Kiipu

Could be one of Kanetomo's apprentices that went by the name of Kanekuni 兼国? Ryuminsai Kanetomo 龍眠斉 兼友

Could be a different sword as all gunsui are clearly marked as gunsui. Below is the mei encountered so far. 群水作 = Gunsui saku. 群水之作 = Gunsui kore saku. 群水兼宗作 = Gunsui Kanemune saku. The swordsmiths associated with the gunsui project are as follows. 高橋定平 Takahashi Sadahira (継政 Tsugumasa). 龍眠斉兼友 Ryūminsai Kanetomo. 兼宗 Kanemune. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords by Markus Sesko has a nice English language summary about the gunsui-tō on page 81.

Rereading your post, I see that you mentioned a gunsui blade 群水刀. In that case, the signature would be that of Kanetomo 兼友. When time permits, can you post pictures of both sides of the tang showing the full length? Knowing that @SteveM likes to dig deep, below is a link to a Japanese language article by no less a person than Ohmura sensei. 群水刀 Gunsui-tō

If he is from Seki, as many swordsmiths mei that begin with 兼 are, the person to ask is @mecox.

Here's the full story of Shigefusa versus Shigetsugu By Nick Komiya I finally read the full thread in the Nihonto Message Board and now understand that the question was not merely how to read the Mei on the sword, but to untangle the jumbled use of the names Shigefusa 重房 and Shigetsugu 重次. I already explained that Shigetsugu was a member of the offshoot line of the Shigefusa line, but the story I gave you was a bit simplified, so I’ll now give you the full story. Wakabayashi Inosuke, the founder of the Shigefusa mei, had a son named Daisuke 大助, and Daisuke had a daughter named Sato and a son named Daihachi 大八, but Daisuke died when Daihachi was still only 14, thus too young to carry on the artisan name of Shigefusa. At the time of this family crisis, the Wakabayashi family had an apprentice named Morizō 守蔵 (I think the family name was Nakamura), who was already a fully trained smith, but who was there to learn methods of other schools. So, the Wakabayashi family asked Morizō to marry Sato and also to train the young Daihachi. Thus, Morizō took on the Wakabayashi 若林 name. Around 1914, when Daihachi was fully capable of carrying on the Shigefusa name, Morizō considered his duty for the Wakabayashi family done and moved to Tochigi Prefecture 栃木県 as an offshoot of the Wakabayashi family. But again in 1926, another crisis arose when Daihachi at the height of his career, prematurely died at the age of 41, leaving behind a son Noboru, only 14 years old, once again too young to take over the family business. Asking Morizō to rejoin the main Wakabayashi line was considered, but at that time, he was already well past his prime at 60 years of age, so his 30-year-old son, Wakabayashi Shigetsugu was sent to Aizu 会津 to carry on the Shigefusa line instead. And finally, after Noboru, the son of the main Wakabayashi line had fully reached adulthood, in around 1937, Shigetsugu and his family of 5 moved to Manchuria to work for the South Manchuria Railway Company (SMR), where he launched the Kōa Isshin 興亞一心 swords. In 1941, the family returned to Japan and settled again in Aizu, where he was later accredited as Rikugun Jumei Tosho (army licensed sword smith). Shigetsugu had also signed his earlier commercial work as Shigefusa, but registered as Wakabayashi Shigetsugu in the RJT program. Even so, he made a good number of swords for the black market to be sold as antiques, in which he used the generations old mei of Shigefusa. Shigetsugu and his father Morizō, both had to stand in for the main branch of the Wakabayashi family, when the inheritor of the family name was too young to inherit the business. Thus, he probably saw himself as a “stand in” and refrained from using the Shigefusa name as a RJT smith.

Some more family history about the Shigefusa clan. （一）会津刃物道具鍛冶の歴史

The cards are still on the table and as the saying goes, better late than never! Your statement above if something I have had in the back of my mind for the last week. Namely, that he could have used two signatures. This is not a new observation as @Stephen pointed out similarities in the signatures back in 2008. almost there, Post #8 @Markus notes a Wakabayashi Shigefusa over at the Gendaito Project but there is no mention of a Shigetsugu 重次. SHIGE (重)

I cross-referenced the post and hopefully more information will be forthcoming.

So as to close the book on this matter of 重次 Shigetsugu versus 重房 Shigefusa, I contacted Nick and he said "Definitely Shigefusa." If someone has an objection to this change, now is the time to speak up.

