I need Help identifying a WW2 battle field pickup.

[L0rdBl4ck]

Hello,

 

I am trying to identify a sword that is in my possession.  This sword was a battle field pick up in WW2. I can find no visible markings. I think it is a family sword that was refitted for the war but I am no expert. 

 

[Geraint]

Dear James.

 

Welcome to NMB.  Your sword is indeed a Japanese sword and from the images so far is an older blade as opposed to one made during the War.   Older blades were used for a variety of reasons and, while it is tempting to believe that it is a family blade often they were contingency blades gathered for the war effort.

 

You can clearly see that it is machi okuri, the steps on the nakago where the habaki fits have been moved up.  This has been done without shortening the tip of the nakago so what you have is a mumei or un signed sword.. In that condition it is not going to be possible to tell you much more but a shot of the whole blade with the habaki removed might allow a suggestion as to it's age.

 

Is it in standard military mounts?

 

All the best.

[L0rdBl4ck]

[L0rdBl4ck]

When the sword was picked up it was in WW2 fittings but kids played with the sword 20-30 years ago. I have the sheath(Saya?). I will try to get a picture of it to share. 

[L0rdBl4ck]

Anyone else have some information or a place to go research? 

[Franco]

 Research what? What is it that you're hoping to learn?    

 

http://japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

[SteveM]

Yes, its kind of a very deep field, and its not easy to look at a sword like this and understand from where and when it came. This site from one of the world's foremost sword organizations might help. But you will see a lot of this info is very dense and not always user-friendly.

https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/

 

Another place to look is Markus Sesko's kantei series, which is useful for beginners and non-beginners alike. 

https://markussesko.com/2015/02/06/kantei-introduction/ 

 

In the state your sword is in, it is just too difficult to tell you anything with any certainty. No arsenal stamps, no name inscribed, two peg holes, nice curvature, about 27 inches to the cutting edge, but otherwise a distressed sword that doesn't tell us much. The lack of arsenal marks and the curvature suggest it is an older blade, maybe ～500 years old. However, age doesn't necessarily equate to value or collectability. 

[DoTanuki yokai]

What’s up with the Habaki and the Hamachi and Munemachi ? 
Does the Habaki only slide to the first notch ? 
 

Can you make a picture of the Hamachi looking from the edge and maybe the same from the Mune.

So that we can see how thick the blade is there. 

[L0rdBl4ck]

Thank all of you for your information and questions. I was asked to refurbish what the owner thought was a military grade sword from WW2. Once I got the sword I knew it was much older. I wanted to know if it was valuable enough to be sent out for professional refurbishing. After speaking with the owner, he does not want to spend want to spend that kind of money. Thanks again everyone.