Yasukuni-To Questions

[IJASWORDS]

Going through my stuff, I decided to take close look at my KOTANI YASUNORI shin-gunto. It has a pierced tsuba, large nodule same on the tzuka, a cupped (dust cover) bottom seppa, AND surprisingly, an aluminium saya. 

My questions are,

1. was the aluminium saya an upgrade, as the rest of the koshirae looks like it was made as a high rank special order.

2. when was the aluminium saya available to officers? 

I assume the aluminium saya was lighter in weight, and was popular with officers in the field who wanted to carry a lighter sword. 

3. has any member run into a YASUKUNI-TO with an aluminium saya?  

[ChrisW]

Can we see a picture of the blade itself too?

 

And from what I see, the saya belongs to a Type 98 Gunto. Seems to be standard, but may be optional?

 

Older NMB thread here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/5787-gunto-with-aluminum-scabbard-opinions-and-translation-help/

 

Ohmura Study on Gunto Sayas here: http://ohmura-study.net/909.html

[IJASWORDS]

Thanks for the links Chris. I still need guidance relating to YASUKUNI-To in aluminium saya specifically. Photos of blade attached.   

[BANGBANGSAN]

Neil

I think aluminium saya was lighter and more expensive than the meatl saya.Your sword has higher grade fitting and the colonel tassle ,I assume it was custom order rather than standard.

Very nice!

[BANGBANGSAN]

 Neil

I asked few of my friends who own Yasukuni sword,most of saya was metal,rarely has aluminium saya.They also think aluminium saya  specail order .

[PNSSHOGUN]

Aluminium was a vital resource during the war, it would've been an expensive upgrade. My only aluminium Saya has high quality mounts with pierced Tsuba, Mon & Koto blade.

[Bruce Pennington]

Neil,

 

Do you have a year on that gunto? I'm posting an article by Nick Komiya on the use of aluminum to replace nickle and copper in awards/medals and coins. The shortages hit them hard by 1941 and aluminum began being used. http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/anyone-care-rinji-seishiki-contingency-spec-badges-677442/

 

Personally, considering the weight of a gunto, I would have preferred the aluminum saya to a steel one, so I could see guys paying for the aluminum. I have not heard nor read anything that talks of it though.

[IJASWORDS]

Hey Bruce, it is dated June 1942. 

[Shamsy]

Aluminium was a vital resource during the war, it would've been an expensive upgrade. My only aluminium Saya has high quality mounts with pierced Tsuba, Mon & Koto blade.

I too believe aluminium saya were considered an upgrade. My mantetsu has one and it probably has the nicest koshirae I've seen on one.

 

However, I don't necessarily think aluminium scarcity made it expensive. I'm no metallurgist (lucky I know one), but I'm pretty certain it would be more difficult to fabricate, as steel would be welded pretty simply but aluminium (again not an expert) cannot be welded.

 

So wouldn't it be more difficult to produce a non-standard item with aluminium than steel? After all, steel would just be a sheet, measured, cut and welded.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong in my thinking. For the third time, no expert.

[Bazza]

I imagine (no expert here either) that an aluminium saya might be drawn and therefore seamless, rather than have two pressed halves welded or soldered...

 

Is there a metallurgist in the House???

 

BaZZa.

[Redhorse]

I'm no metallurgist (lucky I know one), but I'm pretty certain it would be more difficult to fabricate, as steel would be welded pretty simply but aluminium (again not an expert) cannot be welded.

Aluminum can be welded in a number of ways.  Gas welding aluminum has been around since the early 1900s.  Today we generally MIG and TIG weld it.  While it is more difficult for me to weld, experienced aluminum welders don't have a problem.

[Shamsy]

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Volker62]

Abe Yasushige aluminium saya sarute textile

 

leight weight 

[Volker62]

[Volker62]

sorry for the bad pictures above

[John C]

Is that a suya stamp on the seppa?

 

John C.

 

[Volker62]

"suya stamp" on the Tsuba only

 

all is marked with number 724

[John C]

Ah. Thanks. I thought this may have been a mark also.

 

John C.

[Volker62]

you always welcome John

 

thank you!