FletchSan

Hi All, I have an opportunity to buy this gunto for fairly cheap - though haven't this type of leather wrapping on a gunto before...... is it a fake? If it is real - then what type of fittings are those and I assume an older blade?

Love my Guntos! Here are mine, all with original leather covers. Shin-gunto - FUJI KANEOTO Kai-gunto - YOSHISHIGE Kyu-gunto - TADAMITSU Ben

Thanks all - I think I'll have a go at comparing the yasurime and mei with a few papered Terukane examples just for fun. Part of the appeal for me anyway with collecting the few non papered blades I have so far is not only the difference in cost (expensive hobby!) though the learning and research about an unknown sword and small chance that you may stumble upon something decent. What's more fun than paying a few hundred for a gunto to discover it's a nihonto after all

Thanks, was just curious - both explanations are awesome

Slightly off topic, though same sword. Does anyone know what the notches represent on the nagako? thanks, Ben

Thanks - the last photo is using a scanner which does do a wonderful job of showing all of the gory details. It is noticable but doesnt look nearly as bad in person. Is it worth investing in getting it polished or better to keep it oiled and appreciate it for what it is? Would love to know what the cover letter says as well as if it is gimei then probably not worth investing any $ in?

Hi All, I have a wakizashi that I quite like however there is what appears to be rust on the blade though I don't think it is active. I'd like some thoughts on the fittings and blade and also whether I need to do anything other than oiling the blade to maintain it. The fittings other than the saya are antique and I believe the mei is Sakakura Gonnoshin Terukane. The Tsuka is also signed - though haven't been able to translate it yet. The sword isn't papered so assume Gimei though it did come with a cover letter and photo of registration certificate which I also haven't yet translated and I assume from the original owner when they purchased from Japan. I'll include a pic of theses as well. thanks in advance, Ben

Thanks Stephen. Probably impossible to work out which Tadamitsu as there is no date I can see unless its obscured by the rust. Would be interested in your thoughts on the sword in the other thread. cheers, Ben

Had some help in the Translation forum - definately Tadamitsu. What are the thoughts on the sword overall? Does it look like it could be a late Muromachi period Tadamitsu? If so that would make it around 500 years old which is pretty amazing. Compared with the shape of a muromachi period blade, it is very similar..

I think it is Tadamitsu looking at the Tada Kanji in Yumoto's book.

Thanks Stephen - tried a light oil and wipe and took a few more pics. Should be a little clearer.

Hi All, Having trouble translating the 2nd last character on this mei. This is from another thread I started in the Military Blades section. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18090-my-new-favourite-sword-kyu-gunto/ Not sure if it is Kagemitsu, Kanemitsu or Tadamitsu .. or something else? cheers, Ben

Thanks Klaus. That second last character is really hard to read. I'm not sure if it's Kagemitsu, Kanemitsu or Tadamitsu. Hamish - are you referring to the notches on the nagako? I thought I read somewhere that was a marking by the smiths during the forging process in respect to measurements of the blade?

Thanks Hamish, I think mine must have been custom made as there are few things unique about it. The hand guard is a different shape with a bend that others don't have with it being larger at the base, there are also 7 seppa and it has more sections (19) in the grip. I'll look more closely and see if I can see any stamps. Here's a few more pics of the blade. So hard to get decent pics ... Ben

Were there variations of the company sabres to help work out dating the fittings or were they pretty much identical since the 1880s? In respect to the blade - given it seems quite old (will post more pics of it tonight), does the topic need to be moved or okay to stay in this forum? I want to discuss the fittings & blade.... or does it warrant a separate thread for the blade? cheers, Ben

Thanks Hamish, appreciate the response. Ironically, I think it is actually a "true samurai sword" Would officers have ordered the koshirae to custom fit their own swords as mine seems to have a longer Tsuka than normal. There are 19 sections in the ray skin and other examples I've seen have no more than 16. There are also a number of seppa. The nakago indicates that this sword has some history with 5 mekugi-ana. If only swords could talk eh ! The dimensions of the sword are; 89cm - total length 69cm - blade 2.4cm - sori

Hi All, I received the latest addition to my collection today and it is a Kyu-Gunto and I love it! It is complete with leather saya cover and tassel. I haven't had a chance to do much research yet though it appears to be a command sabre similar to this one http://ohmura-study.net/771.html There doesn't seem to be much information on the web about the Kyu-Gunto other than it being also referred to as a Japanese-Russo sword as a reference to that conflict and it being in use from around 1883. Does anyone have any good reference sites I could look at that may help date the style of fittings at least? I'll post some more pics once I take it apart and have a closer look at the blade. cheers, Ben

Found this photo that has one that is just tied to the ashi.

Hi Joe, Agree and I'll pass on it. I did ask for a few more pics in my hunt for a Gendaito The Koshirae looks okay to me, though the other images of the blade aren't spectacular. cheers, Ben

This sword is in a shin-gunto mount though looks like a refitted blade. The mei is crude and looks like the same character twice? Taira / Hira? I couldn't find too many smiths starting with that Kanji. Ben

The same 3 symbols (夕四三) are also on the inside of the leather saya cover as well.

Ive had a go at working out the painted markings. I can see .. 夕四三​ over the signature (something 43?) 入之三​ under the date Any idea what these mean? Looks like everything on this sword including the date is numbered 43 Ben

Thanks Thomas - learn something new everyday. Is the presense of an original lock strap fairly rare? Also thanks Wim, that sword you linked to does have very similar markings, particularly the dashes on the date mei. Thomas - perhaps more a question for you. I do have an opportunity to swap the sword for another that is mentioned here http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18037-kai-gunto-translation-help/ The condition of the sword in this post is far better overall. The blade on the other sword is still pretty clean, though not much of a visible hamon. The condition of the koshirae on the one in this post however is far superior. The other sword does not have any apparent arsenal stamps that I could see. So would you go for a possible Gendaito with average Koshirae or this one with great condition overall though a seki stamped nagako? ​ cheers, ​ Ben​

Thanks Morita San!

Thanks Steve. I would agree with you there, I have 3 guntos now and all are so very different from each other. This is the sword I picked up mentioned in this post which is a rather nice Kai-gunto imho. ​http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18038-kai-gunto-showato/