Dave R Posted July 3, 2016 Report Posted July 3, 2016 A question regarding storage and display of Shin-gunto. Do they go edge up like a Katana or edge down like a Tachi? I think that when you have the formal mounts with the full Ashi, edge down is fairly obviously the choice, but what if it is in field mounts, a leather covered wooden Saya with one understated suspension ring. Same question as to it's orientation within the Bukuro. I know there is a specific stand for traditional Tachi, but I have doubts as to the relevance of such with 70 year old Gunto mounts. Dave Quote
BIG Posted July 3, 2016 Report Posted July 3, 2016 Good question Dave, after some 80 years would be nice to know about the products, the making and the to do/save of that leather covers! Need sayashi knowledge... Best Regards Quote
lonely panet Posted July 4, 2016 Report Posted July 4, 2016 Hi guys, (NOTE, recovering from unpleasant concussion, and may be wrong) disclaimer hahah. in the yasukuni museum there are 2 military swords, one is a shingunto owned by a prince? and the other Marshals sword. Both were displayed edge down. but I also have Japanese SWORD SURRENDER TAGS by Fuller, and in the back are photos of swords being placed both edge upward and downward, so if you imagine it being placed in a rack, it may point toward the type of blade inside maybe. Type 94's in my opinion is a tachi, but one could also think of the blade inside maybe having a influence as to how the sword be placed on a kake. regards H Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted July 4, 2016 Report Posted July 4, 2016 All shingunto are technically tachi as they are rigged to hang edge down. 2 Quote
Kai-Gunto Posted July 4, 2016 Report Posted July 4, 2016 My kaigunts has always been displayed edgde down and tsuka to the left. The same for shingunto and kyugunto. Quote
Shamsy Posted July 4, 2016 Report Posted July 4, 2016 Well this is news. I've got all my NCO and handful of gunto edge up. I just assumed as a katana size blade they should be displayed as such. As Joe so succinctly puts it, it now makes perfect sense! Quote
Johnny Barracuda Posted July 4, 2016 Report Posted July 4, 2016 Kai-Gunto, on 04 Jul 2016 - 06:30 AM, said:My kaigunts has always been displayed edgde down and tsuka to the left. The same for shingunto and kyugunto. Indeed. Moreover, due to the knuckle bow, kyu-gunto look bad when displayed edge up. 1 Quote
Daniel Posted July 4, 2016 Report Posted July 4, 2016 I would say the right way displaying gunto is edge down. However right or wrong I display mine edge up if in koshirae. If in Shirasaya I display the koshirae with a tsunagi edge up. The reason I display a koshirae with a blade edge up is to protect the edge. Regards Daniel Quote
Geoffrey Ward Posted July 5, 2016 Report Posted July 5, 2016 Hello Dave,I have always found this topic interesting.Before becoming interested in Japanese edged weapons I collected German.With the understanding (until recently) Japanese machine made blades were simply considered symbols of authority,tools,weapons,or specifically of no artistic merit. As the propaganda and speculations slowly disappear,the Gunto has become a valid historical artifact worthy of collection in its own right. As a relatively new collector of Japanese swords and militaria I began my Gunto collection deliberately as a way to avoid the expensive mistakes (because I could not tell the difference) between the hand forged Nihonto and a machine made blade.As I continue my studies I wonder if there is not only a practical,but a historic or religious factor involved in the orientation of the"Ha"or"Edge" of the blade. I submit this photo only as an image for contemplation as I am not versed on the religious aspects of the Japanese people or the intimate details of sword making,But from a physical standpoint the single sword stand will only hold a sword comfortably in one position.I find a significant resemblance in the Torii. Perhaps there is a clue here. Regards, Geoff Quote
Dave R Posted July 5, 2016 Author Report Posted July 5, 2016 I have just checked the blade I have, and which sparked off my enquiry.... it is katana mei. Quote
Kai-Gunto Posted July 5, 2016 Report Posted July 5, 2016 I have just checked the blade I have, and which sparked off my enquiry.... it is katana mei. But still mounted in "tachi" koshirae. 1 Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted July 5, 2016 Report Posted July 5, 2016 Thomas is correct. The time the mei matters is when "displaying" in shirasaya alone - if one was to be that picky on how they display a katana in shirasaya on a stand. If you were to display the mounts w/ tsunagi and the blade in shirasaya, they would placed be in opposing direction. Again, if one was so inclined to be that picky. 1 Quote
Daniel Posted July 5, 2016 Report Posted July 5, 2016 Sorry, should be if in Shirasaya I display the koshirae with a tsunagi "edge" down. Regards Daniel Quote
Johnny Barracuda Posted July 8, 2016 Report Posted July 8, 2016 Thomas, I am once again admirative of your collection of naval swords and paraphernalia. Quote
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