Need Help Identifying these Swords Possible Naval KAI GUNTO ??

[SPLaurel2025]

Any information would be greatly appreciated! 

[Mark]

people call these late war navy swords or lower rank navy swords. But recently information was discovered showing these were made and sold after the war, sold at PX's etc to vets. They will usually bring $6-900

 

there are threads covering these from the past

 

just my opinion

 

mark

[Navy]

Aren't the menuki of the Army style?

[John C]

Marzio: Yes. As is the hanger. And generally, the kabutogane is as well, though not always. That tassel comes up frequently as well. It probably came off of the original sword bag. Why someone etched their social security number into the blade, we'll never know.

 

John C.

[Kiipu]

Where's Bruce when you need him!  Must be signed in to read.

The Mysterious Naval Landing Forces Sword

[Bruce Pennington]

Sorry Thomas!  I'm only online during breakfast, these days.  

 

Lisbon,

The guys have it.  It's a souvenir produced by the Tenshozan  Factory for the 8th Army PX (like a military Walmart) from 1946-7, sold by both the PX and the Japanese Sword Shop, but also seen in the PX in Korea during the Korean conflict.  Over 8,700 were made.

 

It is not known why they mixed Army and Navy parts, but my personal opinion is that they wanted a sword that could not be considered a war trophy, or military sword, in any way.  Shipping of war trophies had been outlawed after the war, so they likely mixed the parts which is something an active Army or Navy producer would have never done.  We now have 2 Army PX certificates of sale stating they were "souvenirs."

[Navy]

Bruce, do you think the blades were leftovers of WW2 production or, rather, newly made for the souvenir market?

[Bruce Pennington]

Marzio,

We don't know for sure, so all answers are speculation.  However, some blades with 3-6 digit painted numbers were certainly war surplus.  We have some, also, that are signed and have well-finished nakago that could be surplus.  The blades, like yours, that are unsigned and show heat blackened ends with unfinished, squared nakago jiri, plus 4 digit numbers, to me are most likely manufactured by Tenshozan after the war.  But that's just my view.