Jump to content

Gunto Sword In Disguise - Please Help!


flemming7x64

Recommended Posts

Greetings out there.

 

Hope someone could give me a clue to the origin of this unsigned sword, that was captured from a Japanese officer on Saipan 1944. I´m doing this on behalf of an American friend and veteran. The sword is in bad polish and clearly not a machine forged blade(family heirloom?), but clear enough to sea a beautiful hamon waving(Bizen inspired?). Unless forged by a WW II period smith I should think somewhere in the 18th century or???

 

The blade is 25 ½ inches and the handle 10 ½ inches with A total of 36 inches.

 

ANY help or suggestions would be highly appreciated.

 

Lots of thanks,

- Flemming

post-1611-0-70340600-1435962816_thumb.jpg

post-1611-0-20318300-1435962827_thumb.jpg

post-1611-0-41511100-1435962874_thumb.jpg

post-1611-0-89701100-1435962882_thumb.jpg

post-1611-0-91981000-1435962907_thumb.jpg

post-1611-0-67045100-1435962920_thumb.jpg

post-1611-0-89732000-1435962938_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it is a WWII sword. That label on the saya is from a Showa era manufacturer/shop. The blade is not traditionally made. The label is not uncommon, we have discussed it here before

Sorry and first of all thanks, but I´m rather a newcomer and learner, and the hamon puzzles me. Was this machine made?

Thanks for your patience,

- Flemming

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's non-traditional - which I can't tell from the pics (on my phone not PC) - that means that one or more elements were non-traditional in the forging process: the steel used (mill steel vs. tamahagane), the quenching (oil instead of water), or the forging itself (man or machine)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry and first of all thanks, but I´m rather a newcomer and learner, and the hamon puzzles me. Was this machine made?

Thanks for your patience,

- Flemming

Pardon, forgot to add: yes, the blade is in a scabbard marked "SEKI GIFUKEN", yet there are no markings, no stamps, no mei what so ever on the blade. Doesn´t quite add up here???

- Thanks again

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Flemming

Everything looks to be wartime manufacture - the better swords would have a full signature - yours is number 38 in a run of who knows how many. It is a legitimate sword but not traditonal and perhaps not the best the Showa era could produce.

-t

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Flemming,

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16914-the-question-on-all-our-minds/

 

I have the a sword similar to yours. Mine still has the remnants of the combat cover and you can see a more complete sticker. I wasn't certain it was genuine at the time but after reading up it seems the mounts really are just below the usual quality of even machine made wartime swords. Your mounts look better, though tsuba appears to match. Your blade looks to be similar to. Mine has the painted accountability numbers on the tang also.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Flemming,

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16914-the-question-on-all-our-minds/

 

I have the a sword similar to yours. Mine still has the remnants of the combat cover and you can see a more complete sticker. I wasn't certain it was genuine at the time but after reading up it seems the mounts really are just below the usual quality of even machine made wartime swords. Your mounts look better, though tsuba appears to match. Your blade looks to be similar to. Mine has the painted accountability numbers on the tang also.

Thanks, really appreciate it, a little wiser, now, but does any of you know how the hamon was pracically (?)machine made, please, to ease my mind and bring things to a closure?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Mass produced" or Showato were still usually made by a smith, and heat treated. But with shortcuts such as oil quenching instead of water quenching (less risk of blade cracking, but less activities in the steel) and using mass produced steel. So still far more hand work than most stamped blades, but not considered traditionally made. There can still be a real hamon, just not showing all the qualities of a water quenched one.

 

Brian

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Mass produced" or Showato were still usually made by a smith, and heat treated. But with shortcuts such as oil quenching instead of water quenching (less risk of blade cracking, but less activities in the steel) and using mass produced steel. So still far more hand work than most stamped blades, but not considered traditionally made. There can still be a real hamon, just not showing all the qualities of a water quenched one.

 

Brian

Well, seems to be able to make a closure on this one thanks to you all of you helpful, kind people. I wish you all a nice summer and once again thanks.

- Flemming

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...