kahowell1

Thank you again for the excellent advice. I'll give it a gentle cleaning and then consult with others to see if they feel it should be restored or left as is. Either way, I am very grateful for the information provided. I have always been fond of the sword and now I like it just a little bit more.

Wow, thank you all for the information. There doesn't appear to be any markings, other than file marks, on the reverse side. The follow up question is; should I send it to someone for restoration and if so, who?

I had never noticed before but when I disassembled it today I did find numbers on some of the parts. I hope these photos show the other characters better. And, no, I didn't sand it or anything. That is just the camera angle and me playing with lighting.

I have a gunto style katana that I purchased from a friend years ago. He said his grandfather brought it back to the US after WWII. I do not know where his grandfather was stationed and he has since passed away. I cannot find any numbers printed on the sword parts. I have attached a couple of quick photos. I will be more than happy to take better pictures if requested. I have no desire to ever sell the sword. Any information will be for my own benefit. Thank you in advance to any that may assist. Keith