Navy

Done ????

Attempt after attempt, always better ???? In about ten years it will be hard to discerne an original vs fake.

The mei looks very similar, if not identical, to a papered one I’ve seen on the net, and the yasurime job too. But the kiku mon has something off, as if carved with an insecure hand.

A fellow member of WRF pointed out why the winged menuki/bolt are so weird on that handle...

Santa just dropped this toy... ???? Merry Christmas to you all guys, and thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Chris, why the second mekugi ana? Born as military sword and subsequently fitted with the civilian koshirare?

Interesting; the experts will tell you more, but if I don’t get wrong this is a showato military blade (with Showa stamp), in a civilian koshirae but with leather combat cover.

Thanks Bruce, a really appreciated input!

Hi to you all; I have a couple of questions about the late war NCO swords. I mean those with wooden tsuka: could you tell me when was this pattern first issued? I see the books stated 1945, but is it an accurate figure (which month)? I’ve readed somewhere that at some point specific NCO’s blade s/n were assigned to Tokyo, Nagoya and Jinsei arsenals (respectively 135.000, 200,000 and 300,000), so, is it possible to give a reasonable production timeline for a sword with 204.000 serial #? Thanks in advance, M.

Yes, last ditch ceramic Japanese hand granade. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_4_grenade

Thanks; actually this is the "case queen": duv 43 matching and without import markings. She was found years ago in the north of the Country: a kind of "vet left back" gun.

I have a small collection of firearms, helmets and blades, mostly from WW2. Here are some on display:

Thanks a lot to all of you that kindly gave an appreciated and useful opinion/evaluation about these blades. I beg your pardon for the poor pics, I guess I could do better, but too many nihontos in a short time. Mainly, many thanks on behalf of the owner, which is an aged gentleman not "web friendly" at all.

Amen ???? Any other kind input about these blades?

The tanto. Nagasa 29,3 motohaba 2,9. Nice signed tsuba. 2 mekugi ana (originally a waki?)

Now the wakizashi. Nagasa 37, kissaki 3,5 motohaba 2,5. It is mumei, with so and so polish. I guess the nakago has been cleaned recently.

Oh yes, my fault. Sword A nagasa 65,2 (cm) kissaki 3,2 motohaba 3,1 Sword B nagasa 63,7 kissaki 4,3 motohaba 3,2 Sword C nagasa 68,5 kissaki 3,8 motohaba 3

Thank you very much for your inputs. Yes, all have sayas, and all are made of black laquered wood; none of them is particularly interesting and all have some chipping/missing lacquer at various degree. I cleaned the blades with Kleenex and pharma grade petrol, and then oiled again with choji. Since it is in quite rough polish, I used little uchiko on sword A to try to find out a bit more details and take the pics.

Sword C. The better, at least in terms of polish. Visible hada and hamon, 2 pieces gold plated habaki.

Sword B. Also in bad polish, but better blade overall condition (no nicks). Again, I wasn't able to discerne the hada. Nice silver habaki.

Thanks Geraint! This is the first (let call it sword A): this one should be the oldest, and also the worst in terms of condition/polish. No visible hada, barely visible hamon. Hugly suriage job.

Hello to you all. A good friend of mine has a really huge collection of blades, spacing from VI to XX century. Among these, he owns 3 katanas, 1 wakizashi and 1 tanto; all are (or seem to be) nihontos, probably made between XVI and XVIII century: this is the best he can remember, having bought these blades "en block" among other western blades at least 25/30 years ago. He hasn't any record about age, smiths, provenance, etc. If you don't mind, I would submit these blades to your appreciated knowledge for evaluation. Thanks in advance.

Hi Denis; if it has already been cleaned, as I think looking at the fuchi (silver traces on the edges and inside the stamps), it is possible to do it without harming the finish. Personally I wouldn't use the grit, try as suggested some chemical products, starting with the less aggressive you have at the hands, and then step up. You're right, that paint is very thick, so good chances the details are still there. Do a first, careful attempt on the bolt (brass mekugi), so you can check how strong is that silver with no risk for original finish or details. It is a matter of find the right stuff, adding a lot of patience.

Yes, it has been repainted (look at the sarute and at the stamps on fuchi). As you noticed, under the silver paint there are traces of the original brown coating, but how much of it is still there is a bet. I would try petrol or acetone in a hidden, small spot just to see if it is an easily removable paint. To me, it seems that is has been already partially cleaned (look at the fuchi again).

In my opinion, the repaint is a No No: it is like repainting an helmet or reblue a gun, it does affect the originality of the item. Nothing against a light cleaning or working to stop active corrosion: dust, dirt and rust were not original WWII issue.