Justin Grant

It’s leather. I used a consolidator on it to stop it from powdering. I took it to a leather “dealer” who sells and produces leather goods and he recommended the stabilizer. Appreciate your help, as always.

Not much to see. It’s not in the best condition. Blade signed Yoshida Yoshitsugu

Hi Bruce Here is the link http://ohmura-study.net/904.html My 98 has the leather over the wooden saya, but the leather can't be removed, it is part of the saya. Appreciate the help, I suspect that my leather cover was a financial one, vs a purposeful application.

I have been wondering about the difference between a "Leather Combat Cover" vs "Last stage type leather-binding wooden Saya" (Ohmura-san Site). I have a T98 that is a black lacquered saya with the leather cover, which Ohmura-san calls a Last stage type leather-binding wooden Saya. How do you square this with a Leather Combat Covers discussed in this post? And I am assuming not all combat swords had a leather cover, correct?

And dealers wonder why we have trust issues with them.

Urushi on fabric is a well known Japanese Armor trick. You will find all sorts of pieces this way. It makes them strong and water resistant.

Luminol reacts to the iron in the blood. The lab said it reacted to biological material. So, it’s blood, but they don’t say that, they say biological material.

I had it tested and the inside was positive for biological material (blood). It does not have an exit hole, so it stayed in the poor chap wearing it. Average military Tanegashima had a caliber of 5/8 to 3/4", so that hot ball will smash a large hole.

Might I ask what the significance is of the black saya? I have not see one that color previously, although admittedly, I have not paid to much attention in the past, as I did not own one. It appears to also be a vermilion color under the black.

I just received my Mantetsu Spring 1940. Photos are from seller, Ray Singer.

Here is a bullet hole, in a narigawa kabuto

I think it's been moved and not reinstalled correctly.

I am still looking. Let me know what you have. Thanks

Not in my opinion. It would not be original, so leave it be, or find an original one online, if lucky enough.

No, the leather that remains seems to be holding it on. The leather wraps over it very tightly. Seems this style of cover was never intended to removed , so maybe the lack of screw was by design.