Ran across this one over at GBF. Antique Japanese firearm

Be careful Trystan, I would not mess around with the kenpeitai! We might not hear from you for a looong time. Kenpeitai

Mark, unable to answer your question; but, I can provide a link to the type of machinery involved in scabbard production. Scabbard Kaizen Projects

I decided to take a closer look at the picture you posted above and see if anything further could be learned from it. So that others can follow along, the picture is coming from page 157 of Slough's book entitled An Oshigata Book of Modern Japanese Swordsmiths, 1868–1945. Upon translating the characters, I learned that 撫順炭礦製鉄工場 (Bujun tankō seitetsu kōjō) was located in Bujun (Chinese: 抚顺, 撫順, Fushun), Manshūkoku 滿洲國. This would indicate that the sword was made by our very own Shigetsugu who worked at Mantetsu! Fushun 抚顺

作州 = Sakushū. Mimasaka Province 作州住井上正国 = Sakushū jū Inoue Masakuni. Attention @SteveM

備州住井上正国 = Bishū jū Inoue Masakuni.

I think there could be more to the story. The real name of 重次 Shigetsugu is 若林･猪之吉 Wakabayashi Inokichi. This is coming from several sources, of which the primary source seems to be http://aizu.sub.jp/kaji/2kaji_pro.html [軍刀組合始末]. However, I am uncertain what the reading of the second character is on the Mantetsu sword pictured in the OP. I have seen it translated three different ways so far, either as 重房 Shigefusa, 重高 Shigetaka, or 重次 Shigetsugu.

文久四年 = 1864.

Wow! Thanks for sharing. 文久元年二月日 = A Day in February 1861.

Dutch Roestvrij veiligheidszwaard. De Japansche minister van Oorlog, luitenant-generaal Itagaki, is in gezelschap van eenige hooge officieren getuige geweest van proeven met een nieuw roestvrij Japansch zwaard, waarmee geen onbedoelde ongelukken gemaakt kunnen worden. De smid, die het vervaardigd heeft, is tien jaar geleden met zijn arbeid begonnen en heeft er gestaag aan doorgewerkt. Naar verluidt, is het nieuwe zwaard ook onbreekbaar. De Noord-Ooster 1939-01-21. English Translation Stainless Safety Sword. The Japanese Minister of War, Lieutenant-General Itagaki, accompanied by several high-ranking officers, has witnessed trials of a new stainless steel Japanese sword, with which no unintended accidents can be caused. The blacksmith who made it started his work ten years ago and has worked steadily on it. Reportedly, the new sword is also unbreakable. The North-Eastern 1939-01-21. The English translations were done using Google Translate. Google Translate

Dutch Roestvrij veiligheids zwaard. TOKIO, 18 Jan. — De minister van Oorlog, luitenant-generaal Itagaki, is vanmiddag in gezelschap van eenige hooge officieren getuige geweest van proeven met een nieuw roestvrij Japansch zwaard, waarmee geen onbedoelde ongelukken gemaakt kunnen worden. De smid, die het vervaardigd heeft, is tien jaar geleden met zijn arbeid begonnen en heeft er gestaag aan doorgewerkt. Naar verluidt, is het nieuwe zwaard ook onbreekbaar. — (Domei). De Telegraaf 1939-01-19. English Translation Stainless Safety Sword. TOKYO, Jan 18. — The Secretary of War, Lieutenant-General Itagaki, witnessed this afternoon, accompanied by some high-ranking officers, tests of a new stainless Japanese sword with which no unintentional mishaps may be caused. The blacksmith who made it started his work ten years ago and has worked steadily on it. Reportedly, the new sword is also unbreakable. — (Domei). The Telegraph 1939-01-19. Attention @mecox

Mid 16th Century Use of clan names & honorary titles arose. The clan name will come before the swordsmith's name. 藤原 Fujiwara. 源 Minamoto. 橘 Tachibana. 平 Taira. 紀 Ki. 菅原 Sugawara. A good starting point to learn more about the various clans can be found at the link below. Japanese clans

Early Period Swordsmith's two character name followed by the character(s). 作 = 0167 SAKU = work, a production. tsuku(ru) = make, create, manufacture. 造 = 6061 tsuku(ru) = make, create, manufacture, build, fabricate. 鍛 = 6318 kita(eru) = forge, temper. 謹 = 5688 KIN tsutsushi(nde) = respectfully, reverently, humbly. 之 = 0048 kore = this. Often SAKU & kore or tsuku(ru) & kore. The character numbers are coming from The New Nelson Japanese-English Character Dictionary by Andrew N. Nelson and John H. Haig. The "on" 音 or Sino-Japanese readings are in CAPITAL LETTERS while the "kun" 訓 or native Japanese readings are in italics. The concept and format is coming from pages 13 to 21 of Frederick A. Fimio's 2002 book, Swords and Swordsmiths of the Gendai Period, 1868–1989. I have always liked the way he presented this information and imitation is the highest form of flattery!

If the sword came with a scabbard, can you post a picture of the scabbard mouth, that is the section where the blade is inserted. There should be some numbers stamped in this location.

The column on the right looks like 昭和十七年. 昭和十七年 = 1942.

Bruce & Trystan, when time permits, take a look at this 2008 thread. Maybe @k morita will swing by and take a second look, and let us know what is going on. almost there The sword dated as 端午日 can be seen below. 商品 No. KA-0392