Bruce Pennington

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.

Thanks Charlie and Hamfish! I'm going for it! Stephen and Curt - only the fuchi is copper, the handle is aluminum. thanks guys!

Guys, I'm interested in picking up this variant of the Type 95 (2b I think?), but this one has a copper fuchi with stamps. Ohmura's example has the black painted steel fuchi. I'm on the road and don't have my F&G or my Dawson. Anyone recall seeing legit Type 95 variants like this with copper fuchi?

Dominic, I agree with Hoanh, the parts look legit, but someone has spray painted them with copper paint (easily stripped with acetone without harming the parts) The leather saya looks legit, too, but the fastener w/snap looks cheaply made - maybe a field repair? The kabuto-gane looks cheaply made too. I've been reading that some swords and/or koshirae were being made by occupied lands, like Burma, Phillipines, etc. Just an idea, maybe this one has koshirae picked up on location by the troop carrying it. The blade looks great!

Ok, saya is finished. Pics distort the color a bit but I think I got a good close color. I actually looks TOO good! But it's way better than that gold. A friend that does primo model paint jobs is working on the tsuka.

Defiinitely need better pics! Fuller & Gregory have pics of white ratan wrapped saya, so it was something done by the troops, though unusual all the same!

Thanks guys! both of those look good. I will investigate them. I know a couple of guys that do good model aircraft and model train painting. I will contact them to see if they'll do the job for me!

Hamfish, Thanks for the info! It was sold to me as a Japanese cavalry sword, and while I don't know anything about the cavalry swords of other nations, this one appears to fit the look and dimensions of a "Ko". The missing knuckle-guard stamps bother me; but issuing to the Chinese, like you say, might explain that. This one is really worn, the wooden grip is very worn, the blade shows many sharpenings (a really bad one with a grinder - probably some dumb boob after the war!) and the blade is very old with much corrosion. Also, the leather finger-loop is so old, I broke it by sticking my finger in it a couple of times! In fact, I only bought this one because it still had the loop! Here are the dates inside the backstrap and on the end of the hand-guard where nakago goes through the end of it:

Guys, any tips on what kind of paint and where to get it, for re-painting my Type-95 saya? It had been totally stripped and painted gold before I got it, so I've stripped the gold and would like to paint it something more original. There is a small section on the screw tab of the kabuto-gane of the original color.

Thomas, Right, no stamps! I've attached more pics.

I'd like to start an on-going thread where we post the unusual. After reading my Fuller & Gregory, where he has saya wrapped in white cane, or gunto without stamps or numbers missing. I'll begin with my 1918 "Ko" Cavalry sword. It is unusual because there are no stamps on the hand-guard. Also, the serial number on the drag has been overstamped with an additional "1". Dawson discusses the fact that even though production stopped in 1935, they were carried and used through WWII. Damaged ones were sent back to factories for refurbishment. I believe this was what happened to this one. The hand-guard was replaced and never stamped, and the serial number of another saya was filed off (you can see the marks) and the new number stamped oddly. Additionally, dates were normally in kanji on the guard. But this date is english, just like the assembly numbers of WWII shingunto (which would also explain why the date wasn't on the guard)

Thanks for the pics! I'm sorry about thinking the seppa were unusual, the lighting in your first photo cussed my eyes to imagine something that wasn't there! Your sword looks legit. My personal opinion on blades not sharpened and missing numbers is that humans were doing all the work. Hundreds of factories were making thousands of swords with people involved in the process. People miss things. Sometimes the unusual things makes a collectible item all the more interesting. Enjoy!

Taylor, Your stamps are the Tokyo First Arsenal (1940-1945) [star]; middle stamp is final inspector Tokyo Kokura Arsenal; and round stamp is private contractor Ijima Token Seisashima. I have an NCO blade that feels like it was never sharpened, too. It is odd about the missing serial number, although Fuller & Gregory has a couple of "unexplainable" blades without markings too. Yours has a Very unusual spacer (seppa). Could we temp you into taking them off and posting some pictures for us? Also pics of both sides of the blade near the handle would help.

Oliver, If you haven't found it already, the Ohmura Study site is a fabulous place to learn a great deal about Japanese war swords and dirks. Here's a link directly to the pages on dirks http://ohmura-study.net/971.html Like Garaint said, the 2 tassels on the dirk are legit, but don't belong there. The brown/blue one would go perfectly on the large sword, as it is Army. The all brown one is Navy, and while the dirk is Navy, they didn't wear tassels on them. If you plan to add to your collection (dangerous addiction to start you might keep the navy one as many swords on the market do not have them. I should add that late-war army tassels were also all brown, but a different shade, and I don't have a firm grasp on differentiating between the 2, so it might be army too. Enjoy!

So far, it looks like a real WWII army officer sword (shin gunto). I can't decipher swordsmith names, but the date should be on the other side. The writing is read with the blade pointed up and the tang hanging down. The tassel is unusual. There were no red and blue combinations. Should be brown and blue (company grade officer)

Ed, have you taken a look at Crimson Mist Militaria? They've got some hangers for sale. You might email him if you know some specific measurements to give him. http://www.cmmilitaryantiques.com/search.php?pcat=10

Julien, very gorgeous Kai-gunto! The picture of the date is a little too dark to make it all out, but what I can see says 1942 (Showa 10 7). Can't quite see the month fully, and don't see a day at all. I can't decipher swordsmith names, but there are other guys here who can very well! The stamps on your seppa are the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal (http://ohmura-study.net/212.html) and the private contractor stamp of Suya Shoten Co, Ltd (http://ohmura-study.net/794.html). Quite unusual to see both of those on the seppa! The number is simply an assembly number stamped on parts to keep them together, since each sword is usually slightly different than the next in size, shape and thickness.

How'd you find this one, Ed?