robinalexander

Thanks John and Jean, this cements my view. I like many others look at Ebay in addition to many other sites and I would just encourage people who strongly believe something to be an obvious fake particularly where it is 'supported' by eaually rediculous and untrue statements, to report it to the business that operates the site. If we all do that then maybe...just maybe ...one day they will listen and do something about it. Rob

Thanks Tom and Paul. Dave, leaving others bits out at the moment, in regard to the blade do you think there's anything incorrect with the ... 1. (lack of) lining up of the Ha-machi and Mune-Machi, 2. the exceptionally pointed nakago-jiri 3. the rough file marks on the nakago 4. The strange shape of the Ha- machi 5 and the very 'almost vut not quite 'aged nakago Rob

Sorry to post things that may be fake (rather than good stuff) but it makes me really angry when I see sellers describing swords that, some would consider, not genuine. Noticed this sword at.... https://www.ebay.com/itm/384240327437 Now I am far from an expert (no, REALLY far), but there are a number of things I see in this sword that, in my mind, don't equal "antique" "Origin Japan" 'WW2 1939-45' etc. The seller has 100% feedback so that makes me cautious. I have been wrong many times in the past, most recently with a fake 95 (looked genuine 🤔 but clearly accept the concensus ). So do you think its a rip-off low down fraudelent listing or a genuine gunto in all respects? Rob PS ...I have absolutely no desire to purchase it.

Does that help.

Spot on Neil ! Rob

Hi Bruce and David (congratulations, nice package!) I have a similar 'mon' on the habaki of a mumei Wak... possibly Muromachi. I think I can say with some confidence that, in my case, its not their to make the habaki lighter 😁. But seriously, I have done a little reseach and have arrived at mine possibly being Hisamatsu although there are many similar mons the tricky thing is they have varying sized centre holes. Some same as external holes and some much smaller. I dont want to hijack the separate Mon thread but I did notice some similarities with yours when I saw it. Rob

Hey Kaz, like I said first up..I just dont know why you want to do that. But if you really want to play/experiment then buy something like this and go for your life! But give the real blades (whole blades in any condition regardless) a miss. Rob

Hello Kaz, Not outraged but I just dont know why you want to do that. Are you going to bury it in the backyard because you have to go away fair a couple of years ? Plenty of info on NMB site re 'normal' blade rust protection/prevention measures that will still allow you enjoy your sword over that 2 or 3 year period. Out of interest, could you post a picture or two of your "wooden handle Type 95" "Showato" Rob

Must agree with Baz Rob

Thanks Geraint, both enlightening and interesting. Rob

Thankyou Uwe S. and John (I dont know where to start)... Firstly, I appreciate your translation. Secondly, I offer a thousand apologies. Somehow the last picture was in fact, mirror reversed and translating is hard enough without 'little' tech gliches like that (cant believe I did that 😯) Finally, anyone like to have a guess why and when an IJA Officer would have painted that message on a saya? Is it possible it was simply a valued family treasure that they wished to draw attention to in order to protect/preserve in the hands of the allies? Gerainte I love your enquiring mind ...it is a pity there is no post war mystery in terms of reversed kanji BUT.... maybe I wont leave you empty handed entirely. When I acquired the sword (much cosmoline, verdegrease dirt/dust) the inside of the tsuka was being padded out with a torn off piece of newspaper which is dated Thursday, January 17 1946 (pic attached). I have since set this aside and replaced it with a sliver of thin cardboard. But the question in my mind is who put that newspaper in there? The date and 'english newspaper' would suggest a member of the allied forces as hostilities/sword surrenders should have occured well before that..but that would be a strange thing to do I would have thought (why bother?)...leave it with you 🤔 Regards Rob

Wakizashi with an old blade brought back from New Guinea and in poor shape but gentle preservtion continuing. I Will post more pics etc in Military Swords of Japan soon for interest/comment, but in the mean time, a translation of 'gold' kanji on saya would be great (Nakago is mumei). I believe a cpuple of kanji are numbers but I cant work out entire writing. Thanks Rob P.S. for context, one pic of complete saya to follow....unable to add it in this post (only taken up 4.1 mb ??)

Thankyou again Koichi san Yes Curran...I went through Slough's twice as I also 'believed' it was 'Hide' but couldn't match anything else ... then decided to put it to the big guns...i'll keep working on it. Hello Bruce, yes I'm thinking it's a badly hit Showa stamp as its only half there..pic attached.

Greetings, Would appreciate assistance with this mei ... thank you in advance. Rob

Tks Rich, happy to accept your HO. Rob

Commiserations to all Aus shooters.... RIP my .22 LR semi-auto Ruger (carbine), 10 round circular and flush mag with 25 curved after market mag. Small Tasco scope. Controlled much of the small introduced vermin and built solid shooting skills for the F88 Austeyr later in life. Now that is a nice personal weapon! Rob

Hi Steve,, Don't wish to digress from thread but are you saying that, as a general rule, a short signature (say two kanji) for any smith is less likely to be gimei than a longer detailed one? Rob

Thanks John will try light wax. Yes Jean C you are quite correct....my description was a little loose. Rob

Greetings, Just wondering if anyone has a solution for 'rejuvenating' or at least, preserving, an ishime (orange peel laquer) finish on a Kai gunto saya? Very early signs of cracking but no loss or lifting. Tks Rob

Many thanks Bruce and George....all clear now. Rob

Another example of Red Bean Colour with a std (worn) olive drab. Thanks Shamsy, I always thought I had a bodgey job. Rob

Hi Bruce, Well as luck would have it, this may answer your question as to who put the numbers/scratchings on it. Seems the fitting shop would be my best guess. There are identical (pencil) markings/numbers on the end of the tsuka and directly under the numbers on the koiguchi. 1435 (tks Dan C.) ....so it appears to me to be assembly numbers as Dan C. said. Pretty crude manner of marking though....maybe they were in a hurry to get them out the door and into the field! ( blade is a Nobumitsu, Showa 20th year, 3rd month (Mar. 1945)). George, The other character (katakana) is still a mystery (albeit a very small one now). I dont quite follow your lead with phonetic 'a' sound in terms of it relationship here...it dosnt appear on Tsuka though. I (nievly) thought it was an arrow with a large tail pointing in a specific direction for mounting purposes???....but unfortunately I can easily see such simple signs in real kanji and that just makes it harder for me :-) Rob SORRY IT WONT LET ME LOAD 1 X PICTURE 2.9 mg SO WILL TRY TO SEND IN ANOTHER FOLLOWING MSG.

Hi Bruce, Now that you mention it, I recall some markings just inside the tsuka and will have another look at those tmoz....apart from that no other markings. Strange though, (in my limited experience) that the above markings were seem to have been crudely scatched into the outside surface. Will get back to you. Rob