Don't know what I've got

[Fieldhonkers]

 

 

Got this from my grandfather. Think its a Type 94 Shin Gunto but not sure. Any help translating it would be awesome! I have more pictures of the tang if needed.

 

[Nobody]

濃州住土岐兼正作 - Living in Noshu, Toki Kanemasa made

 

[Bruce Pennington]

4 hours ago, Nobody said:

濃州住土岐兼正作 - Living in Noshu, Toki Kanemasa made

 

Could you do me a favor and say what the last two painted kanji say " 6 1 7 ? TO"?

[Bruce Pennington]

Josh,

Could I get a clear picture of the small stamp at the top?  It's likely the Showa stamp, but I can't quite tell.

 

Also, you mention Type 94 - does the saya have the double haikan (belt hanger loops)?  How about more pictures of the over-all sword and fittings?

[Nobody]

10 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Could you do me a favor and say what the last two painted kanji say " 6 1 7 ? TO"?

軍刀 - military sword

[Bruce Pennington]

1 minute ago, Nobody said:

軍刀 - military sword

Very cool, thanks!  That's a new one one me. 

 

6 hours ago, Fieldhonkers said:

Type 94 Shin Gunto

Another question - are the other metal fittings stamped with "617"?

[kato]

617 is the number only for this sword. This is the numbering to manage the Akabane swords

[PNSSHOGUN]

Solid Tsuba, most likely a Type 98.

[Fieldhonkers]

 

 

I have to resize some of the pictures to upload but more will be coming. Also have the metal fittings for the scabbard but the wood has shrunk and the metal fitting came off. Have a Japanese flag also attached to it with blood and more writing. 

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, Fieldhonkers said:

resize some of the pictures

That worked just fine Josh, thanks!  So it is a Showa stamp, which puts it's odds of manufacture 1941 or before.

 

7 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Solid Tsuba, most likely a Type 98.

So, like John says, likely a 98.

 

8 hours ago, kato said:

617 is the number only for this sword. This is the numbering to manage the Akabane swords

Masaru - thanks for that reference!  I hadn't heard that term before, and after a quick google search found that the surrendered/confiscated swords at war's end were collected at the US. 8th Army Weapons Depot at Akabane, Kita Ward, Tokyo, hence "Akabane swords".

 

I'm curious, though, about your source of the info on the painted number?  It makes a bit of sense, as it's labeled "military sword" which would have mattered at some stage of the occupation, as they were having to distinguish between weapons and "art."  But I would really like to hear where your info came from, if you could share that.  It's a pretty significant piece of history on these gunto!

[Fieldhonkers]

1 hour ago, Bruce Pennington said:

That worked just fine Josh, thanks!  So it is a Showa stamp, which puts it's odds of manufacture 1941 or before.

 

 

Ok so this wasn't like a family heirloom or anything.. just a officer weapon?

[Bruce Pennington]

7 hours ago, Fieldhonkers said:

wasn't like a family heirloom

Correct.  Although, in the Japanese culture both the heirloom and the WWII gunto carried the same meaning and significance.  Some of these WWII blades were made better than some of the 600 yr old blades made in a hurry during huge battles.