Bruce Pennington

Wow, guys! Incredible! That makes this quite a cool piece of history. It's on a NCO Type 95, welded or soldered on the saya. I'll pass this on and see if I can post the whole sword. Thought I'd post the Wikipedia article for the readers (and in case that link ever gets changed or lost)

Koa Isshin- Asia is One Heart (Japan’s slogan about taking over China and Southeast Asia) got a real gem there, Butch! Hope you got it for a cheap price because these are pretty valuable on the market.

Can someone translate this? Anyone recognize the emblem?

Yours Bryce. There is a straight, dark line that runs parallel to the cutting edge, going through the high peaks, and the coloration below it looks like a suguha hamon.

From Markus Sesko's book: "MASAYUKI (正之), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Saitama – “Masayuki” (正之), family name Ōzawa (小澤), he worked as guntō smith, ryōkō no retsu (Akihide)"

Chris, Could I get some shots of the full sword and fittings on this one. It is what we call a Java Sword. The inscription saya "Shiyawaka Sumaran." If memory serves, we call 'Sumaran' Sumatra today. Sumatra and Java aren't the same place, but they were close to each other. They were making Japanese styled swords and the fittings are usually not as well made.

Sorry Zach, I hadn't noticed your reference to that one specific item and thought you were talking about all the canvas covers. After seeing the one you were talking about and the rough stitching, you very well could be right! Doesn't look like a professional shop's workmanship, but more like a Do-it-Yourself job in the field.

I have Autumn 1943 Takehisa blades on file. This Spring 1944 is the first '44 I've recorded.

You'll need to run this by the civil sword guys, most likely. @Dave R might have something or know someone who does.

Interesting idea Zach, implying that they were field-made? Another idea - the material is the same, but used by different shops, like uniform shops and sword shops.

Another found at Dan Griffin's site HERE. With a kaneharu blade.

@robinalexander A longer one here, but still not the one I'm looking for, as the one I'm remembering discussed a suguha hamon seemingly underneath another hamon pattern.

Well, I'm the worst guy to ask about searching! Here's one reference I've found, but it's not the thread I'm thinking of. From @Valric: Here's a mention by Chris - @vajo:

No. The only way is when the sword has a surrender tag attached.

The file marks - yasurime - are a classic sign of legitimate Japanese swords and are found on all Japanese nakago, even NCO blades. If you have seen some online without them, it's likely a blurry photo or the lines are obscured by rust/corrosion. You can see the various styles of yasurime here: http://japaneseswordindex.com/terms/terms2.htm

Dominic, You have an older family blade re-fitted for the war. There are some guys that frequent the Military forum that may be able to give you an estimate of the age, but there are a lot of others available on the http://Nihonto Forum. Someone on either forum can help with finding a good replacement tsuka (handle).

I see what you mean, Robbin. There is a thread on NMB about double hamon, so not out of the realm of possibility. The defining edge of the suguha seems too perfectly straight, though. Strange indeed!

@Browningguy Tristan, have you removed the tsuba/seppa and looked for stamps? I have Masayuki with practically all of them - Showa, Seki, Na, and Star. He was RJT qualified, so by 1943, there could be a star higher up the nakago.

Thanks Zach. I was seeing the larger, roundish spot in the blurry image. Turns out it was simply a wear mark, or corrosion. Thanks guys for checking!

Andrew, The other guys can answer you questions about the tsuba. The fuller groove, or bohi, is found on all sorts of sword blades from all eras. Their reference to it concerning zoheito is that they almost always have them. Yours doesn't, so maybe the whole thing, except the tsuba, is a late-war assembly. I have seen gunto with civil tsuba, as if the owner had one from back home and used it to personalize his sword. That is an option. Other options - shortage of supplies at the end of the war, so shops used what they had on-hand; and finally, as suggested above, post-war efforts by an owner to complete a gunto with missing parts. Any of these are possible.

@Rennz - Zack, any stamps or numbers? Also it appears there is some sort of stamp on your tusba? @kkeeps - looks like some sort of stamping at the end of your nakago? If so, can I get some clear shots?

You'll have to give us the background story on that some day!

Andrew, I appreciate your interest in WWII! It's what I collect as well. Recommend spending some time reading Ohmura's invaluable, and free, website on gunto Military Sowrds of Imperial Japan. There's some history, but mostly it's page after page of excellent photos of the various types. You'll quickly get a free education on the various Army, Navy, officer and NCO types. This style with civil tsuba and leather clad wooden saya often hold a civil blade brought to the war and refitted. You're lucky to still have the leather locking strap! I don't study them closely, but maybe @BANGBANGSAN and/or @Kiipu can tell if this is an early war zoheito, which was an early attempt at making mass produced factory blades. Ohmura has a page on that too! Can we get a photo of the other side of the nakago (tang), too? Also, full length, bare blade; and a good clear photo of the blade tip?

Thanks Mal. You're right, there are stamps referencing the steel types too. So, could be either one.

Right! Must be simpler or reduces cost in making the forms or molds they make these with.