Kiipu

Need Help! dogtag

Asian for sure, with a stylized form, maybe Chinese? I can make out about half of it such as 禾建. In a situation like this, you bring in someone who can read thousands of characters just by glancing at them. @BANGBANGSAN How about a picture of the hilt top and side?

The dog tag article mentioned by SteveM can be seen via the link below. Ditto the comment about WRF helping with the unit identification. The Evolution of Japanese Army Dog Tags (1894-1945)

I did not comment on the swords as the pictures are just too pixelated to make out the details. However, based upon the pictures posted by Chris above, they both appear genuine to me. I would like to point out that both Bruce & Rob own copper-handled swords and are more than qualified to pass judgement. Not sure if Chris or Dan have a copper or not. Disclaimers aside, the best person to ask is not mentioned above, mainly @Stegel. As I find serial number 812 the better of the two, I would like to see the following pictures if possible. Both sides of the handle. A clear picture of the scabbard throat showing the serial number. A picture of the scabbard drag or in this case the brass plug. And most important of all, an overall picture of the sword with the scabbard placed below the blade.

正則 = Masanori. 昭和十九年十月 = 1944 October. 岐 within the outline of a cherry blossom (sakura).

Hi Mal, I think that is the prewar signature used by Yoshiharu 義治. All the ones I have seen are undated while the later military contract signatures use the short signature. Translation assistance with WW2 Oficers Katana & The Mysterious "w" Stamp!

Mal, I think this is the Tōkyō maker that made economy swords for the war effort. Associated with the use of the yamagata M marking. Below are my notes for this swordsmith. X

義治 = Yoshiharu.

The source picture shows a 二 with surrounding stains. Star Stamped Tsutsui Kiyokane Blade

Klaus, does/did your Kiyokane 清兼 have a sideways serial number at the bottom of the tang? Arsenal Stamps.

Aichi Prefecture 愛知縣 RJT Type 100s, sideways serial number, either a ☆ stamp or sometimes a small 名 stamp. １１５　1944-02　 ☆ 三州住筒井清兼作 Sanshū jū Tsutsui Kiyokane saku. １１８　1944-03　☆ 竹内兼光 Takeuchi Kanemitsu. ２０７　1944-02　三州住筒井清兼作 Sanshū jū Tsutsui Kiyokane saku. ２４７　☆ 1944-08　尾州住竹内兼光 Bishū jū Takeuchi Kanemitsu saku. ２？４　1944-09　尾州住竹内兼光作 Bishū jū Takeuchi Kanemitsu saku [small NA stamp, the middle digit in the serial number was drilled out when fitted].

Roll call, calling Bruce Pennington! Shake a leg and start recording. [Hint, look at the bottom of the nakago.] Type3 GUNTO Signed strong blade, Iron Scabbard, WW2 Original Japanese Army Sword Edit: Aichi Prefecture RJT blade for sure. The star stamps are very shallow on these and it is probably somewhere under the rust. 三州住筒井清兼作 = Sanshū jū Tsutsui Kiyokane saku. @mecox

On the last production run from Suya, Iijima, & Kōbe, only copper-alloy ferrules were used.

Suya discontinued the blade fuller on the last production run and this serial number is within this range. A little more than a thousand were made before production came to a stop in March/April 1945.

Hi Florian, maybe Nick's WRF thread below will help with your research article. The Battle for the Survival of the Japanese Sword 1945-48

Correct, some of the wartime made stainless steel blades had a longer than normal nakago which would require shortening. Postwar, it appears the tangs were heated up and then bent/sheared off. The navy wanted to procure 50,000 swords per month for six months starting in April 1945. If this is the case, then stainless blade production would need to be ramped up and probably from more than one supplier. last ditch naval rinji?

Hi John, that marking of 満鐵作 was only used in the 28th to 30th series. There are indeed a handful of Mantetsu tachi mei; but one can count them on one hand. However, the tang profile looks off to me. Also, why would someone in Japan get a Mantetsu polished?

I believe there was a pilot program prior to 1942 and seem to recall Ohmura san mentioning it. So lets not tar and feather poor old George yet.

The "star" stamp does not appear until mid to late 1942. Anything made prior, will be marked differently.

Yes, the previous low 乙 [otsu] was serial number 1032 via Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks by F&G. For additional information about the Type 32 Military Sword, see Nick's WRF thread below. How the Type 32 Sword was born

Post a picture of the serial number and provide the blade length, which will be one of the two below. Measure from the hilt to the tip of the blade. 甲 Blade Length: 832mm 32.75”. 乙 Blade length: 774mm 30.5”.

Postwar souvenir sword. The Mysterious Naval Landing Forces Sword

Hi Trysten, Ohmura sensei's statement is based upon the 南 & 連 inspection marks that appear on the blades inspected by Nan-Man. The fiscal year 1943 production records specifically mention that only SMR was making swords. See Fiscal Year 1943. The fiscal year 1944 production records are similar but to not indicate exactly who was making them. See Fiscal Year 1944. However, it is likely the arrangement was the same as fiscal year 1943. Nan-Man took over the assembly of swords when shipments could no longer be made to Japan and then later in 1945 blade production was probably started. This would be similar to what happened at Jinsen Army Arsenal in 1945. His statement that 昭和19年10月～20年8月 [October 1944 to August 1945] was the listed dates is probably accurate. But one needs to factor in acquiring the machinery, tooling it up, and training the workforce, all of which would take time. I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my highest considerations.

Trystan, in my opinion, Nan-Man Arsenal [& Jinsen Arsenal] did not start blade production until 1945. I think the blades that Nan-Man did manufacture could be the ones that started showing up in 1945 with no markings other than the serial number, such as い一一七〇. Again, it is just an undocumented opinion and your learned opinion is just as valid as mine. Thanks for all your help with those difficult Chinese & Japanese translations over the years. I do appreciate all the time and effort you have given.

Hi Robert, your sword was sold earlier this year on eBay for US$1475. SCARCE Japanese WW2 SOUTH MANCHURIAN RAILWAY KATANA SWORD