Gunto Questions

[Dick Tait]

1) Kai-Gunto (Naval) - do stainless steel blades show a hamon?

 

2) Type 98 Shin-Gunto (Army) - could an NCO carry a traditional ito wrapped (tsukamaki) type 98, as opposed to an aluminium one?

 

3) Flaming Grenade or Flaming Pearl (Cartouche) type stamp on Seki made blade?

 

4) Ko-Gunto (Type 32) Cavalry Sword - how rare?

 

Thanks.

[Kai-Gunto]

1 . Yes, but its artificial.

2. Yes, I think I seen in photos.

3.?

4. Not rare, but less was made than the NCO type 32.

[reeder]

If you're referring to the stamp in the attached photo, that's a U.S. acceptance stamp.

[Dick Tait]

Thanks Thomas.

 

The stamp looked like this..............

 

[GregD]

According to Fuller&Gregorys there is a variety of stainless(rust resistant) blade that has a selectively heat treated edge(hamon)I have seen only two of them in 34 years.

[Johnny Barracuda]

  On 5/24/2015 at 9:09 AM, Dick Tait said:

4) Ko-Gunto (Type 32) Cavalry Sword - how rare?

 

To add on Thomas' answer, I would say be careful because there are many many fakes on the web and, when genuine, type 32 swords are nearly always sold as cavalry swords because it may be felt as more prestigious than "mere infantry".

They are some differences between Ko and Otsu swords, the main one being the blade lenght:

- The type 32 Ko (cavalry) is about 83 cm long

- The type 32 Otsu (infantry) is about 77 cm long