Last ditch variant 4 Gunto

[gun addict]

Feast your eyes on ...well, the sorriest genuine Gunto you’ll ever seen 

 

Last ditch. Variant 4 Gunto, there are some disputes on wether these were made for NCOs or officers , one thing for sure, this is definitely not a weapon that inspires pride or confidence to the soldier issued it was to! 
 

to be quite honest this isn’t typically what I collect , I’d rather trade this for a nice Gendaito or handmade Gunto down the road but for now. I am really marveling at how desperately utilitarian this particular sword is! 
 

[gun addict]

[Akitombo]

Hi Tim,

 

Any chance of a picture of the tang please.

 

David

[Shamsy]

Why on earth would you want to see the nakago? Also, you'll wreck the ito and the clamps will never be the same if you take it apart.

[Brian]

David,
These are like the NCO Shin Gunto, except for having a crudely wrapped wooden handle. Think of them as machine made NCO's with a different tsuka. No point disassembling as they were not made to take apart.

[reeder]

Great find, Tim! Pretty rare variation. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Seconding Brandon!

 

I've read many arguments on both sides, but personally lean toward "late-war officer".  In light of Nick Komiya's revelation of the military orders that great loosened the mil specs on swords and guns in the last months of the war, this gunto is like the Japanese version of the Chinese-made Emergency Late War Gunto.  The IJA had already allowed officers to rent/buy Type 95s early in the war.  Not it's late in the war, suppliers being bombed, etc, why not go back to the 95 makers and have them crank out some more officer gunto.  But that's still just speculation on my part.

[Dave R]

10 hours ago, gun addict said:

Feast your eyes on ...well, the sorriest genuine Gunto you’ll ever seen 

 

Last ditch. Variant 4 Gunto, there are some disputes on wether these were made for NCOs or officers , one thing for sure, this is definitely not a weapon that inspires pride or confidence to the soldier issued it was to! 
 

to be quite honest this isn’t typically what I collect , I’d rather trade this for a nice Gendaito or handmade Gunto down the road but for now. I am really marveling at how desperately utilitarian this particular sword is! 
 

 

 

 Hang on to it, these are rare.

 

[hale1940]

This is a really cool piece. Nice find. 

[paul griff]

Hello,

            Very nice find...well done..

Regards,

               Paul.