Can anyone tell me about this WWII sword?

[76_liberty]

I’m very new to collecting and I recently bought this WWII samurai sword, but I don’t know anything about it. Does anyone know:

 

1) what type it is?

2) what pattern is it?

3) who or what arsenal made it?

4) approximately when was it made?

5) how many of these were made?

6) what military branch would’ve used it?

7) any other interesting information regarding it?

 

Thank you very much for your help.

[Dave R]

You have a lucky find. It looks like a very late war NCO  sword, very rare, very desirable. Others more knowledgeable will weigh in no doubt.

[lonely panet]

This a easy one,

 

Abit of online reseach will uncover this. There is a running thread in this very section on late war swords.

[IJASWORDS]

Late war pattern 7 NCO sword. As Dave says, rare and desirable.

[Kiipu]

Your sword pattern can be found in Stegel's "Type 95 NCO Patterns" Info-Graphic at the link below.

"Questions about "late war", NCO swords"

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/30395-questions-about-late-war-nco-swords/page-2?do=findComment&comment=311408

[76_liberty]

Thank you very much for your help. I’m glad I lucked out and found a rare sword. I’m very new to the hobby and still have a great deal to learn.

Sincerely,

Chad

[Kiipu]

Thank you very much for your help. I’m glad I lucked out and found a rare sword. I’m very new to the hobby and still have a great deal to learn.

 

Does your sword have any inspection marks on it?  For a chart of the inspection marks used, see page 13 of the "Stamp 5.0" PDF.  See link below.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/5999-arsenal-stamps/page-16?do=findComment&comment=315240

 

[WilBru5]

Too busy to spit; but this one pulled me out....

 

Chad; check real closely the blade in front of the habaki, the flat of the tsuba, the fuchi (opposite side of the latch), The suspension ring mount on the saya, and the drag of the saya... you will probably find what looks like a check mark, this is the "HE" mark of the Jinsen arsenal.... there are many posts about Jinsen.  good reading take care

[WilBru5]

A quick example for you to look at

 

[76_liberty]

Bruce,

 

Those are really small inspection marks. I found what looks like one in the pics below on the fuchi, opposite of the latch, but I’ll look again at the locations you referenced. Can you tell what it is? Thank you very much for your help.

 

Sincerely,

Chad

[Smee78]

Wow,

I was not familiar with the types 7 or 8 for the type 95 swords. Kiipu thanks for the link to that thread, great info on it.

 

OP congrats on the new sword, looks like an excellent way start to your collection. Be sure to do a lot of reading and study up on the subject, there are a lot of fakes out there. Good Luck.

[Bruce Pennington]

Chad,

It is the "HE" of the Jinsen arsenal.

[76_liberty]

Bruce,

Once again, thank you for your help. I looked in the locations you told me too and and a few “check mark” shaped stamps. Here are a few pictures of them. Do you know how many patter 7’s were made and the approximate time frame they were made. I figured there’d be a lot of information on internet about them, but I haven’t found much.

Sincerely,

Chad

[Bruce Pennington]

Chad,

You'll have to ask Stegel, Shamsy, or Bruce W on that.

[Kiipu]

I ran across some pictures of a Jinsen Pattern 7 sword, which is the same type of sword pictured above, while going through my files.  What was different about these pictures is that the owner removed the wooden grips and took some pictures of the nakago.  Unfortunately, the pictures were printed on copy machine paper and thus the quality is somewhat lower than to be expected.  Below are the details of the nakago markings.

The reverse of the nakago is stamped with the number 1551.

The obverse of the nakago is stamped twice with the inspection mark ヘ.

In addition, the obverse side of the scabbard below the hanger is hand carved with the following inscription.

WW2 N. Korea '45

 

I know of one other Jinsen made sword, a Pattern 8, which has a nakago serial number and it can be seen at the link below.

Questions about "late war", NCO swords

 

[Bruce Pennington]

8 hours ago, Kiipu said:

number 1551.

Thanks for bringing these to our attention, Thomas.  Now we have stamped numbers on Type 95 nakago too.