Alban L

Thanks Kaz I put the habaki back on its original position and re-mounted the sword, looks better now ! The Habaki could perhaps be cleaned later. I also add corresponding tassel, I just have now to replace missing Mekugi All fittings are stamped with number 5(7)7

Thanks Bruce, I certainly would like to, sadly I won't have enough space to display them like that. Just gently removed the habaki, again following indications I found here. I'll now have to find new Mekugi and learn how to take care of this blade. I also noticed there was a small deposit of wood dust, which must be coming from inside the saya. It might be worth keeping the blade separately in a shirasaya, even if it's not the most valuable blade.

Good evening, here are the anchor menuki I got thanks to Dale, and also a beautiful tsuba showing a warrior on a boat :

I received this sword along with other treasures, first a beautiful shima-kokutan (asian ebony) bokuto. A recent one most probably but still a beautiful object : And also a good luck flag with stamp from Tōkei Jinja, shrine from Wakayama prefecture, and signed by chief of Tanabe police station, also in Wakayama prefecture. Not possible to say if it was dedicated to a soldier or sailor, I only have a name, but as it is from a coastal city who knows, it was perhaps for a navy guy. Anyway, a good opportunity for a photo with this Kai Gunto :

Good evening all, I just received from Japan my very first Kai Gunto, and I'm very enthusiast sharing it with you. I had some trouble removing the blade from the saya since the habaki slipped towards the nakago and got stucked there. As a result the blade entered too far into the saya. Hopefully I managed to gently unblock it using techniques suggested on this forum. But I will have now to find a way to reposition the habaki and then replace the mekugi as the previous one was broken. For now tsuka is not firmly held as you may see on photos. Blade is signed Kōzuke-jū Kanemune kore saku, made by Kiribuchi Kanemune, identified here thanks to @SteveM : This swordsmith is known having worked on Gunsuito project, swords made of Gunsuihagane, steel produced from sand iron by hydro-electrical power company Gunma Suiden Kabushiki Kaisha. I can't tell if this precise sword is made using this still as it is not precised on Mei, but it is still a possibility. You'll find more about this project here : http://www.nihontocraft.com/Kanetomo.html Blade is not stamped. It has a lovely Hamon, as I don't know much about hamon types you may qualify it better than I could do ! Coming with its beautiful lacquered sharkskin saya. Saya and all fittings are stamped with same production number. Here are photos :

Thank you very much, it seems Hosono Sōzaemon was familiar with maritime themes, fuchi and kashira with same signature where discussed here :

Good morning all, I am again asking for your precious help, here is another maritime-themed fuchi with sails pattern, very simple one but I like it. I got it for a while now but never tried to read the signature on it, would you have an idea about it ?

These are beautiful navy swords, second one with sharkskin saya and last one with its cover leather. The first one looks having a non-regulatory leather wrap on tsuka, don't know if it was customized at the time or more recently. Thanks for sharing !

Interesting thread, I don't think there was any real need for short "pilot swords". If you look at different photos shared, they show hudge aircrafts, G4M and KI-46 bombers, or Aichi seaplane. As we can see, crews could carry full length swords onboard these aircrafts. Whereas on fighters that would be totally impossible to bring swords, even wakizashi. That would be useless and even dangerous having such a hudge object in a cockpit during dogfight. Perhaps kamikaze pilots just for symbol, and as they were not supposed to carry out complex evolutions. I would say I would rather use a short sword as a trooper if having to walk on long distances with all my equipment. Do we know about some makers of these short swords ? Could also be ancient family wakizashi re-used in Gunto mounts rather than a "pilot" or "tank crew" sword. What's sure is that statistically navy guntos where shorter than army ones but just an inch or two on average. That was for sure not practical to carry swords onboard,, especially for submarines, but there is still a known example of full length sword onboard the midget submarine attacking Sydney that was discussed here :

Yes looks like oxidized copper, could be from a statue. Very original object !

