Bruce Pennington

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?

More pics

It's probably showato, though I no expert. I'll post pics with the name. The guys at Wehrmacht-awards forum said there were 3 guys going by Sukekuni and thought my kanji looked like Miwa's.

Very beautiful! I hope you set a high limit on the bids!

Wow, that's a beauty! Hope you have a high min-bid on that!

Bruno, I've been told it was Miwa Kazuo of Gifa. Here's the post:

Bruno, I've been told it was Miwa Kazuo of Gifa. Here's the post:

I've had this late war Type 95 that I really enjoy. Originally I thought the arsenal stamp on the blade was Nagoya, but I zoomed in on it tonight, and learned that it's a Seki stamp (which is still technically a Nagoya Arsenal factory). But what was really interesting, is I noticed TINY marks on the top edge of the nakago. Zooming in, they look like 6 (roku) multiple times. Never seen assembly stamps on NCO swords! I've learned on another site that they are really "large" kanji, not number 6:

Just in case anyone is looking for a moderately decent Navy Gunto, I've found one on Craigslist. I'd buy it myself, but my fun-money budget is busted for a couple more months! It's a 1942, with Seki stamp. Pic of mei attached. http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/clt/5456101702.html

All, another good lesson on online communication! Rule of thumb - be thick-skinned, assume the sender didn't mean what it looks like to you! In my days as a squadron commander of a Civil Air Patrol sqdn, I learned the hard way! Text cannot convey facial expressions and body language. Personalities are different, and that doesn't show up well in text. Case in point, Adrew admits to being an engineer and we all know how THEY speak! :0

Kimmo, I'm new at this, but isn't the date Showa 2 10 year 6 month - meaning June 1945? I'm not a smith guy, but I'm sure the experts here can tell you!

Daniel, That is possible, that it means "up". I recently saw a character that means "down", and it is the mirror image of it! On the subject of your apple/pear stamp, I know I have seen a discussion of it somewhere, but I can't find it. I'll keep looking, or maybe someone will step up that already knows.

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!!!!