Not something you see every day.

Stephen · January 4, 2022

I had so intended to win this even over my budget. Life seems to always throw me a curve ball when ....or maybe just saves my azz.

Think ive seen this set up once before.

Enjoy

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/k1029473242?

Bruce Pennington · January 4, 2022

That's the most pristine example of a blackened set of fittings for a Type 98 I've seen. Posting this on the Type 95 Black Saya thread where we have both NCO and officer examples.

Ohmura has almost identical examples on his site: http://ohmura-study.net/906.html

But you're right, you don't see this very often!

PNSSHOGUN · January 4, 2022

More here:

Bruce Pennington · January 5, 2022

Excellent one John!

We need a pinned thread indexing these, like Warrelics has for Nick Komiya's threads.

Bencld · January 5, 2022

Hi all. Another one. Civilian hand guard, ito maybe replaced ?

PNSSHOGUN · January 5, 2022

There have been a few like yours with older Tsuba, so could be original.

IJASWORDS · January 5, 2022

Found this one lurking in a cupboard, even has a real gendai blade. All matching numbers.

Kiipu · January 5, 2022

9 hours ago, IJASWORDS said:

Found this one lurking in a cupboard, even has a real gendai blade. All matching numbers.

Out of curiosity, is the crossguard [tsuba] made of brass? If so, how would they go about darkening it?

IJASWORDS · January 5, 2022

The fittings and tsuba are brass. My understanding is that they are plated with silver, and the silver is chemically blackened.

Anfoz · January 5, 2022

I love the look of these silver platted fittings they are beautiful. Anyone who has one in there collection are very lucky.

PNSSHOGUN · January 6, 2022

A silver Kai Gunto version, haven't seen one like this before: https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/e1018268087

Smee78 · January 6, 2022

Wow, That is very interesting.

I guess I learned something new again, every time I get on the board I seem to learn new interesting things about Nihonto. So does anyone have any ideas on why they would darken the fittings on these swords?

Kolekt-To · January 6, 2022

Were darkened fittings more of a late-war phenomenon?

Bruce Pennington · January 6, 2022

@PNSSHOGUN and @IJASWORDS this one at the Lanes Armmoury site seems similar. Yet the fuchi isn't blackened. From the edge, the tusba looks painted a shiny black, but with it removed, you can see it might be the silver coating you're talking about?

PNSSHOGUN · January 6, 2022

Looks like a Bronze Tsuba, not sure about the other darkened fittings.

PNSSHOGUN · January 7, 2022

8 hours ago, Kolekt-To said:

Were darkened fittings more of a late-war phenomenon?

Just about all examples have been in Type 98 mounts of good quality, so at least since 1938. This writing on the Tsuka is interesting: "Ginkome Nuki" - 銀古目ヌキ. It may lead to more information.

Bruce Pennington · January 25, 2022

Here's one from an old post - Inherited Sword - owned by @wgt63

Bruce Pennington · March 4, 2024

Not in great shape, and the tsuba wasn't darkened, but all the fuchi and koiguchi appear to be the darkened silver, on a custom 98. It has the flat, untwisted ito wrapping style. Not common for Army, and a nice rayskin saya cover.