Bruce Pennington

Thanks Brian! So we have them on Yosiharu and Mantetsu blades as well as the Takehisa mentioned in F&G. All three of those are officer gunto. But it establishes the fact that it's probably not tied to a particular smith or arsenal.

{My apologies to all who prowl multiple Forum sites! I'm posting this same search on all 5 that I frequent} I would very much like to track down the origin of the "W" stamp on Japanese WWII gunto (although I've recently come across someone with a W stamp on a training rifle as well - ah the plot thickens!) Fuller & Gregory says calls the stamp "unidentified...noted only on blades by the smith Takehisa (one dated 1943) but was used three thimes on each. Possibly the Chigusa Factory of the Nagoy Arsenal." I recently saw a pic of an officer gunto with 3 W stamps on the nakago, just as F&G says. BUT, I have 2 NCO gunto with the W stamp and both are Tokyo Kokura arsenal, not Nagoya. I recently chatted with a gentleman who's parade sword that had a W stamp too. So, I would like to gather all W stamped weapons (since it's already clear that it appears on other weapons than just the sword) and see if we can trace the origins of this stamp. I will post my pics. Please post yours, and if anyone knows more than the bit we have from F&G, please chime in!

Another option is the child sword mentioned in Dawso pg 70:

Haven't seen this stamp posted yet: It's a "Sha" on the neck of the tsuka of a Type 95, 2a. I was told it's an inspection stamp for items made by private contractors Second pic from the same gunto is a "W" stamp on the nakago. It's my second Type 95 with the W stamp.

Alec, if you're still following, sure could use those pics I asked about earlier! there is a blade like this in F & G, (I'm on the road and don't have it on me right now), but without close-ups of the stamp on the side of the handle, the tip of the scabbard, and the back and end of the handle, it's not possible to tell (I'm a rookie at this. Several of these guys are veteran collectors and may be right, but I'd like to see some focused close-ups).

There were a few swords in that style. We need better pics of the handle, especially the stamp the side, end cap, blackstrap, and scabbard tip.

Re-watched "Unbroken" and caught a scene with 3 gunto. The nearest two have shrunken leather covers on the tsuka, and the nearest looks like it could have been a civilian katana in combat saya.

I recall reading about guntos that were cut in two after the war. What if an enterprising craftsman took the pointy ends and made this?

Remember how many guntos were cut in two after the war? I wonder if some enterprizing young men took the blades tips and made what you have? I've never heard it discussed as a practise; but such things wouldn't have records.

I have an NCO tassle that I broke the strap by handling the dern thing too much! I glued the ends back together and I use a leather cream my wife bought for her coat! I don't know what's in it though. I've had people recommend common hand lotion/cream.

My new Fuller & Gregory says there were guntos converted by the Vietnamese after the war and shows an example.

Paul, powerful story! If I knew the story of one like that, I'd keep it too!!!. So far, counting your story, I've hear 3. The other two were swords painted gold, laying in the corner of a theatre in Avon-on-trent, England, for plays; the other a kid who painted his dad's sword for fun. I don't know the stories behind mine. All I know is that in 1926, a new Emporer was inaguarated in Japan. There were scabbards painted gold for that occasion, but due to the date, 1926, they couldn't have been guntos. So, I gave in and re-painted mine.

Dude! I'm in the Springs too. Maybe we should start our own War Swords club! In your settings, you can set a signature for your name, or just sign each post so we know what to call each other (part of the forum rules, too). We really need some better pics! The second one isn't readable. Regardless of the re-paint, it would still be great to see pics of the whole rig of both swords, so we know more of what we speak!

Thanks for the laugh, Brian! Chad, I'm fairly new at this, but I haven't run into any re-painted gunto's on the market, have you? I'm not selling mine and just couldn't stand to see it painted gold. Even the blade was gold painted.

Ok, Steve, that's a good point! I won't do anything rash, and think about it for a while. Thanks guys!

Thanks Paul! I think that's a great idea. The whole problem is that it doesn't look used, so I'll give it a try, and man-handle the thing a bit!

Well here's the final product! I hate that it looks too perfect instead of worn with actual use, but the only other choices were all gold or all silver bare metal. So I decided to have a friend do a total re-paint.

Seems to fit in with all the other "made in occupied lands" swords discussed in this thread. There is one on this link with that same stamp (http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/5999-arsenal-stamps/page-8). The guys in that discussion called it fake, but having learned so much more about these kind of swords, lately, I would consider both to be legit - not Japanese, but made during the war for local troops cooperating with the Japanese.

Thoroughly enjoying this!

Steve, I saw your byline. Have you been to Gunto Art Swords? He's got serial number 1114, copper handle for sale: http://www.guntoartswords.com/010810.html Stegel, thanks for the tip on F&G, I will find the newer one. Looking forward to reading it! Very fascinating about the winter cammo. Makes sense now that you mention it.

Dominic, those are really cool! I've seen white wrapped tuska and white laquered cane wrapped saya; but that's the first white painted gunto I've seen! As to Fuller & Gregory, it is a small book compared to Dawson's Swords of Imperial Japan, and was produced in 1987. Guys that are expert in WWII guntos say there is 'some' info in it that have since been found to be incorrect, but it is still a highly valuable source of info. It has some unique stuff not found in Dawson, too. Java - I wasn't saying that it, or any other "field" sword making locations were official, but most nations had (and still have) people who make swords. If you lived in an occupied nation, during war, and were a swordmaker, you might have an interest, for the sake of making a living, in making swords/parts for the troops. Bradley's "Flyboys" points out that hundreds of thousands of Japanese army troops were litterally abandoned to survive off the locals in many Pacific locations. They had no supply lines, no food, no re-supply of ammo or weapons. If I were in their shoes, I would be getting my equipment repaired and/or replaced any way I could. I suspect some of the odd pieces we see on clearly official guntos came about this way.

Dominic, The main reference I know about is in Fuller & Gregories Military Swords of Japan. I've read another reference that I will try to find. But here are the pages from F&G

Very cool! I've never seen mon on the fuchi before. Have you tried to figure out the name it represents? Also, that habaki made of silver, or silver plated?

Thanks Shamsy! I found what you are talking of in my Dawson. Looks Ok!

Stephen, The parts look legit. The tsuba matches Ohmura's 'middle type' here:http://ohmura-study.net/905.html Not sure about the paint. The "copper" is really paint over brass parts. I agree the color is off, so it was an end of war korshirae, never used, paint different because of the stage of the war, or my guess is totally repainted by new owner in Taiwan. I haven't heard problems with Taiwan before, but personally I wouldn't buy anything coming from China.