Bruce Pennington

Thanks Matt! Looks like I have that one on file from a previous owner, but I appreciate the heads-up. For anyone looking for something unique, I have over 300 Mantetsu on file, now, and only 6 of them are in this SMR Rinji-styled fittings. I'd call that 'rare.'

Thanks Matt, for the reply. Your discussion of the Plimpton example, along with the other from memory, adds a deeper layer to the issue. Like Steve said above, these are just going to have to remain a mystery. I have learned, over the years, some things I had initially written off as Bubba-work, later turned out more likely to be WWII period legit. So, I'll hold on the cautious approach and stay on the fence! Mr. Plimpton has had much more experience with swords than I, so I'll have to defer to him on this. But for discussion's sake, I must say I do not know of any Army Paratroopers that existed in the war. If anyone knows of them, please fill us in. I've posted a discussion asking for knowledge on the subject over at Warrelics HERE. As I state there, I am aware of the Navy's special landing force. Austin Adachi has written an excellent book on them - https://books.google.com/books/about/Rikusentai.html?id=U-OszgEACAAJ He doesn't discuss their swords (that I recall). There are some excellent pics, one with several officers with what appear to be Army Type 94s! The rest lack enough deal to tell what they are actually carrying.

Hi Matt! Appreciate you coming in to discuss this one, it's pretty perplexing. Do you mind addressing a couple of questions? If so, 1. Did it have the coil spring under the latch when you acquired it, or was that added to make the latch tight? 2. In hand, did the ana at the end of the nakago look newly drilled to you. It seems to appear new in the photos. 3. Where did you get the descriptive term "paratrooper gunto" and why would that term be linked to this rig? 4. Your description: "The mountings are a very rare and high end Type 95 Shin Gunto" - how so? On a 95 blade, these are normal and standard fittings. The "ichi" stamp is less common, maybe 'rare' but the fittings are not. Just pursuing clarity, not trying to be offensive in any way.

I love these warblades. Westernized kyu fittings, but blended with traditional Japanese blade. A true emblem of the times of Japan's transition to 'modern' military warfare.

Serial number

A 'for what it's worth' observation: Of the dated blades I have on file with the, usually inverted, double-chevron (W), ALL of them are 1943. I also have it on several Type 95s and some Zoheito which are not dated. The smiths of the dated blades are Takehisa, Yoshiharu, and Yoshitani. Checking the Mantetsu with the mark, they are found in the full range of years 1942, 1943, and the beginning of '44.

And a 'W' or inverted 'M' stamp for the record.

Both books look interesting. Thanks for the post Steve!

I only have 1, so it's by default my favorite! It was early in my collecting. I wanted a good example of a Type 97 kaigunto and came across one that was beat up, gold gilding missing from most of the metal parts, custom saya faded and peeling at the seem a bit, worn leather cover. Yet the guy was asking more than average price! After chatting with him, I learned that the blade was a mumei, Muromachi era blade, the saya was shark-skin, and it had a Fuji mon. I got hooked and bought it, and still enjoy everything about it. To think some sweaty smith was pounding this out about the same time Columbus was sailing the ocean blue .... just hard to wrap my mind around it! Jace, were you looking for photos or just the story?

"...as a beginner.." - so he's either quite lucky, or he's done some research/education before he buys! 4 above average swords AND a rare collectable copper 95. Either that, or he's had some good advice from other collectors.

Quite beautiful, both blade and early Type 94 fittings!

But did he ask for a refund!?

Your eyes, with it in hand, are the best judge. I would look at the corrosion to see if any of it looks to have worked it's way into the engraving. Engraving after the corrosion should be clean cut.

No, which is more often the case with Showa and Seki stamped blade.

After re-looking at your photos, I see why you are talking about chrome! Looks like chunks of it have flaked off. Better pics, more clearly focused of these areas would help. There was a short period early in the war when they experimented with chromed blades. I have one myself. But they found it didn't prevent rusting, like they thought, so it was discontinued. If this was in fact chromed, I'm not sure I would attempt to have it re-chromed, but that is a personal preference. I simply oil mine to stop the rusted areas.

Thanks for the added photos, Jim! It's tough to find dated blades that are Showa stamped, and if I don't have the photo in the files, I often wonder if there was a date and simply not shown. The other guys should be able to recommend someone for the rewrap, and I believe sword polishers can straighten bent blades.

David, I live in Colorado Springs. Depending on his/your locations, I could visit for a look-see if you like. PM is you want to toss the idea around.

I would lean toward Dave's theory, too. The plexiglass handle, to me, is completely post-war Bubba work. The tsuba and dai-seppa are Navy, but the fuchi is army, so probably assembled by Bubba too.

Is it possible that this was originally modified for a Kyu gunto handle? That date is 1606!!!

Hard to see from the pics whether the 'new' hole is old or new. As you have it in hand, you'd be the best judge of that. Many guys will keep the rig as-is. It is the 'life of the blade'. But many feel that since blades get new 'clothes' a few times over it's lifespan, there is no harm in re-fitting a blade to whatever mil-spec you think it would look good in. I have personally re-done a couple of NCO Type 95s in the past, and now regret doing so. As time has gone by, I have learned more about them than I knew back then and think that their original condition was done during wartime. It is often the variants, like yours, that make a gunto more interesting.

@Brian, They should be moved to the military section.

Agreed. And the side latch is a rare item, more rare than the copper handles, although the market has not cut onto this fact yet. You could spend $2000 on the two of them together, and still get a good deal.

Dave, I assume no date on the other side?

Mark, I suspect the red is an undercoat. You can see the outer-coat, brown right along the centerline. Amazing that so much of the paint is worn away.

Before he banned me, he wrote back to one of my messages about his fakery "Why are you interfering with my business?" The very question almost implies he actually doesn't understand the wrongness of his actions. I say 'almost' because I suspect he certainly knows that what he does is wrong.