Acid etched hamon on gunto

[katanako]

I have a couple of nice guntos, hand forged with no arsenal stamps on them. They have a beautiful hamon, but they are either entire acid etched or acid accentuated.

Was this done to enhance its appearance? I'm puzzled.

 

HENRY

[hxv]

Hi Henry,

 

Pictures, please! We love pictures.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Geraint]

Dear Henry.

 

Hoanh is right, we need some pictures. In the mean time here are some thoughts. Fuller and Gregory (1996) describe machine made blades, "Generally mounted as 'issue' swords such as cavalry sabres and NCOs shin-gunto. Thinner flexible chromium plated versions are used for parade sabres which may also have a false, acid etched, yakiba, apparently offered as an extra cost option."

 

I suspect that the answer to your original question as to why this was done is simply that the sword did not look right to Japanese eyes without a hamon. If your swords are gunto then it would suggest that they are machine made, or perhaps they are not acid etched hamon? It is a possibility that the treatment the swords have received since the war has created the impression that acid has been used, or indeed someone may have resorted to an etchant to bring life to an otherwise dull looking blade.

 

Looking forward to some images.

 

All the best.

[katanako]

Here are 3 pics. I have two Emura made blades, and one Nagayuki gendaito. No stamps on any. It was very difficult to get the right lighting to show the hamon. I am wondering now if the hamon was accentuated postwar.

Thank you fellows for any comments!

 

HENRY

[runagmc]

Togishi (professional and amateur) have any number of methods to achieve the look they want. Many of those methods are trade secrets, so it would be pretty much impossible for anyone to tell you what process was used on your swords... but yes, it would have been done to inhance the appearance. Matter of fact, the entire shiage stage of the polish is all about inhancing the appearance.

[george trotter]

Hi Henry,

These swords do not look "acid etched" (whatever that is) to me.

The top two Emura blades are traditionally forged and water quenched .

The Nagayuki I am not sure of...may be showato (oil quenched).

Just a tip...do not pull a blade half out of the scabbard. Either in or out, but not half...that is how you get scratches.

We'd need more pics of the Nagayuki to tell what it is (blade and nakago).

Regards,

[katanako]

Thanks Adam and George. Also appreciated the tip about not pulling out the blades halfway!

 

Here are more pics on the Nagayuki. No stamp nor other markings on the tang except for the two kanji characters. The kanji is in the typically "chippy" style of a Showa made blade. I could not find a Nagayuki in Hawley's book during the Showa era. He must have been a very minor swordsmith. I sure would like to know anything about him.

 

So the 3 blades don't look acid etched? What I meant was, someone accentuated the hamon...like a gal using eyeliner on her eyes. A collector said they looked acid etched. Perhaps he was wrong?

 

Thank you very much!

 

HENRY

[Alan Morton]

Hello Henry,

 

I would agree with George on the polish.

 

All 3 swords look almost in mint condition to me

 

a very desirable feature in swords from WW2

 

Alan

[george trotter]

Hi Henry,

as Alan says, these polishes look to be about perfect. The Nagayuki "looks" (from years of experience) to be showato, but might be wrong as it is hard to be sure from photos. He is known, but I couldn't find anything on him in my books. So, except for this oshigata http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/nagayuki.jpg which is from Nihonto Message Board's showa oshigata database (through link above here) I know nothing.

Interesting that you have a general officer's and a field officer's tassels as well as the usual company grade tassel...these are tassels one almost never sees (here anyway).

Regards,

[Lindus]

Most collectors of Japanese swords and Gunto in particular would "fall off their bikes" at the sight of such mint pieces but to have General officer to field officer tassels as well...............!

 

Must be a good story behind this ???????

 

Roy

[katanako]

Thank you fellows for the information!

I was lucky to acquire these pieces. I bought the tassels separately in the past 20 years at shows. You just don't see them around anymore.

 

HENRY

[Lindus]

What a shame,was hopeing that at the very least we would have some detail on the Generals sword......as a matter of interest what did that tassel sell for???

Roy

[Alan Morton]

Where about do you live Henry,

 

Other collectors are a great source of information

 

if they live round about

 

Alan.

[katanako]

The general's tassel cost $1500 back in the early 1990s, and the colonel's tassel was around $500. I can't remember the last time I saw a general's tassel at a show or on ebay.

 

HENRY

[katanako]

Where about do you live Henry,

 

Other collectors are a great source of information

 

if they live round about

 

Alan.

 

I live in Southern California and always attend the annual Northern California Sword Show up near San Francisco. I am not a big time collector; just have a few nice gendaitos and that's it.

 

Thanks everyone for your imput.

 

HENRY