shin gunto wwii Kanekado Make

[den70]

Gentlemen, tell me about this sword. I was told that it was made by the blacksmith Kanekado Make. I don’t know if his name was translated correctly or not, and how famous this blacksmith is. Thank you.

[SteveM]

The name on the sword is Yoshida Kanekado (吉田兼門). He was an average wartime smith. 

But, as with most wartime blades, the important thing will be the preservation condition of the sword and the fittings. Yours looks to be in good or very good condition. 

 

If you search for Yoshida Kanekado, you can probably find some very basic information on him. 

[den70]

Thanks for the info. I understand correctly that this is an arsenal stamp? Or what does this sign mean?

[Mister Gunto]

Hi Den, that stamp is called a Showa Stamp. It's a WW2-era marking that simply indicates that the sword was not traditionally made. 

 

The majority of swords made in Japan during WW2 were not traditionally made, so these are very common to find. Your sword is still an original Japanese Type 98 officer's sword with a leather covered saya. A very typical set-up. 

[Bruce Pennington]

The stamp wasn't used by an arsenal.  It was the inspection/approval stamp of the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association.  The stamp is predominantly seen on blades made in 1940 and 1941.