Bruce Pennington

Neil, Thanks! Can you tell us which ones of those are in the light-tan, standard fittings? They all seem longer than George's theory of the 62cm for standard blades.

Yes, but I was talking about the byline, the line under your name. Now it says “Gendaito - Swords of the Rikugun Jumei Tosho”. Isn’t that new? I believe it used to say something about “collecting Type 3”. If not, then there is someone else that I am thinking of.

I remember that one being discussed a while back. Those are birds flying off to the right, I believe!

I might be thinking of you, Chris. Did your byline used to say something like "Collecting Type 3"? Seems like there is one other guy doing it too, though.

Michael, Could we get the nagasa measurement on this blade? George Trotter is doing a study on the length of RS blades. Thanks!

George, There is a guy on NMB who has in his by-line that he collects Type 3 gunto, but I can't remember who that is. If we could stir him up, he could probably give us some good data.

Yes, the larger one. Thanks!

With the left side hidden in corrosion, it will take one of the Translation Sensei guys to see this for what it is!

You're right on the Seki stamp, Barry. Can you show a picture of it in perspective of the nakago in size? It appears to be the large Seki. There were large ones and small ones, and little is known as to whether they mean different things. Some speculate that the larger one is of the Seki Swordsmith Guild and not an army inspection stamp, which is the small one. But I've never seen confirmation on that anywhere. To my understand, though, both are there at Army orders to indicate a blade was non-traditionally made. If the blade can be dated before 1938, which is when it is often stated (again no documentation) that the stamping was ordered, then the mark MAY not be saying "non-traditional" but simply approved by the Gild. Guys like that theory because, then, their blades may be considered nihonto, but I don't like it. Stamping started because the sword-world got tired of not knowing which swords were nihonto or showato

Marsel, The humid climate there is pretty brutal on swords, isn't it! I think I see "Kane" as the first kanji. The third is likely "Saku" or "made this". Someone else might be able to help better.

Type 98 fittings on an older blade (Nihonto guys will have to estimate era, but I'd guess no older than 1700's). Family mon and open tsuba show a little extra money was spent by the officer having the blade mounted. Late-war tassel or as Nick Komiya states, officer equivalent Gunzuko. The mon was used by three Samurai lines - Asahina, Bessho, and Utsunomiya - but by WWII any family could adopt any crest, so no way to know if the owner was really from one of those lines.

You could try putting the address in Google Earth or a map app. Either one may have a "street view" at the location.

I see now, thanks!

I'm surprised at the lack of stamps. Michael - are there any small stamps on the back edge of the nakago (nakago mune)? Your blade is made in March of 1944 and the majority (in my experience) of the '44 blades were stamped. The blade is not nihonto, so it should have been stamped. It could simply be human error. Inspectors had hundreds of blades to look over and stamp. A guy is bound to miss some. The tassel is likely a post-war add-on. Looks like a curtain cord or something to that effect.

Ohmura

JP, That's a HUGE sori, right?! Seems pretty old, too. What era would be your opinion?

So, the blue ito was found on both army and navy gunto, I see. Interesting.

John, As someone less than a novice at nihonto, please forgive my question, but I don't see the dark spots you mention. Could you point it out for me? My thought was oil quenched, too though, as the hamon lacks the finer details normally seen on water quenched blades, right? Another rookie question: the blade does seem to have been folded, as there is texture to the skin (hada?). Do I have that right?

Wow! Very cool!!! Thanks for adding it.

Thanks Matt, I'll pass it on!

A guy on Gunboards looking for translation help. Thought I'd seek help here!

I'm not waiting! Here they are:

Sorry George, I literally forgot you had translated this earlier! When I saw Trystan's un-translated post, I sent it to Google and got bamboozled!

Great example, Doug, thanks!

Google translate: Sumitomo Yoshiharu