Shin Gunto Type 98, Family Heirloom restoration project

[itsec]

Hello everyone,

 

I am brand new to this and this website, but I am looking for help on this restoration project. The original owner of this sword, Gihachiro Okayome (name may be misspelled), gifted this to my grandfather post WW2 in the Philippines.

 

Unfortunately, a family member stole this and tried to sell it, damaging it in the process. I.E., destroying the handle, wrap, and ray skin, and I think even drilling a hole in it, and they put a screw in it instead of the mekugi. And the top of Saya is smashed.

 

It has gone untouched for about 30 years, and now I feel it would be a nice honor to both my grandfather and Gihachiro to restore it as much as possible while being respectful to its antiquity. 

 

I believe it is a Shin Gunto Type 98, army and it does have inscriptions on the handle although with the rust it is tough to see, let alone translate. 

 

What is the best way to remove rust on an antique sword like this?

For the saya and handle, should I even bother restoring them or just get new wood and clean the metal decorations and put them on a new one?

How would I do that?

 

Any help would be really nice! Thank you,

 

[Ray Singer]

What you have appears to be a shinto blade (from the early Edo period) in shingunto koshirae (army mountings). What I would say immediately is that there's nothing that you should do to remove rust, and whether or not any of the patina on the nakago (tang) has obscured the signature no rust should be disturbed in any way from that area. The nakago, it's patina (color and texture), is a vital characteristic that should be left completely unaltered. 

[Ray Singer]

Btw, the tall habaki is an interesting feature and not often seen. This is a way to extend the apparent length a blade when a longer blade is needed. 

[itsec]

Thank you for your information as well!

Is there a way to distinguish more "modern" swords made in the 1930's-1940's, to ones that is made in edo period? 

 

[Ray Singer]

This is one of the most important reasons not to clean or disturb the appearance of the nakago. It is an extremely valuable indicator of age, school, smith, etc. Appearance of the nakago in your sword clearly indicates a blade earlier than the 20th century. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

A few of restoration options available in the US worth reaching out to:

• http://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/index.htm
• http://www.bushidoja...words.com/index.html
• https://nihontoantiq...m/sword-restoration/