Hi I seek advice on a gunto I am about to buy
I found it in an antique shop in a pretty good shape from what I've seen
My eyes tell me it may be a showato
the blade still has lots of niku, (It seems the blade itself was left untouched), from what I've seen it is a healthy blade (not tired at all) due to the amount of niku it has
It has no yokote
It has no bo-hi
I have not seen the nakago because the tsuka was *hammered on* I could not see the nakago
the tsuka was cracked all the way from the fuchi to the kashira so the mune could be seen
the rust looks as though if it wasn't faked (The rust is not active on the mune, it is of blackish color)
It also has none of the type 95 Serial numbers
I can only provide description with words so please forgive me
I will be starting with the mount
The tsuka is made with wood covered w/ same panel wraps (The same has a large nodule near the kashira, the same on one of the sides is starting to crack)
The tsuka has lost it's tsuka ito and is halfway through the nakago (It seems like a past owner has hammered on the tsuka)
The saya is metal w/ one ashi
the obi tori is gone
the saya itself is rusted,
The tsuba is made of copper (There is green patina in the inside edges of the tsuba) It has no holes besides the one where the nakago will go through
There are no serial numbers for the seppa
The locking mechanism of the tsuka isn't functional anymore
I think it is not machine made blade because the mune (Iori mune) is not straight at some points
It also as a hamon that can be seen by further examination of the blade
It is a midare hamon near the habaki and it turns into suguha or a relaxed? notare hamon midway
The blade length is 28
The Nakago length is 8 inches
Thank you in advance, and pardon me for the lack of pictures
-Agripino Mendoza