Bruce Pennington

Thanks for sharing, Alex. Interesting article. Me thinks master Watts suffered a bit from the tendency to romanticize the samurai and the "old ways." While I am very minimally read in Japanese war history, I do recall reading about how farmers were conscripted for large armies and marched into battle. I suspect they were just as much cannon fodder as the enlisted troops of WWII. HIs complaint of the use of modern weaponry of mass destruction, having lost any sense of Zen, just wanton destruction, is too focused on the act of pulling the trigger. Their use on the grand scale, the tactical/strategic planner during WWII was no different than the samurai commander over an entire army that set his plan into action, using all the weapons and people at his disposal. There is no Zen in that. It is just strategy of war.

@KungFooey I second Sam's comments. You have joined a bunch of old farts that can speak without any filters. Regardless of what we say, we honestly enjoy your company! Plus, you have to keep in mind how easy it is to misunderstand things said in text. In person, one has body language, facial expressions, and tones of voice to help read comments the way they are meant. Conversations online lose all that, and easily get going sideways, when that never would have happened in person.

Haven't seen that one before, however, we have one in seal script that we think is of the same shop:

That's simply incredible.

No, it was exactly the same mon as the one I’ve posted. It might have been on one of the other forums, like Warrelics or Wehrmacht-awards.

Yes, I understand. But that is characteristic of many of the late-war mei. Like Mal said, we have 7 others with this mei, that's just how they look.

Comparing the 2 certificates:

Exciting News! A second souvenir has showed up with PX cert.! A Hiratoshi blade with large circled-anchor, in standard souvenir fittings. Comes with 8th Army PX certificate and shipping box from 1950. At this Mileston Auction. Starting price is $1,000USD. I'd go for it, and would love to have it but I'm in some pretty deep debt already and would have to buy it on credit. I hope one of us could get it from the auction! Interesting note, that this is the first Hiratoshi we have in souvenir fittings. I have several of his blades on file, but none of them are souvenir. They are all kaigunto.

Thanks for the video, Dee! They had me at "Samurai Swords" - looking at 13 gunto. Only 2 waki were likely old blades. In spite of the inaccuracies, I couldn't stop watching. Heck, there were 15 swords to drool over for 18 minutes! What's not to like!

Thanks Mal! The reason I pinged you on it, if you are tracking them anymore, is it is the earliest "NA" stamp I have now on file, and the second earliest double inspector-on-mune (earliest being a 1935 KO HO on mune).

I understand the "2600" year, but the last 2 kanji mean something, right? On a Kanenobu blade with "NA HO" on the mune @mecox

Thanks Alex, good video! He cracks me up how he makes of point of pouring the whiskey every video!

I know I've seen one of these lately but cannot find the discussion. Here is an old blade in WWII fittings. Mumei, but with the Tokugawa mark. Found at this Collectors Armory California sale site. Odd that it's mumei and odd placement on nakago

Bingo! Thanks guys! Here's one from Japaneseswordindex.com:

A 1941, large Seki stamped blade

A mumei duplicate #36 on this http://Collectors Armory California site:

Excellent! Thanks Ray! I at first looked for "Kane", but couldn't find one in the JSI list. I should have checked Sesko's: "KANESHIGE (金繁), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kaneshige” (金繁), real name Takasaki Saburō (高崎三郎), born June 9th 1917, student of Kojima Kanemichi (小島兼道), he worked as guntō smith and died July 10th 1963, posthumous Buddhist name Shaku Kyōshin (釈教真), ryōkō no retsu (Akihide)"

Little help, please? "Kin" is the only kanji I can recognize. It's on a large Seki-stamped Type 98. Not dated.

@Seriouss14 Ravi, Steve has a nice Navy Takayama sword for sale:

Here's a unique one posted by rfleming32 on this Wehrmacht-awards Thread.

Here's a good link for caring for your blade: Sword Care - Japaneseswordindex.com

It is definitely a WWII blade. The large Seki stamp was only used between 1940 and 1944. Most blades with date, bearing the stamp were made in 1942. Posting a couple of photos for posterity.

That's cool, Sam! Did you get a reading on that mon?

Did some digging in Sesko's list. He doesn't have any Kanesada using 兼㝎, not that this by itself is conclusive, but he actually has one using the exact same full mei as the one in your link: "KANESADA (兼定), Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Musashi – “Bushū-jū Izumi no Kami Kanesada” (武州住和泉守兼定), “Kanesada” (兼定), “Izumi no Kami Minamoto Kanesada” (和泉守源兼定)"

Got it, Mal, thanks! I'm still only half-way through Part 1! I like your writing, and your research is incredible. Much appreciated!