Type 98 Shin Gunto

[Lazervulture]

I have a type 98 gunto passed down from my grandfather stationed all over the pacific theater. If anyone can help translate the markings or verify blade type I would appreciate it. Information will only be used to help date this for myself.

 

First question, what does the marking translate to?

Second, can any one help tell how the blade was made from looking at it?

Third, the tang pin and hand guard parts are missing, are these okay to replace, or is it taboo?

 

I appreciate the expertise, this peace means a lot to me and I would love to know where it came from.

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

[Mark]

Dan

 

welcome

 

any chance you can post a picture?  Hard to translate without one

[Lazervulture]

Here are the pictures, let me know if more are needed.

 

Dan

[Lazervulture]

A little better view of the bottom symbol.

 

Thanks, hoping to bring a lot of blades to the table!

[Mark]

looks like Kanenori. hard to be positive but most likely it is "showato" meaning not made in the traditional way, it may be oil tempered or made with western or processed steel. you can, and should, replace the  "tang pin", you can get guard parts if you can find ones that make a good fit

[Stephen]

mark posted

[Lazervulture]

Thank you mark, I didn't think it was traditional, the signature being cut off by the tang hole didn't feel right to me. And great, I'll look into replacing the missing pieces.

 

Dan

[SwordGuyJoe]

While it certainly could be Kanenori (兼則), to me it looks more like Kaneaki (兼明).

 

Edit to add: Take a look at this and compare to your sword: http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/kaneaki2.jpg

 

This guy would be my guess for your smith, but tough with the pics and nijimei (From Markus' index):

Kaneaki (兼明), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – „Nōshū-jū Kuriyama Kaneaki saku“ (濃州栗山住兼明作), civilian name „Kuriyama

Kenjirō“ (栗山鍵次郎), born in December 1888, student of Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永), Niwa Kanenobu (丹羽兼信) and Fujiwara

Kanezumi (藤原兼住), he worked as guntō smith and died on August 23rd 1966

[Mark]

Joe

 

good eye. i had thought either Nori or aki for the second kanji but it was hard to be sure, so i went with my first thought

[Stephen]

ouch should have hit that one that was my Kaneaki that Dr Rich used

[BANGBANGSAN]

Showa Sword smith 兼明 Kaneaki 

[Lazervulture]

Thanks guys, after looking closer it definitely seems to be a kaneaki. Can anyone take a look at these pictures and tell if this looks like a hada or just a trick of the light? I can't tell.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I don't see hada there. Looks like a non-traditional sword to me.

[Stephen]

 

The Hanazawa Tanrenjo was opened in the late Meiji period and

operated until the late Taisho period. The following list

includes smiths from the Hanazawa Tanrenjo and their students:

 

1. Horii Taneyoshi (胤吉) / Yoshiaki (吉文)

 

1.1. Horii Taneaki (胤明)

 

1.1.1. Horii Toshihide (俊秀) / Kaneaki (兼明) /

Hideaki (秀明)

 

 

 

[SwordGuyJoe]

It's not that Kaneaki

[Lazervulture]

Okay, well that clears it up! Thanks all!