Masanaga Bangbangsan Bamboo, 2 2 RS/T98 mix Star 1943 Mitsuhiro Panzerfaust44, Gunboards ?/Bamboo 2 Custom Star May 1943 Nagatoshi Warpathmilitaria Steel, 1/? 2 Custom Star Jul 1943 Munetoshi Pippo, NMB Steel, 1/? ? Custom Star Dec 1944 Nobutake Bangbangsan Steel, 1/? 2 Custom Star Jun 1943 Nobutake Ammad, NMB Steel, 1/? ? Custom Star Jun 1943 Sadakatsu Warpath collectables Steel, 1/? 1 Custom Star Feb 1944 Sadaroku Showa22, ebay Steel, 1/? ? Custom Star Oct 1944 Sadashige Japanesesword.com Steel, 1/? ? ? Star Aug 1943 Shigefusa Cox/ima-usa Steel, 2 2 Custom Star Spring 1943 Sukenobu Hi-revr, NMB Steel, 2 2 Custom Star Feb 1944 Sukenobu Cox/Worthpoint Steel, 1 ? Standard Star Sep 1944 Sukenobu Cox/Worthpoint Steel, 1 2 Custom Star Jul 1944 Tomonari IJASWORDS, NMB Steel, 1 2 Custom Star Mar 1943 Tsuguhiro Adrian S, NMB Steel, 2 2 Custom Star Feb 1943 Tsugunobu Bangbangsan Steel, 2 2 Custom Star 1943 Zuiho Butch, NMB Bamboo 1 Custom Star Aug 1943 Zuiho ebay SHOWATO Steel, 1/? 1 Standard Unknown Numblock, NMB Steel, 1/? 1 Standard Gifu/Seki Feb 1945 Kanemune Lennon, NMB Bamboo, 2 1 Standard Gifu Nov 1944 Kanemune Erwin, NMB Bamboo, 1/? 1 Standard Na Jan 1944 Kanenori Dabedo, NMB Steel, 1/? 1 Standard Gifu 1945 Katsumasa Den70, NMB Bamboo, 1/? 1 Standard Gifu May 1944 Masanori Swordamateurnagoya Bamboo, 2 1 Standard Gifu/Seki/Na Mar 1944 Yoshichika RussellM, NMB Bamboo, 1/? 1 Standard Mar 1945 Yoshichika Sechan, NMB Bamboo, 1/? 1 Standard Mumei, No Date DTM72, NMB Bamboo 1 Standard Unknown Bruno, NMB Bamboo 1 Standard Unknown Bruno, NMB Bamboo, 2 1 Standard Unknown Montrealfan1986 Bamboo 1 Standard ? Apr 1945 Sukekuni BWP

Another sign is that the blade is in upgraded fittings with 2 screws (instead of bamboo pegs) and 2 latch release buttons.

Sorry Steve, it's been too long and I don't remember who it was that was searching for one. Good luck with the sale, my friend.

OLD POST RESURRECTED!!! Just noting for the record, in case anyone else comes across this thread - The logo is of the North China Railway, not SMR Mantetsu. Cool tanto!

Oops! I just saw $150 and didn't notice it was an auction. It's up to $250 now.

Thought someone might benefit from this: Ebay sale of F&G book set of 5

Thanks John! Corrected.

I found this Kanezane Gunzoku sword for sale on this Showa22 ebay page. Sohei swords ebay sale. It's got it all! Large Seki stamp, Kanezane kokuin, Yasugi steel mei, sakura Gunzoku tsuba and brown tassel, and to top it off, a double haikan wooden saya which is the reason for putting it here: It's an army sword with army tsuka: But that saya looks like something we would see on a navy combat saya rig. My first thought was, maybe this was set up during the Type 94 years, but the large Seki stamp should make this no earlier than 1940, so Type 98 era. Maybe the saya was navy, and put there by someone post war.

On another note, it's a great looking kaigunto, Steve. I know there are a couple guys out there looking for a nice Takayama-to.

Bohi is a tad too wide for a Nagoya 95. I bet it's half of a cut blade, post war.

Anything is possible with this one. I personally think it's handmade, and something put there for whatever value or good luck the kikusi brings to the blade/soldier. You can see two horizontal lines under Fuji, like you might see under a kiku, and I have other examples with less than the normal number of petals: