paul griff

Hello, Very interesting lessons from this post...I struggled with identifying blade construction when I started collecting despite buying many books....Thank you.. Regards, Paul.

Hello Windy, Just got in after a busy week otherwise would have replied earlier and advised you to stay clear....It's a copy...one of the better ones but still a copy....Seen it on the saleroom.com...! Most of the pointers have been highlighted so I won't rattle on too much,but : says throat is wrong,numbers are wrong,no definition to acceptance marks and a terribly fitted and poorly casted hilt and awful paint job..... On the plus side it's good to have a fake closely at hand so you can learn and compare when you get real ones.....Nearly everyone's been ' tucked up ' at some point...part of the learning curve..! Regards, Paul...

Hello, Carlos,I remember your sword ( if it's the same one you first put on the site ) and it's 100%...If you look at the sword by Shamsy in post no9 look at the seppa and how poorly it fits and how new it looks ! Mauser 99 in post 15 look to the scabbard throat and you should see the brass sleeve visible.Also with the MountCastle example the paint still looked fresh in the overly large fake serial number on the throat.....Shame really because the one that is on the site with a painted hilt but marked sold is a real one,and nice too ! Regards, Paul..

Hello, Good reply Wayne...Greg,don't know what the collecting situation is like in Canada so can only inform you of the current U.K market and what's to offer...Nco's swords are fetching more than ever and everyone's catching on fast...I only look at original unrestored and unmolested ones...£500 at the bigger sales like Birmingham a little less at the smaller sales and that's cash only..! No copper handled ones at any of the sales and the people I know who have them won't sell them...! Quite a few officers ones but they rarely have tassels....A nice officers type 98 with unsigned Shinto blade £1500 ...a really nice sword but it remained unsold at the end of the show...Standard type 98 with Seki blade were fetching around £550 ....Tassels on their own selling very well and they attract a lot of attention.... I took a sword with me to seek advice from a wise owl ,took the bag off and people were all over it like a rash when they seen the generals tassel !! Without confusing you more..set your budget,get the best original and unmolested example of either sword from a reputable source ( great buys on this forum but beware of that big Internet auction site that's very popular ) ...this way you won't be disappointed and you will be " bitten by the bug ".....Regards Paul..

Hello Greg, Of all the WW2 era swords ( made in Japan or in Japanese territory 1939 -1945 ) the Mantetsu is hard to beat....My opinion of course ! But what a sword ! Old swords especially Koto have a kind of ' magic ' feel to them...well balanced and light in the hand...but the Mantetsu means business,may feel a little heavy but it's tough and holds a wicked edge...the equivalent of that famous U.S 12 gauge you reach for in times of trouble!...Only my opinion but the Mantetsu 'does what it says on the box'...Look around and you will get a Mantetsu cheaper than a NCO's sword....I like all Japanese swords but have never failed to be impressed by these blades... Regards, Paul..

Hello, Judging by the fittings and the saya it looks like a really nice,well looked after sword....Would be nice to see the blade....Well done.,. Regards, Paul....

Hello, Looks like a superb cared for example to me...There's plenty of German daggers out there in similar condition so why not Japanese ? I'd buy it ! Regards, Paul.

Hello, Nice sword and I agree the veterans name carved into the saya adds to the swords appeal...The marks on the washers (seppa) and guard (tsuba) are all arsenal assembly details and when they are all matching it normally means nobody has taken it apart and messed around with the bits.....nice and original as when it was put together in the assembly area but using a traditional old blade. Regards, Paul...

Hello Carlos, Nothing wrong with this one.....a nice example nco's model with the correct stamps. Regards, Paul... P.S. Has your car still got the big wheels ?

Hello, Nice sword..As Stephen pointed out leather is the way,trim it nicely and it will feel like a different sword....Also make sure the peg ( mekugi ) is a tight fit even if you have to make a new one..I have to do quite regular for a friend who imports swords from Japan just as you have... Regards, Paul...

Hello BaZZa, Thank you , and yes fantastic rush.Glad to hear you still have your " find "...In the past I made the mistake of selling my past finds ( to pay for the stairs when we built the house ) ...Not this time , I'd rather sell the car and go back to a motorbike ! Regards, Paul.

Hello Geraint, Thank you.....I never learn and won't listen .... according to the wife...! Regards, Paul...

Hello Charlie, Gone are the motorbikes,fast cars and nights out but cleaning an old gunto outside on the decking ( when it's not raining ) sipping something nice is as good as it gets for me... Regards, Paul...

I paid extra to get in the fair early and saw this on the table of a respectable collector/ dealer who knows I like swords with preferably some history and to be honest there were a lot of quality swords there at very reasonable prices that can easily distract you. He pointed to this one and said the blades f....d on this one but it's a Namboku-cho . Having wanted one for a long time I didn't really care if it was tired but it was really,really dirty and needed to be tugged out of the saya...When he said £350 the fella next to me looking at some eye candy went quiet , rigid and I thought he would fall over ! I wouldn't let it go and couldn't get my wallet out fast enough..To be honest I thought I was hearing things and something must be wrong...I did take a lot of cleaning and as so often happens when you mix red wine with polishing razor sharp swords it bit me...! Somebody else also had a good buy a nice gunto with a majors tassel marked up for £400 ( that's for both ) but by the time I'd composed myself that had gone..so good luck to the new owner of that one...To be honest in over twenty years this is only the third ' gem ' I have found but it makes it all worth while and rekindles the fire...! Regards, Paul...

