Any Shin Gunto With "battle Scars"?

[Ljoconnor]

One more picture.

[Ljoconnor]

One more. My first attempt to post pictures. I am not a tech wizard so hopefully this is satisfactory.

[Ljoconnor]

Last one.Thanks! Larry 

[ChrisW]

Thanks for sharing! Can you give a theory on how that damage came to be?

[Bruce Pennington]

Well, looks like the blade came through OK though.

[Ljoconnor]

Only thing that I can come up with is it had to be a fragment explosion to put so many dings in the sword and scabbard. I also think there was some type of fire involved with the damage. It looks like the scabbard was burned in my opinion.Bruce the blade was cleaned up by the previous owner. Not quite as good as it looks in the picture. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the sword guys! Larry 

[robinalexander]

Just listed for sale by Dan Griffin (Griffin Militaria)....recorded as ..........

 

Additionally, there is an open channel in the lower scabbard, approximately 11 inches from the base, where a bullet strike opened the scabbard. The sword blade apparently escaped damage from the bullet’s impact.

 

[Scott Gunto]

Type 95 copper handle that caught a strafe from two projectiles in the scabb...the blade is fine indicating it was out and in service during the shooting...

[Kiipu]

Here is one I ran into today.  What is "Willie Pete" damage?

Weird Idea, A question On blood rust, Post #11

[ribendao]

7 minutes ago, Kiipu said:

Here is one I ran into today.  What is "Willie Pete" damage?

Weird Idea, A question On blood rust, Post #11

I believe “willie Pete” refers to white phosphorus.

[John C]

Nasty stuff. Reacts with oxygen to burn extremely hot. 

Pic from Wikipedia.

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

Posting image in case link ever goes dead:

 

[Bruce Pennington]

6 hours ago, John C said:

Pic from Wikipedia.

John,

Any idea of what type aircraft that was?

[PNSSHOGUN]

Looks like an F4U Corsair.

[John C]

 

1 hour ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Any idea of what type aircraft that was?

Not sure. Pic was supposedly Vietnam era. Does look like a single engine prop.

 

John C.

[Volker62]

years ago in my collection

 

private made sword at the Minatogawa river bank by Masataka 

 

with embedded shrapnel in its Tsuka

[robinalexander]

7 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Any idea of what type aircraft that was?

Maybe a Douglas A1-Skyraider .......2 x 100 lb white phos ..... ? 

 

From 1950 to 1953 in the Korean War and from 1962 to 1975 in Vietnam, the "Sandy," as it was called, served as a mainstay workhorse due to its payload, range and durability. The Air Force acquired it's a-1s from the Navy for counterinsurgency duty in Southeast Asia.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Rob, I think you have it. Corsairs didn't see service in Vietnam (assuming that is the source of the photo).

[The Blacksmith]

I had a Shin-Gunto katana with an old tachi blade, probably Nanbokucho period,  that was o-suriage, and made into a katana, and later still into a Shin-Gunto katana.

I showed it to Vic Harris at the British Museum, and he agreed on the age of the blade and thought that the blade had perhaps been some 9" (22cm) longer originally. In the mune were two sword cuts, which he also thought were probably put there when it was still a tachi. He was also of the opinion that the blade was probably made in Higo.

This was the only sword that I have ever owned that had definite proof of use, and was one of the three swords that I wish I had kept!

 

Russ

[Winchester]

Posting to follow and update when I have a chance. 
 

I have an old koto blade that I believe was a tachi originally that has a very clear and distinct impact from another sword on the back on the blade. It has had many polishes over the years but each time they kept this intact. I believe 1300s Ietsugu.

[Bruce Pennington]

There's a good one posted by @JohnWB HERE

 

 

Looks like the bullet glanced off the blade.  Testimony to the quality of of the blade, I'd say!

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Lots of shrapnel damage on this one:

 

[montrealfan1986]

This is a koto blade with some bends from blocking, 500 year old battle scars.

[Bruce Pennington]

I know almost nothing about bending, but I have read a couple times where blades bent when cutting, like beheading.  There is a famous confession of a WWII officer who stated that he preferred one sword over another (he said the smith names, but I don't remember them) because one bends when he cuts heads off.

[chgruener]

Battle damaged “Copper Handle” Type 95 NCO sword.

 

Struck 3 times, once on the tsuka, twice on the scabbard, with one passing through the scabbard and the blade. 
 

Interesting to see that the piece of shrapnel that struck lowest was soft enough to form the scabbard to the blade, making an impression of the fuller. Pretty neat example. If you like of the damage, the sword has to be drawn about half an inch, clear of the catch. I would assume that it was being drawn or placed back inside at the time it was damaged. 
 

[Bruce Pennington]

 

[Bruce Pennington]

A couple of them posted by:

@Fusilier HERE.

 

 

and by @chgruener HERE.