Japanese Nihonto Sword Help

[panzerbob]

 

Hello Everyone:

  I’m new to the forum I just pickup this Nihonto Sword and would like some information on it.It has a straight hamon which is barely visible. Had it on Wehrmacht militaria forum and they suggested I place it here on the Nihonto sword forums for more information. I would greatly appreciate any information Thanks. Here is the link to Wehrmacht awards to see the pics it seems my pics are to big to down load to this site. https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/ken-jasper-international-militaria-forums/Japanese-militaria-forum/12286837-Japanese-sword-help

[Brian]

Most here aren't members of WAF, and you need to be to view pics. Try Googling free image resizers and get the size down a bit, and post here. Allowed size here is generous, so the problem must lie elsewhere.
The ones I see there easily fit within our parameters.

[John A Stuart]

hello Robert, welcome. I hope I don't sound too pedantic, but, anyhow, Nihonto in itself means Japanese sword; Nihon-Japan and To-sword. So, adding the words Japanese or sword to the word Nihonto is redundant. Little info can be gleaned from the one pic I have access to and look forward to more. John

[panzerbob]

I can only post one pic at a time it will not allow me to post multiple pics.

[panzerbob]

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[Shugyosha]

Hi Bob,

The blade doesn’t look like a wartime blade to me - I’d guess it to be older than that. I’m not saying it’s a lost treasure, but it looks more interesting than a normal gunto. 
 

Unfortunately, it’s hard to date it precisely without being able to see the detail, so sorry to send you back to your camera but if you are able to post some detail shots of the hamon, the tip and any evidence of the metal having been folded ie grain pattern, you’ll probably get some better answers. 
 

I can’t add anything about the fittings so I’ll leave that to the gunto guys. 

[panzerbob]

I will post more pics later tonight thanks for the comments.

[SteveM]

Fairly long sword, only slightly suriage (I think), double bo-hi on one side, single bo-hi on the other... this could be interesting. 

[16k]

I don’t think it is a wartime blade either. That looks much older.

[panzerbob]

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[John A Stuart]

I think it is an older blade as well. It really needs a closer inspection. I can't see any inscription (mei) on the tang (nakago), I'll assume not one unless you see such. Perhaps some experienced collector in Michigan may be close and give a hand. John

[BenVK]

Blade reminds me of the Kiyomitsu I sold not long ago.

[panzerbob]

Hello I want to thank everyone that commented on the sword I appreciate you taking the time to help. I will try to find someone that can look at it. To bad the tang wasn't signed would of make it much easier. Bob

[Bruce Pennington]

On 4/23/2021 at 6:34 PM, BenVK said:

Blade reminds me of the Kiyomitsu I sold not long ago.

Ben, any idea of the age of that one?

 

Bob,

The fittings are customized for the older blade.  So, the owner spent a little more money on this.

[BenVK]

Hi Bob, the Kiyomitsu was from the late 17th, early 18th century.

[jesup]

Sugata looks kanbun shinto to me -- but that's about all I'm going on so far.  The pictures of the tang seem like early shinto or late koto; the hi imply to me it's mumei ubu, so I'd put it say 1580-1650 -- but I'm going way out on a limb given the lack of detail in the pictures. Just trying as an academic exercise, since I've been out of things so long :-)

[Jamie]

To me it looks like someone “cleaned” it. The yokote line is not so prominent and it looks fairly scratched vertically.  
 

I too would guess it’s older but definitely needs some restoration work to tell period. 
 

a picture of just the whole bare blade laid out would help probably tell period. 
 

Welcome to the forum, btw.

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

The Gunto mounts are early Type 94 pattern with separate Sarute barrel.