@Bruce Pennington, yes I think it may be a late war sword, cannot be 100% sure it was produced soon enough to be used in operations but it looks ok for me, army style fittings were used on late navy swords, as well as low quality canvas on tsuka rather than black same (even raw lacquered wood was used). But like you pointed, green wrap is typical of army sword, I don't know if it's original on navy sword. If it's a recent one it could be replaced by a brown wrap.

This kind of tsuba is often seen on end of war Kai Guntos, no problem at all. Also lacquered saya rather than sharkskin, and a stainless steel blade as indicated by the navy acceptance stamp. Not a traditionnal Nihonto but still a beautiful military sword ! Bruce, how can we tell it's a post war sword and not a late war one ? Is it because of the Mei ? I'll read your document, thanks for sharing.

Don't know why it was at first. All I can say is it wasn't a very elitist quotation !

And it is precisely pointless to claim being an elitist without anything more. all your knowledge will disappear with you if you do not enjoy transmiting anything to anyone. Please read the thread "and then you die", it's exactly the same with knowledge. No Japanese sensei in any Japanese art would just enjoy being an elitist, no one would even dare to claim it, that's a complete nonsense showing the very bases of your art were not understood.

Indeed... and it's a shame. I totally understand that one can be as elitist in the appreciation of Nihonto as in any other Japanese art, but precisely the Japanese arts generally teach that developing inner control and modesty comes with mastering one's art. Too bad to see peremptory judgments in certain comments, we all have different knowledge and totally different objectives, those who are more educated than others are useless if they do not wish to share their passion. Good to know some enjoy knowing about their knowledge, as Chirac said that touches me one without making the other tremble. You're all sharing the same passion, should stay a pleasant reading !

Good morning Alex, I went to tsuba as educational process to Japanese swords. I have been collecting worldwide naval swords for years but before buying Japanese ones, as they are very specific, I waited to know it better before buying my first Kai Guntos (now just waiting for 2 of these to be delivered next month !). Meanwhile, I went to tsuba as a logical introduction to Japanese swords, with the same theme. Totally fits to my collection, and that was easy to begin with average examples, finding interesting ones thanks to Dale precious advice ! Now I would say this will continue as a parallel collection as they are an infinity of tsuba we can find

I would recommend you to find a theme of interest, you may begin with average tsubas and someday afford yourself a masterpiece that will be the must have of your collection. I am only collecting tsuba having a link with maritime theme, whatever is the condition they still has their place in the collection and I enjoy each of them. You can find an infinity of themes to begin with !

Or same for cars dealers, buy at a fair price for sellers who don't want to spend time on it, and put it in conditions to sell it again. Seems fair to me, most swords would not have come to us without dealers.

This is an old thread but I don't think this sword was shown before, a Kai Gunto from Australian War Memorial with blade broken by bullets. Relic from a fierce fight for sure ! https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C147367?image=1

Thanks again for your assistance in translating Mei on these two Kai Guntos, Yoshishige on the left and Kanemune on the right. Probably average WW2 blades but I am very pleased having found these, as they where first possessed by naval officers too. That's an honor being the one taking care of now ! I'll post more detailed photos as soon as received !

Thank you John. I understand this different ranking systems during the war are listing swordsmiths who produced high quality sword but could still procude also non traditional blades. It seems to be only an indication of the skills of swordsmiths but doesn't guaranteeing the quality of a specific blade

I also read on this page this Kiribuchi Kanemune was listed in the "Tosho Banzuke" ranking as "Chuge Saku", the fifth rank listed. Would you what is the meaning of these labels and quality associated with each of these ranks ? http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/tosho.htm

Thanks Dale ! That's a very nice anchor menuki, never seen one like this. I'll try to get this one !

Thank you Steve !

Good evening, Would anyone be able to confirm kanji reading on this one ? Also on a Kai Gunto. Could be 上野住兼宗之作, but quite unsure and I am not able to identify a corresponding swordsmith... Enjoy you week-end