Bruce Pennington

A-F, it would be nice to have a first name to call you by. Do you mean you have a 1935 Type 95 NCO gunto with copper handle? It would help to see photos of the problem area, but chances are you simply need 1 or 2 spacers (called seppa) either side of the tsuba (hand guard). I'll post pics of what I mean. If that's this issue, you can find them at almost any online store that sells Japanese swords, plus there are guys on this site that sell parts like that.

Franco, I'll have to buy a measuring caliper, but I'll do that soon and post the measurements!

Jamie, check your PM's for possibly getting together.

The nakago has feint Kiri-style file marks, and even the nakago-mune has file marks decernable

Ok, lots of new pics! I was surprised when I found out how to properly measure the sori, I have been looking at it wrong and it is very slightly Saki Sori - the deepest part of the bend is 1" forward (toward the tip) of center!!! The website I've been referencing comments that sakisori was popular during the Muromachi period (1392-1572). However that doesn't prevent someone later, like Shinto, from liking and using the style. Dimensions: Nagasa: 26" (66cm) Full length: 34 3/8 (87.3cm) Sori: 17/36 (1.19cm) @ 12" from tip (center would be 13")

Have any pics yet?

Also, the kissaki looks like it must have been damaged at some point and reshaped.

Franco, I'm on a road trip. It will be Thursday before I can get the measurements and post them. Sorry!

Alex, I'm afraid I'm on the road and won't be home for a few days. I'll find out when I return and post answers!

Thanks Malcolm, interesting read! I have seen a few gunto over the past year with the wisteria mon, which I thought was odd, and someone mentioned on a thread somewhere, that by WWII, an officer buying a gunto at the club was shown a book of available mon and could literally pick whichever one he wanted. Now, as I wrote that, it did occur to me that if a guy NOT named Fuji/Fujiwara picked a "Fuji" mon, other officers in his unit would question him and give him crap about it. Knowing how "face" and/or shame played a powerful role in the culture, I would be very surprised if a guy would risk such getting caught with a fake mon. I wish I knew more about the customs of the day. Is it possible a guy, with now Samuri lineage, would pick a mon and say "I've picked Fuji in honor of the great So-and-So Fujiwara. May his spirit guide my hand in battle."????

Paul, Multiple polishing let over a 400 year period just might do that! I found a decent pic of it. Also, a better pic of the Nakago. It's got a mix of orange and black:

Ok, so is it correct to say the mon is for the "Fuji" family name?

PaulI appreciate your comments, as I'm learning as I go with this! Maybe your eye on the curve is better than mine, but to me it looks like the deepest part of the curve is closer to the nakago end. I only have one source, the website listed above, but doesn't that make it a Kashi-sori? On fumbari, I was puzzled by that too, as this website uses the term in reference to the width of the blade as it's laying flat. I'll post the description from the seller where he uses it in reference to the thickness looking down at the back edge. It really is peculiar! The nakago thickens from the machi back to the jiri, so much that the habaki won't slide off without litterally bending it! After re-reading his notes, I see that he actually does state it could be late Koto or early Shinto.

Malcolm, As far as I can see there is no ring around the wisteria, and it sits on the outside as the gunto is worn. So what does "Sagari Huji" mean? Is that a name?

Have been doing some research in an effort to narrow down a possible date range for this Koto era blade I picked up when I bought this Kai-gunto. I didn't originally want it, because it looked like it must have lain in a swamp for a couple of years (saya worn, fittings missing most of the gold guilding); but 3 things sold me on it: 1) It has the sharkskin saya upgrade, 2) Family mon on the menugi, and 3) old Koto blade. What I've learned so far (some from the seller, some from this site:http://meiboku.info/guide/form/zukuri/index.htm Nakago Jiri (end shape): Kuri (only style used up to 1400) Sugata (blade form): Shinogi Zukuri (Periods after Heian) Sori (point of blade where pronounced curve begins): Kashi Zori, also called Bizen Sori (Bizen School started 1185) Hamon: Suguba Kissaki: Chu Kissaki: most common; used from mid-Kamakura period (1185-1333, so 1260ish) Mune has fumbari - back edge of blade is fattest mid-nakago and gradually tapers all the way to tip So the youngest date: 1596 Earliest date: Mid-Kamakura (1260ish) or if Mino School then 1300. Range: 1300 - 1596 Open to any and all inputs!!!

Great article, Ben, thanks!

A "before & after" collage

Here's how it looked when I first inherited it:

Just a shout-out to Kurt "Obiwanknabbe" for the terrific saya-jiri I got from him. It fit my Dad's Mantetsu saya perfectly and even had just the right wear and look to match the kabuto-gane and other fittings! Just waiting for my turn in line to have it polished.

Vladimir, The writing on the tsuba and seppa (handguard and spacers) are 2240, just assembly numbers from the factory to keep fitted parts together. Someone should be able to give you some info on the kamon (family crest). Very beautiful! Do you know any of it's story? How did you come across it?

Julian, that's actually quite gorgeous! Maybe you've discovered a new hobby! Even the pros say it takes them 3 weeks or so to polish a blade. Nice job. Hey check your pm's!

OH MY GOSH!!!! If it was a snake, it would have bit me; as they say!!! I actually laughed out loud when I went back to see that. Thanks Malcolm. Ok, I take back everything I've postulated about an NCO putting that together (howsomever, I HAVE known some NCOs over the years that could have done something as bone-headed as that!!!)

Here's another one from Chris Franklin, Sword Forum International: http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?118190-Curious-hybrid-sword

Any swordsmith experts know where Tenshin worked?

Thanks Cory! Does anyone know what province Tenshin worked in?