Toshimasa Gunto

[Bruce Pennington]

With WWII gunto, all the above options are possible. I have learned to never say "never" or "always" with gunto. Didier, as the owner will have to decide where he thinks this one lies on the spectrum of options and customization. Dawson has pictures of NCO's carrying civilian swords, NCO gunto, and officer gunto (as officer candidates).

 

I was trying to find my reference for the officer candidate issue. Dawson has a couple of pics of NCO's as officer candidates carrying both Kyu- and T98 gunto, with officer tassels, but I thought I had seen some with NCO tassels on officer gunto as well, but cannot find the reference. Although my mind might be melding in the NCO T95 with Officer tassel instead.

 

Didier, if you want to post some close-ups of the tassel barrel and the stiching on the buckle area, we might be able to help with ID'ing it as reproduction or original.

[Dave R]

Does anybody know whether gunto scabbards are interchangeable at all?

 

 A vexed question, because the answer can only be ... Sometimes.  With the iron saya being regulation, I would say that there was some intent and effort to achieve ease of fitting, but I doubt that interchangeability was a high priority. You have the same thing with Western military blades. Even the straight bladed British 1898 does not swap without a bit of tweaking.

[Yukihiro]

 

From the way it looks, I would be EXTREMELY surprised if this tassel were original...

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Didier. Yes definitely a reproduction.

 

And agree with Dave on the interchangeability of saya - sometimes. I tried it on my Type 95s and some would switch and some wouldn’t, and those blades are more standardized than Officer gunto. But even with officer gunto there were some basic overall specs on dimensions, so always a chance of getting a fit on a saya made for another blade.

[Windy]

My Munechika is similar. 1942, surrender tag states Sako Mitsuo, Hong Kong Post Office.

[Yukihiro]

Matt,

 

Your Munechika is without a shadow of a doubt a great piece of history - thank you for posting!

 

Regards,

 

Didier

[Bruce Pennington]

Yes, and it adds evidence that this “style” or mix was possibly “normal.”

[Yukihiro]

 

Bruce, I think this might be the photo you were looking for.

 

A second one, this time with what seems to be an iron tsuba.

 

[vajo]

Rank is leading PVT? Maybe a cadet on Officers school?

[Bruce Pennington]

Yes, Didier, the top one is an enlisted man holding an officer gunto with an NCO tassel. He is an officer candidate. The bottom one seems to be a sgt holding a Type 95, NCO tassel, but I cannot see the bohi on the blade, unless it's just obscured by the shadow. The kissaki looks too long for a 95 though.

[vajo]

It has a hamon.