Siganture on this blade? Genuine or not?

[Guest Aristeas]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Signed-WWII-Japanes ... 240%3A1318

 

Is this a genuine signature?

 

Thanks, Aristeas

[Brian]

If the sword is genuine (and it is probably, but some odd combinations of mixed fittings there) then it is likely a VERY late war blade, maybe even stainless judging by the look. Signature wouldn't mean much imho as it will likely be mass produced and late war expedient production.

 

Brian

[Guest Aristeas]

Thanks Brian,

 

To mei it looked good in parts, but didn't seem to come together as a whole, so your comments confirm my general intuition. Hadn't occurred to me that it might be a stainless blade - possibly because I'd never heard of them until browsing through the boards here!

 

aristeas

[Marius]

maybe even stainless judging by the look.

 

Would that make this sword purely decorative then? Stainless steel is not suitable for cutting as it breaks easily.

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

Stainless steel is not suitable for cutting as it breaks easily.

 

 

Not true, that depends of its carbone's rate, etc....

[pcfarrar]

Definitely a late war kai gunto. The Japanese were experimenting with Stainless steel katana from the early 20th century. You find them in Army mounts occasionally but more often in Naval as they don't rust quite so easily at sea.

[Guest Aristeas]

Stainless steel has a bad reutation for tameshigiri, which is undeserved. I've used a modern stainless blade for years with no problems. If your technique is good you shouldn't have any problems with a sound blade.

[hybridfiat]

I read an article last year that described the steel used in navy gunto as being stain resistant not stainless. The steel will still rust but it has a lesser predeliction to oxidation. The hardness and flexibility are better than a pure stainless sword.

Having said that I wouldnt touch this one with a long pole.

[Henry Stewart]

Gentlemen;

 

I think Steve has a good point. I regret its not my field but Ive noticed several members referring to stainless steel and commented upon the Japanese experimenting with it. I too have read they tried to produce a stain resistant steel for the Navy,but did not call this stainless.

Perhaps my student days are so far back my memory is playing tricks but I thought the Samuel Fox Steel producers in Sheffield had something to do with inventing the various grades of Stainless Steel. The poorer the grade the cheaper the steel and vice versa.

I seem to remember mention of something like E92 or 93A being referred to as "food grade" and very expensive indeeds,but nomenclature changes with time.It was bought for its stainless qualities not its strength.

Perhaps we have got a metalurgist amongst the membership who could throw some light on this.

 

Henry

[John A Stuart]

Some info on stainless can be found here.

http://www.estainlesssteel.com/historyo ... teel.shtml

Stainless does rust, especially in salt water where there are chlorine ions. Swords made of stainless would have less tendency to break and a higher catastrophic deflection ratio than carbon steels. John

[Henry Stewart]

Thanks to Johnstuart in Canada;

 

I thought it was along those lines in Sheffield and the date 1912 stuck in my mind. I think Fox's was part of one of the groups you mentioned. I think Mr.Brearly lived near to where my wife lived when she was a child.

 

Many thanks for the link;

 

Henry