Bruce Pennington

I'm reading my newly acquired Fuller & Gregory, and they thought that the pierced tsuba was reserved for more senior officers. I've never seen nor heard that anywhere else, but that's what they thought. I picked a nice one up to put on my dad's Mantetsu Koa Issin blade that was missing a tsuba. I put a company grade tassel on it, though, becuase I couldn't afford the $500 for a field grade tassel!

I have an unusual mark on the seppa of a Kai-gunto, that no one recognizes. I have seen the same stamp on the inside of someone else's removable ashi. It comes with a Koto era blade, "Fuji" mon, in sharksin saya. Seems to be a custom job for someone from a well-to-do family.

I love the special order rising sun seppa! Some day one will be mine!!!!

Hamish, the mon on this sword is "Fuji." I have one just like it on a Kaigunto! I recently saw one somewhere else, too. Probably was a lot of Fujis in the war!

Thanks guys! David, I'm not very read-up on the Kai-guntos, so I never caught the fact that the anchor stamps only were found on the stainless blades. Thanks for the info! Any thoughts on the chopped nakago? Blade length: Tip to mune - 24 1/4in; full length - 32 1/2in; in koshirae - 38in.

Just got this gorgeous Kai-gunto. I can read the date: 1943, but need help with the mei. Has a Seki stamp, but no Arsenal stamp. Is that normal? I'm also puzzled by the back end of the nakago, as it seems crudely chopped off. Also the sarute seems too skinny, it's the right color and seems to have wear where the tassel would have been, but it's skinnier than my army sarute. Lots of pics here: http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp189/Bruce_Pennington/1943%20Kai-gunto/image_zpsr3xbvg6s.jpeg, but I'll post a couple too!

David, sorry, I'm thinking of the stainless blades. Seems like they are often not sighned. I certainly have seen signed naval guntos that were not stainless. In fact, I just picked one up! I need to post some pics, here, to get a translation, in fact!

Naval swords weren't usually signed, but there should be a naval arsenal stamp, looks like an anchor.

Hamish - I'm lovin' this! Thanks for starting the thread! Martin - Have you gotten the Ka-mon translated? I found the bottom character is "Murakami", a Samuri name from old, but I don't know the top 2 characters.

Here is a link where Ohmura shows a brown/green tassle and says that it is simply faded:http://ohmura-study.net/754.html. I'm looking for a reference about the all red(brown) tassle in your pic. I have a memory of reading somewhere that late-war army tassles went to all brown, but the shade was different than the all brown navy tassle. I'll post if I can find it.

the year is "Showa 17 year" so 1942. The stamp appears to be a Seki stamp, but I've never seen one on the blade before.

Mine aren't "mint" either, but I love my collection, so far: Dad's Spring, 1941, Mantetsu Koa Isshin NCO Guntos: Copper handle #2643; Alluminum tsuka #92605, and Wooden tsuka #211894 Navy Takayama-to in combat saya Sukekuni April 1945 Type 3 Fuji Family Mon, unsigned Koto blade in Navy sharksin saya 1918 Otsu Cavalry Sword

Thanks Grey and Franco! Very interesting! I enjoy good craftsmanship of any kind, but I really enjoy knowing HOW it's done!

Anyone know how the bo-hi was made? I've seen very old (in other words - pre-macines and presses) blades with bo-hi, and very precise.

Kevin, here's what I found on the family crest, "kamon" or "mon" on your gunto: Description Maruni sumitate yotsume (丸に隅立四目), mon of the Shinozuka clan.

Excellent article by Ohmura-san on the Mantestu factory: http://ohmura-study.net/998.html Ohmura-san page with pics of the Mantesu-to with Koa Isshin slogan, just like yours (and mine!): http://ohmura-study.net/712.html The Mantesu blade was made with Manchurian steel, was researched thoroughly, and was a high-quality blade; hardest edge rating, yet able to not break in freezing conditions. In tests, it went through chain-mail and body armor.

I only have one gunto with celluloid same, and it is Type 3. I've really appreciated this discussion, since I had assumed the "fake" same was something placed there post-war to patch up or repair a damaged tsuka. Nice to know it's original! I've followed the discussions of the term, Type 3, and feel it is simply a term commonly agreed on for communication purposes. Sure, it's not an original war term, but lacking one, we all benefit from having a recognized label so everyone knows what everyone else is talking about. Isn't that all language is anyway?

Interesting update, I just got back from a Japan trip and showed the image to 4 Japanese flight crew. None of them recognized it. So it must be a manufacturer's symbol.

Daniel, you'll find a lot of information on the kyu-gunto at the Ohmura site, http://ohmura-study.net/771.html. They are beautiful swords and you will find people who collect them. I don't understand why they sell for so much less than the combat swords, but I've found them in the $400 range. If you are beginning to collect war swords, yours is a good one to start with!

just picked up an old blade mounted in Navy koshirae. One of the seppa has an unusual stamp. Guys at another site think it is a manufacturer's stamp, and even had a removable Type 94 belt hanger with the same stamp. Any ideas?

Steve, that might make sense, even with the Type 94 second hanger. It could be marking the piece (seppa or hanger) that is lower than the other one!

I really enjoy my Type 3, Aprl 1945, mei Suke Kuni. It has a very beautiful blade.

Sorry, pic didn't come up. I'll try again.

I've recently picked up a Navy gunto with an old blade, probably pre-1599. One of the seppas has a mark I can't find a translation for. Anyone recognize this charactor?