Thank's Thibault... Regards, Paul.

My wife said that It was nice to see a smile on my face...! These old swords have a kind of ' magic ' about them..I had previously asked my sons if they wanted a sword to display when they buy their own property....they both declined...when the youngest clamped his eyes on this one he changed his mind real fast ! Told the wife she will have to bury me with this one ( no doubt the boys will be around with shovels soon after though ! ).....Thanks for the reply both.. Regards, Paul..

Hello, I've been after one of these for a long time and finally found one at an arms fair recently. It was really dirty with speckles of that old type paint that was flicked onto it , removal must have been too time consuming because a bolt had been passed through a nicely tapped thread in the larger of the mekugi-ana to secure the sword to a wall ( I've removed the thread ) . The attached trophy slip was wrapped around the suspension ring on the saya and it's amazing how it lasted so long . Blade was filthy so for now have given it a sympathetic clean. Again just to say very pleased with this piece of history and just to show that they still are " out there ".. Regards, Paul..

Hello, I think there are a number of factors that have impacted on the "gunto " market. I used to pick up gunto,s that were brought home by veterans then put in the cupboard or attic out of sight and not proudly displayed. As these veterans have been fading away many swords found their way to second hand shops,car boot sales and house clearance people then eventually to collectors like ourselves. Inevitably and sadly this supply route is nearly at it's end...Then the Internet allowing global buying but with the added cost of commission and postage...All the local dealers that I talk to have seen their trade in swords disappear this way...In the U.K The Birmingham arms fair used to be fantastic for bargain Gunto's that were offered by some well respected dealers who took them in part exchange as collectors who have been " bitten by the bug " traded up.....sadly some of these dealers have past away prematurely and others for whatever reasons do not attend....Internet sales maybe ? = prices up.....And finally,and this again is in the U.K.when there is wind of new idiotic laws to be passed relating to weapons and normally after some idiot has committed an atrocity with that particular item people unload them cheap just in case their banned....all has been quiet here so at the moment there is no sword taboo... Regards, Paul.

Hello, I have been collecting gunto,s and comparing the blades for years and the mantetsu on my eyes is one of the finest cutting swords you can get.....and at the end of the day that's what it was designed for. They really are well made.....if for any reason I had to pick up one sword to actually use it would be the Mantetsu...agreed ancient swords have a kind of magic and are finely balanced and I don't think the mantetsu will ever achieve an art status but it's one hell of a tool...! I also have a Shinbu-to which is again a fascinating sword due to the blade construction...at normal temperature...That's cold and damp for Wales....! the blade feels soft and dull but when it is exposed to extremes of cold it hardens and exhibits the characteristics of a traditional sword. If anyone wants any info or details of either sword just let me know.. Regards, Paul..

Hello Bruce, I have been collecting Gunto's for years preferably ones with a bit of history but even I couldn't live with a gold one and I've just been offered an officers one painted in what looks like metallic gold car paint seen on 80's fords...! If it was an nco,s I'd probably take it and do the same as you...I've known for gold and silver painted gunto,s and also talked to the veterans who brought them back and thought it was a good idea at the time to paint them with paint from where they worked..That said - they had lived through death and destruction but were still teenagers when they brought them back...! In the U.K I do come across ' Frankenstein ' officers swords with badly painted saya but not that many nco's models...there was one at the Brecon arms fair a couple of months ago and someone did buy it.....so maybe not common but certainly not uncommon... Regards, Paul..

Hello Bruce, Nice paint job.When I've had to do similar work on a gunto I keep it in the living room and handle it as much as possible even take it to the garage when working on the car or chopping wood...the wife understands and kids don't take any notice anymore. That said it is not to deceive anyone but just to add a bit of patina.. Paul..

Hello Bruce, Tamiya models green acrylic paint on a dark undercoat is very close to the gunto green. I have used this in the past using a nice soft 1/2 inch brush to good effect...used to be able to get the spray cans in the same colour but I think they have discontinued them in the U.K....not sure about the U.S. ? Regards, Paul.

Hello again, Another nice quality shin-gunto signed by the 23rd generation of Kanefusa . Blade is housed in a nice lightweight saya the kuchi-gane has the patent stamp as found on page 33 of Military swords of Japan 1868-1945 by Fuller and Gregory. Tsuba has evidence of gilt still present . A very nice sword with a very ' balanced ' feel.. Regards, Paul..

Hello, Shin-gunto Gimei Tada Yoshi housed in a quality rayskin saya with nice ishizuke . Nice bronze tsuba with kitau type stamps and remaining gilt . Long nakago with what appears to be a field replacement leather sarute..Nice history with this sword.....surrendered to a British major who subsequently bequeathed it to the regimental museum who unfortunately had to sell it to raise funds.. Regards, Paul....

Hello George, I have attached some photo's of a shin-gunto with a celluloid same . The sword is by the Toyo Hamono knife Co Ltd ., An interesting example of maybe the last attempt to produce a sword for combat purpose. Shinbu - to , a cold bearable sword made using " Tahado " steel ( nickel chromium manganese steel ). It's a very well put together sword with nice quality fittings. Regards, Paul..