Suci

Thanks guys - will steer clear!

Hello everyone I know to avoid nco and officer shin gunto with serial numbers on their habaki, but I recall seeing something somewhere that authentic Japanese earlier machine made bladed "parade" kai / kuy gunto had these - anyone know for a fact if this is so or not please? Thank you

Hello Bruce - no stamps whatsoever anywhere - we triple checked.

Photos before drilling the bolt out

We've replaced them with pegs; not the "nuts" / flanges, they are still there. The main bolt is toast as it had seized, so we drilled it out. The smaller one we got out and binned. What is the value of that bolt do you think? As going through garbage is not my idea of making money, unless gold! As I said, the nuts / flanges are still there.

Hello Ray. Oh, or rather "Oh no"; the bolts got binned, the nuts are still there behind the ito (can not photo the smaller one as secure behind the ito). Rare? Should I go through the garbage to see if I can find the smaller bolt? They were basically non-descript flat head screw bolts. The nuts were / are different to what you normally see.

Bless you, thanks again Ray. One last by the by question. The blade was secured in the grip by two steel bolts (that had seized), not pegs. Is that normal? Likely Japanese done or the British soldier that brought it home? We had to ask a friend to drill the bolts out and am glad now that we did.

Thank you Ray There are no stamps next to the signature; is that a sign the blade is better quality please? Is the date also August 1943?

Is anyone able to help me confirm or otherwise this is signed "kuni sada" please? Thank you Suci

Thank you Bruce, very much.

None; is that bad?

Thank you very much

Are these markings even genuine? I have tried to determine what the bladesmith's name and date? are, or if they are even genuine / authentic! Thank you in advance

Thank you Ray, very much