Unusual Late War Sword

[IJASWORDS]

Hi, got a late war made GUNTO, with a NORINAGA blade made in `1945. As you can see from photos, there are elements of a few designs, and differing materials of construction. The KASHIRA and hanger look like poorly made (roughly cast) type 3 variety, whilst the  Fuchi, scabbard throat and bottom tip are steel. The scabbard is a tan colour, whilst the TSUKA is khaki painted (with no SAME) under the binding. This looks like a "last ditch" officers sword, along the lines of the "last ditch" NCO.  Looks like a Type98 Menuki. It all fits and matches, so would not say it is a put together souvenir. Help in identification would be greatly appreciated. Neil.  

[Bruce Pennington]

That IS an interesting one Neil! I've never seen a Type 3 with the Type 98 ishizuki like that. Combined with the late date, I'd say your theory is pretty solid about it.

[Shamsy]

Drag could be a standard replacement for a lost fitting. I sold my type 3 so I cannot compare saya size, but I imagine they would be fairly close. Having said that, the patina or lack-there-of lends credence to the idea that this may be original in the saya construction. There are a few type 3 variant and some discussed in this forum if you search. Could be that there was little choice of materials and they cobbled this together with whatever was on hand. If the general construction is sub part it lines up closely to the standards of some type 98 from very late war; poorly made but certainly genuine.

[SwordGuyJoe]

My vote would go to post war pieced together work. The tsukamaki looks pretty "fresh" and would account for the missing same and the type 98 menuki. The saya, not sure, but again, I'd lean towards someone bringing a saya to a militaria show and searching for parts that fit. Just my opinion.

[IJASWORDS]

Hi SwordGuyJoe, agree and disagree with you. The tsukamaki and menuki always puzzled me as well, BUT all the metal fittings are original to the sword. I have carefully removed them, and they  match the patina/corrosion patterns on the saya. The throat (painted pressed sheet metal) has the wood liner protruding and matching exactly. The FUCHI is an exact match, and the CHAPE, whilst looking like a 98, is painted pressed steel also, with no decoration and the same colour. The blade date is only three months earlier than their surrender.

By the way, the land of a thousand lakes, is that Finland? I used to work in HANKO, there was a fantastic militaria collector down there, great swords!! Neil.   

[SwordGuyJoe]

Well it's not the first time I've been wrong, probably not the last time.

 

I live in Minnesota not Finland

[GregD]

Wrap may be correct...

[IJASWORDS]

WOW, thanks GregD. Fittings also look similar. And the wrap has no SAME under it. You have restored my faith in WW2 swords seeing a similar piece. Neil.

[GregD]

A section of the blade..

[IJASWORDS]

Hi GregD, nice blade, my KOSHIRAE may be questionable by some, but my blade OK. Anyway, its all about the blade, Neil.

[Bruce Pennington]

That's a beauty Neil. There are some guys that really go after the Type 3 gunto because they tend to have great looking blades.

[IJASWORDS]

Thanks Bruce, my type 3's have EMURA and NAGAMITSU blades and other less notables. But there are some times great surprise packages in type 3's. Not so much now, as every one knows what to look for. But in the old days you could find swords that have never been disassembled, and needed a lot of work just to get TSUKA off. Really appreciate your reply. By the way could you look at my post on ISLAND MADE GUNTO? You have probably come across these> Neil.