gunto Need Help Identifying Sword

[hbaubele]

Hello, I am in need of help. I just acquired this from a veteran on the 1st marine division who was stationed in Saipan when he brought this back. I believe it to be a kyu gunto sword, however I am not sure on the age of the blade or why the black ray skin instead of the regular white. Any help is appreciated. Thank you

[Stephen]

Hunter this is for sale section. maybe a mod will move to appropriate section.

Its a parade sword.

[lonely panet]

its not a parade sword, they dont have full nakago.

 

this is a single handed verison of the 1875 army company grade kyu gunto, 99% sure its a machine blade.

 

it appears light because I think its a early transition from the type 8. 

 

the very fact there is a hammer and a 4 inch nail scares me abit. if you need advice on anything just ask the NMB

[hbaubele]

What would the value be on this? I bought it for $150. And the nail and hammer was to get the woods pin out of the handle don't work I dulled the nail before tapping it out.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Please post with your first name, per Brian's rules.

 

Mods, can this be moved to the Nihonto section?

[vajo]

Öl it and take good care of it. Its more worth than 150 Dollar.

[Bruce Pennington]

Hamfish nailed it as a "transitional" Type 8 (transitioning to the Type 19). Jim Dawson says the black is custom order, as would be the tempered blade. The nihonto pro's can get more specific on the age, but my inexperienced eye says it's just a period (late 1880's - early 1900's) custom order, tempered blade, not nihonto.

 

These run in the $400 USD range, plus or minus.

 

Terminology is a bit looser with these, as some guys call them "dress" or "parade" swords. Personally, I use those terms for the chromed, non-tempered blades. Tempered ones like this, were often carried in battle, all the way through the war (or "wars" as they lived through Japanese-Sino, Japanese-Russo, and WWII).

[lonely panet]

a real easy wat to pick a dress sword, if it lacks a mekugi and has a threaded or peined over tang at the base of the tsuka or handle its " Dress" as theres no need to make it rigid enough for fist-icuffs. aussie for fighing