The Mysterious W stamp Officers sword

[Pippo]

Not sure if anyones  was still collecting W stamped blades photos but here a new 1 with me, can only find 2 W stamps on tang as dont want to scratch away looking for a 3rd, back edge is number stamped 142 to match other fittings

[PNSSHOGUN]

The blade looks like to be a Zohei-To.

[Pippo]

Straight machined hamon, 2 W stamps and # 142 matches the tsuba and spacers

[Pippo]

[BANGBANGSAN]

Agree with John, it looks like 造兵刀 to me.

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks @Pippo, I still track them.  I have one other zoheito with the W/M stamp on file.  Can you post a photo of the number please?

[phil reid]

?

 

Edited October 8, 2022 by phil reid
incorrect photo

[Pippo]

lights bad but tried to indicate with arrow where # are 1.  4.  2 ( last ones quite obscured). ill try tomorrow in better light

[Pippo]

19 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Thanks @Pippo, I still track them.  I have one other zoheito with the W/M stamp on file.  Can you post a photo of the number please?

 So have we come to any agreement as to this mark being a W or M ??? inspector stamp?? Back on Tuesday so ill post the requested photos then.

[Bruce Pennington]

4 hours ago, Pippo said:

a W or M

We're pretty settled on the fact that it is a double chevron, or yamagata, used by the Army indicating a "halfway or midway" inspection.  It would be "M" from this chart (we thank Thomas, aka Kiipu, for this!)

 

 

[Kiipu]

When the first Japanese handgun & rifle books were published back in the early 1980s, the yamagata was called a "partial" inspection mark.  The yamagata started showing up on Type 94 Pistols in late 1941 and was probably introduced around about the same time frame.