Mumei Carbon Steel Kai Gunto

[0Takeda0]

It's a small blade just under 24 inches. Appears to be monosteel, basic gunome hamon (likely oil heat treated), can't find a stamp except a small black dot at the bottom of the nakago, which might not mean anything. Can't find any numbers on the fittings either, if that matters. Has two hangers and a stingray skin saya. There is some kind of writing on the nakago. I want to learn more about it. I'm looking to hear what others have to say.

[0Takeda0]

 

 

[IJASWORDS]

Need photos of full blade and all fittings. Painted writing is probably assembly numbers . 

[0Takeda0]

I'll get blade pics later

[0Takeda0]

The spot almost reminds me of the stamp on the tang of the Kai Gunto in this thread:

 

[0Takeda0]

This is NOT my photo, this is a picture taken by the person who sold it to me. I am away from the sword at the moment. I will post better pics tomorrow at some point. It is hard to see, but the scabbard is covered with samegawa.

[Dave R]

 Going by the photo's (legal disclaimer) I would say that this is a post war assembly like the extensively discussed swords  formerly known as "mystery swords"!

 A genuine wartime blade and possibly the saya, completed with a mix of parts from the post war era.

[0Takeda0]

2 hours ago, Dave R said:

 Going by the photo's (legal disclaimer) I would say that this is a post war assembly like the extensively discussed swords  formerly known as "mystery swords"!

 A genuine wartime blade and possibly the saya, completed with a mix of parts from the post war era.

Very possible, but everything seems to fit right, and most of the hardware looks antique in person. The tsuba seems to have lost almost all of it's original finish.

[0Takeda0]

More pictures:

[0Takeda0]

[0Takeda0]

[0Takeda0]

Fuchi

 

[0Takeda0]

Tsuba, seppa

[0Takeda0]

Habaki. This part almost looks like it's new to me, but I'm not sure.

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Very late war - black painted tsuka, and one-piece Fuchi-seppa.  I’ve seen these before.

[0Takeda0]

2 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Very late war - black painted tsuka, and one-piece Fuchi-seppa.  I’ve seen these before.

This is exactly what I thought. Seems like a few corners were cut. I thought it should have at least an extra spacer or two, but the handle fits perfectly, and none of the parts are loose. The parts don't look modern, at least not to me.

[Bruce Pennington]

You can see more examples of these beginning with post number 17 on page 2 of the following discussion: https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/nlf-gunto-discussion-672281-2/

the discussion previous to that post does not apply to your sword, so don’t get thrown off by it.

[0Takeda0]

Thanks for the help, that answers most of my questions