Japanese Officer Sword- Iwo Jima

[montrealfan1986]

I told y'all I was coming down to Charleston for the militaria show.  My sister in law's grandpa was a young marine in 1945 and was at Iwo Jima.  He brought back this sword that's been here for the past 80 years.  I asked if I could take some pictures and here it is. I put my type 95 next to it,.just to compare.  In the handle under the wrap there is paper with writing on it, maybe a personal message or something. I would be nervous to take the handle off since I don't really know how to do it.  Anyways, I thought y'all would like to see it. We don't know much about it but are interested in learning as much as possible.

 

Best, 

Matthew

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Matthew,

The paper under the wrap is padding only; probably a page from an old phone book or a grocery list and means nothing. I'll let the military sword guys tell you about the sword but here is a care and handling that will help with handle removal & replacement.

https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/

Grey

 

[John C]

The mounts appear to be Rinji Seishiki (sometimes referred to as type 3). These will generally have two mekugi (bamboo pins). Removing the tsuka is the same as other showato but with two pins. 

In addition, many of these came with traditionally made blades (gendaito) so it's worth a look at the nakago.

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

12 hours ago, montrealfan1986 said:

I would be nervous to take the handle off since I don't really know how to do it.

Hi Matthew,

Japanese swords over the centuries have been intentionally made so the handles (tsuka) come off easily.  Like John mentioned there are 2 wooden pegs (menuki) on yours

 

 

By the looks of it, these are the fatter ends, so you would push them out from the other side.  Then the whole set of handle, handguard, and spacers will simply slide off the tang (nakago).  If you get resistance, no worries, it's usually just decades-old grime, sometimes a bit of rust.  I wrap the blade tightly with a shop rag to hold, and tap the handguard (tsuba) with a rubber mallet to knock it all loose.

 

To learn more about your sword, try these articles:

Unveiling the Rinjiseishiki Sword in 1940, by Nick Komiya

 

Army Type 3 (old terminology), by Ohmura

[montrealfan1986]

Thank you for the responses. The show was good today. Lots of US civil war stuff and WWII.  I bought a Japanese canteen with a name etched on it and an Order of the Rising Sun medal. In the box. I also met Dan from this.message board as well, overall a great show

 

[John C]

Looks like the name is trying to be Yamamoto. But I suspect not THE Yamamoto.

 

John C.

[Kiipu]

2 hours ago, montrealfan1986 said:

I bought a Japanese canteen with a name etched on it

 

Everything you want to know and then some.

The Evolution of IJA Canteens (1889-1945) Expanded Version

[montrealfan1986]

I learned that this canteen was made by Nippon Aluminum with 2601, isn't that 1941 in our calendar? 

[Guest Simon R]

It's all very interesting about the canteen but this isn't a militaria site. It is the NIHONTO Message Board.

Perhaps focussing on the sword - dismantled - would be more productive. 

[DTM72]

On 1/6/2024 at 3:43 PM, montrealfan1986 said:

 I also met Dan from this.message board as well, overall a great show

 

 

 

Was good meeting you as well. I would have liked to see the R.S. sword pictured above. I could have popped the mekugi and translated on the spot for you. Give me call or facetime me. I can guide you through it. <-- not hard to do at all.

 

Dan

[montrealfan1986]

1 hour ago, DTM72 said:

 

Was good meeting you as well. I would have liked to see the R.S. sword pictured above. I could have popped the mekugi and translated on the spot for you. Give me call or facetime me. I can guide you through it. <-- not hard to do at all.

 

Dan

Sounds good. Next time I'm down there I'll see if I can get permission to take it apart with some guidance.  There is a show here in Myrtle in February and the Mega show in Columbia in March.

[Kiipu]

17 hours ago, montrealfan1986 said:

I learned that this canteen was made by Nippon Aluminum with 2601, isn't that 1941 in our calendar?

 

Good morning Matthew!  It is indeed 1941 based upon the Japanese imperial year.

二六〇一 = 1941.

[DTM72]

1 hour ago, montrealfan1986 said:

Sounds good. Next time I'm down there I'll see if I can get permission to take it apart with some guidance.  There is a show here in Myrtle in February and the Mega show in Columbia in March.

I may drive up for the Myrtle show, but cannot set-up a table. I will have 2 tables at the Mega show in Columbia. I'm actually working with the the owner of the show to promote it. He is trying to make it into a huge military antique show, like the Show of Shows in Lousiville, KY. Last year he had quite a few military vehicles parked inside and outside of the convention center. they have a strict rule of no flea-market items like t-shirts, beef jerkey, home improvement, etc. I'm looking forward to that show and hope becomes as large as the S.O.S. I will post information on this show soon, in the show section.

[montrealfan1986]

On 1/10/2024 at 1:27 AM, Simon R said:

It's all very interesting about the canteen but this isn't a militaria site. It is the NIHONTO Message Board.

Perhaps focussing on the sword - dismantled - would be more productive. 

Yes, this is the Nihonto message board, the canteen went along with my story about being in Charleston. I will be more careful with my posts in the future. Please accept my sincerest apologies if I broke a posting rule, I'm a newer member.  Respectfully, Matthew 

[Guest Simon R]

9 minutes ago, montrealfan1986 said:

Yes, this is the Nihonto message board, the canteen went along with my story about being in Charleston. I will be more careful with my posts in the future. Please accept my sincerest apologies if I broke a posting rule, I'm a newer member.  Respectfully, Matthew 

And I apologise with being so short with a very new member, Matthew.

Please just put it down to pent-up excitement about seeing the blade's possible signature under the hilt! (Those particular fittings often hide a decent blade.)

[montrealfan1986]

9 hours ago, Simon R said:

 

Please just put it down to pent-up excitement about seeing the blade's possible signature under the hilt! (Those particular fittings often hide a decent blade.)

No worries, we will open up the hilt some time soon. It felt as if one of the bamboo pins was inserted backwards by someone in the past, so we stopped. It was extremely tight and I didn't want to crack anything, since it belongs to my sister in law. Still learning and Dan said he could give us a tutorial in the future.  To the best of my knowledge it hasn't been opened since 1945, so anything could be under there.  My brother and I are just as intrigued as you and I'll send some pics of we do.

 

Best, 

Matthew

[PNSSHOGUN]

Often these sorts of mounts will have Showato in them, though once in a blue moon you can find a good Gendaito inside.

[montrealfan1986]

If a sword blade is from pre 1870, say made in the 1600s and remounted with mounts from the 1940s for WWII, is it still considered Shin Gunto?

[David Flynn]

Shingunto,  is just the name of the mounts.

[DTM72]

Shin = New

Gun = Army

To = Sword

 

So if it has an older blade inside it is stil a "New Army Sword"...with an older blade.