Death-Ace

Dang good deal! Why is money so fleeting?

Not too far away! I'm in NC, stationed at Lejeune.

Hi guys! Again, thanks for the advice! Makes me think I should have picked up the Shinto blade as well ($600 with a nice sughua, but more nicks and chips). Here are a few pics. Still cloudy in Chesapeake and a better background could have been found!

Hi KM, Thanks for the tip! That's what I'm wondering. It will definitely take me a while to scrounge up the money; however, I see no active rust and further issues until then. The blade looks to be of good quality. I'll post up pics tomorrow if it's cleared up outside! I'm normally into 20th century weaponry (although I started with older ones) which is why I attended the auction for that one blade; however, as stated above, I couldn't resist it when it went for only $525 and the WWII-era one would have skyrocketed due to a war between two bidders. Thanks again! Lev

Dang, that's a shame. Makes me wonder if that Kunihiro and the other two "good blades" were, too. Man, gimei is such a letdown, haha!

A few more from the site! Lev

Hi guys! I went to the local militaria store for the monthly auction today and they had seven blades brought back by a LCDR. The one I really had my eyes on (a traditionally mounted showato with a leather combat cover (possible gendaito? Blade looked like it had a fair amount of activity and a beautiful hamon)) was being eyed by an internet bidder and I had to let it go along with a 1663 dated Joshu Horikawa Ju Fujiwara KuniHiro before I lost my measly enlisted paycheck. However, I was able to snatch this one up for a song, so I can't complain! It definitely looks better in person, but has a small amount of rust (mostly at the end, but appears to be inactive). There is a wild hamon (gunome/choji?) pattern down the blade and only one nick I can account for. I do not see any other flaws, none forging wise. As for the nakago and shirasaya, it appears the latter was destroyed with lack of care as were the others and almost every blade had what appears to be an extra hole drilled in the shirasaya, possibly enlarging the mekugi-ana. I'll snap a few pictures when the sun comes out, but I got these off their proxibid site. Thanks in advance! Lev

Steve, Thank you! I almost pulled the trigger until I looked closer! No wonder why it was so cheap. Thank you! Lev

Hi guys! I like to view items up front before purchase but I've found this blade up for grabs in Type 3 mounts. It looks like a good deal; however, they stated there is a flaw in the blade. After emailing them and looking at the pictures, it appears there's one in the hamon, but I'm not sure if it is just the lighting or if I'm looking at the wrong thing. What do you guys see? A possible deal breaker? Thanks in advance! Lev

Oh, yes! Sorry about that, was posting these for a translation. I just wish I had a camera or I would have taken better pics along the blade. Next time I go, I'll sure be able to!

Richard, Thank you for the info! Nevertheless, yours is a beaut! I took a few pics of the nakago and wish I had a good background for the blade but in person, you can definitely tell it's a hand-forged w/ a type of gunome-choji hamon. It's unfortunate, but he states he will only take $2200 as it is "one of the best blades he has ever seen and to go any lower would be too cheap!"

Now that I have my old account back, I was finally able to snap a few pics before an auction in the same place started. Very bad, but in five min, what can you do? Have posted it to another forum and here it is! Any more tips, prices most appreciated! http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... p?t=724721

Yep! I'm just a big fan of reptiles, no matter what one is. Don't get me wrong, gotta love all critters, but something about killing a reptile for the skin (or any animal) and not for the food as well irks me. Least Rays leave behind an impression on swords! Lev

Makes me sick to see reptiles skinned just for this...

Ernst, Will show the pics of the NCO tomorrow. Unfortunately the camera we bought doesn't have flash, so back it goes to Best Buy. Snapped a few to test it though, to out advantage. The Kai Gunto is (as Mr. Bowen and Grey translated, kudos) as a Yoshisada produced in '43. It has a Seki arsenal mark, so it's an oil-tempered, surely. The funny thing is that the saya (plain wooden with two ashi) has an ersatz black cover. It doesn't look to be leather, but rather some type of paper material? Unfortunately someone buggered the mekugi-ana portion of the tsuka and replaced the mekugi with part of a chop stick. The scabbard is rough and it didn't help that I scratched it a little more with my toenail when I tripped. Ahh, a short KG! Only saw one once at the Original Fort Worth Gun Show. I believe the owner, a dealer, is named Nagasa or so? He was trained as a Kamikaze in the last days of the war. Trade pics? :D

Grey and Mr. Bowen, Thanks! So it was made in '43. Was the smith's full name Ishihara Yoshisada?

Hi everyone! [*] I was able to snap a few, though poor, pics of the nakago. Does anyone have a translation of the smith date and paint? Thanks!

Ernst, Thank you! It's most likely mid, it's a 2nd variation with the brass tsuba. It's been ten years since I first started my full interest in militaria and Nihonto and it still gets me how much effort they put into producing these tsukas to look like the real deal. I guess by shared, I mean as if they took turns? Must've had a dumb moment as surely that can't be the case. Lev

Hi guys! Unfortunately, since my camera's broken (and the Android under repair), I have no pictures for the time being. I bought two swords from an antiques dealer friend for a very good price. They are both in rough shape, but couldn't pass them up (the oil tempered Kai-Gunto with black leather cover will look good with the new Naval Area of collecting I'm hoping to delve into). The other one is a Tokyo Arsenal (Star with circle) Type 95. I have tried to look for more of these online, but have found only one other with the majority being Kokuras and a few Jinsen arsenal blades mixed in. #7 on Mr. Ohmura's page (http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_077.htm) has the exact markings. The scabbard and blade do match and the vast majority of the paint is on the scabbard with paint still on the handle. Until I have photos available, can anyone tell me the history of their part in their manufacture and their numbers today? (with such a high serial number, I'd think there'd be a lot more out there unless they all "shared" them?) Thanks! Lev

Thought this would also help: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Sword- ... 626wt_1396 Apparently it is (well, WAS) a holdout's sword who still evaded capture for nearly a year on Okinawa before surrendering. Apparently his conditions during that time took it's toll on the ashi/ring (and on him!). It's set up is quite similar. Could it have rotted off or the officer took it off for convenience? I'd think more of both or the latter. As stated, it would be convenient and less of a nuisance to carry it from the belt. Doesn't woodblock prints have some samurai carrying it as such? Lev

Brian, I guess he just wanted to point it out again for new people who may ask? Not sure. Shows he knows the good places on the web, in any case! Lev

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late reply. I have been checking responses, but the only thing I was really able to use was my Android and even then I kind of rushed the message. Years of reading and I still sound like a first grade novice! Anyways, I thank y'all for your kind (and to the point) advice! He doesn't really like to deal with the internet much but he probably wouldn't mind sending a few pics via e-mail. However, I understand and my knowledge vs. "regret" seemed to play against each other again at this. Luckily, I won't be buying this piece. I was already saving up for a nice gendaito and well, things happened and I guess I still have a thing for "abused" arms. However, I have gone through flawed blades and it's time for me to move on to a field I wish to study: 20th Century arms with Gendaito one of the main categories. I am interested in the blades of Nagamitsu and Kanemitsu as they produced quality blades wartime as things were going to hell (to their European counterparts, quality firearms were still abound but was going to crap). I will probably head back to nihonto (Koto wakizashi a must!) as I better understand and have more spare time (whatever I'll have in the service) to study those blades. See y'all around! Lev