First sword - WWII shin-gunto. Any ideas?

[gustaf]

My first sword purchase - a WWII shin-gunto. Condition is VG to excellent with fingerprints all over the blade. I tried to decypher the markings but no luck. My best guess is that it is year 1943 but as far as maker and the rest I have no clue. Anyone?

[Basho12]

Looks like Kanenori. He's listed as a Seki smith. Is there any sort of stamp or other marking on the tang other than the name and date?

 

1943 looks right, but I'm less sure of the month. Appears to be March.

[jason_mazzy]

May we see the sword? I like the nakago.

[gustaf]

i will take some more pics tonight. there is like a tiny stamp on top of the tang rib. i could only match it approximately to nagoya arsenal proof.

[gustaf]

it is identical to this one in the link. exact twin with few more fingerprints on the blade.

 

http://www.artswords.com/a_nice_imperia ... 011208.htm

[raven2]

If you have fingerprints on the blade, you should clean and oil it.

[gustaf]

Here are some pics. The fingerprints stained the blade with dark spots all over and I wiped it down with oil but the metal is not clear yet. You can see the metal under the fittings is stunning with blade near mint. however the exposed blade has those dark spots that wont come off. any good advice? otherwise, it is in very nice shape with great fittings and all original unrestored scabbard.

[blades87]

The month looks like March.

 

showa ju hachi nen san gatsu

 

18th year of Showa, third month

[gustaf]

Thank you all guys for the information.

[gustaf]

the tiny stamp on the rib of the stamp was described to me as Army Arsenal Nagoya Factory - Nagoya Army Arsenal inspection mark: "Mei". there are no other stamps on the blade. does that indicate that this is a machine made blade or a traditional one?

[george trotter]

Hi Gustav,

From the pics, your sword is by Kojima Kanenori. He was a Seki WWII swordsmith and this blade is one of his from there...if you look at John Slough's book p.57, you will see this same signature with the little "na" (Nagoya) stamp...his work also has been found with Seki and Sho stamps on it. In your blade, I would say that the signature is cut by the factory signature cutter guy, called a nakirishi. Your blade is not a "machine-made" blade (like sabres and NCO swords and navy dirks), but does have handwork and a hamon. I would say possibly a Showato? ...but maybe an oil-quenched hamon.

Kanenori however also made traditional gendaito and became a Rikugun Jumei Tosho (Army Commissioned Swordsmith). He won 1st seat in 1941 Sword Exhibition with a good gendaito... but your blade is not one of these.

Regards,

George

[gustaf]

Thank you George. This is very good information.

[k morita]

Nice explanation,George.

 

Attached tang pic is a Mei by him self.

[gustaf]

I am grateful for all your replies and thoughts. Your knowledge and research surpassed all my expectations.

[loiner1965]

this forum is brilliant for advice and totally free..as for your finger prints which have caused the damaged all you can do is send away for a polish then oil etc.....but i would use uchiko powder then oil and see if it improves it,, please be careful as you can smooth out sharpe lines if you are not sure of what you are doing