Bruce Pennington

Well, maybe you guys can help me figure this out, because just looking at the '44 Se line, it's mixed. I don't now what it means. If you have any thoughts, I'm all ears. The green highlights are "Nan" stamp and the blue are "Ren".

I hear your heart on this Neil. Sometimes, though, that piece of history is a person. I would honor this man with all my swords if it would enrich his life just a little bit. This blade is spending it's last legs to make someone's life just a bit better. If it could speak, it would say "I'll go, send me."

Kenny, I'll PM you and we can talk about a beat-up kyu gunto. It's got serious pitting on the kissaki (blade tip) and some dark stain on the blade. I was hoping someone who bought it would know how to "fill" the pitting with some sort of steel and re-buff the surface. I have an NCO Type 95 that looks like it was actually field-repaired that way. The handle is missing the wire-wrap and it's got a post-war copper spacer in place of seppa. It's not nihonto, but was made in the 1900-1925 range where they were making western-styled sabers out of single steel, and artificialy applying a hamon to the edge.

Tom, thanks for the blade info! Spring 1944; SE 1029. I have some spare seppa. If you want to PM me your mailing address, I'll send them to you. Use what you want and send the rest back to me.

Kenny, I don't know the method your father intends to use for the job, but if the tsuba/tsuka are actually in his way to do it, and you want them off, I use a tool like the one posted below to hold the nut. Then it's important to have a screw driver with a blade tip the same size as the slot. Too small a blade just causes more damage, and obviosly too big won't fit in the slot.

In the case of tassels, ironically, I've found fleabay to be honest. For some reason, the sellers of reproduction tassels on fleaby normally post them as reproductions, and you will almost always see that they are shipping from China. The place I tend to see weird tassels is when they come on the swords, themselves. The G.I.s seemed to have often put cords of any style and condition on their souvenirs. Of course some of that was done post-war by Bubba's too. But, the end of the long story is that I haven't seen much intentional deceipt among tassel sellers. The key, like spotting fake swords, is to study the real ones, like on Ohmura's site or in books, or in hand, to know the fake when you spot it.

I just noticed the Showa stamp above the mei. It means non-traditionally made. Your price was in the ballpark considering the missing fittings.

Here's an interesting one: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/30772-interesting-mikasa-dirk-whotstamp/?hl=mikasa

Removed the naugahide today. Sure enough, the tsuka was grooved for the rayskin and there were square cut-outs where I presume the thin metal plates went for the retention screw. The Bubba had replaced them with a modern nut.

I like it when they are already with the sword, but I’m mostly looking for the sword and it’s condition. I have gone out and bought tassels for each of my swords, if they didn’t have one already.

JP, PM sent.

I thought I saw something of a rubbed-out stamp on the fuchi, but after enlargement, I don't know what it is. Maybe just dings from assembly. Looks original though, not from Bubba. I was hoping it was the legendary “maru-Ai" (愛)” stamp. But it doesn't seem to be.

Thomas, As these are very early in the production, maybe the Kokura inspectors were adding their approval in addition to the Nagoya inspectors; then, for unknown reasons, later discontinued the practice. We'd need to see some other blades in the number-range to see if they all had the 4th stamp. There are a couple of other 95s with a 4th stamp, the "jin" of Jensen Arsenal, on Tokyo made blades. But the reason for it might be different than these two.

Trystan, I just went back to the Japaneseswordsindex.com and realized they've made a "typo" and put the exact same kanji in the "Ne" spot as in the "Ha" spot. Checking other charts, I agree with "Ha."

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sculpted tsuba on a 95 without the hole for the tassel.

Well, and update. After showing the choices from Steve's post #5, Guy re-evaluated: "I just looked at it again and expanded the size. I think now I see 佐. When I first looked at it, I thought the last 3 strokes were 口, but I was wrong. I would have thought that 兼佐 would be Kanesa. But when I researched the kanji 佐 I found that for names it can be "suke." Sheesh! - Guy" http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/2nd-second-opinion-mei-759013/ I don't see either name on the Japaneseswordindex.com oshigata page. Maybe someone with a Slough's or Marcus' book can compare the mei of Kanesa (if it exists) and Kanesuke.

That's a good one Trystan! You're good at Japanese, do you know the translation of the kanji? Seems like the hiragana "Ne": The "Toyokawa + 1" collection is growing!

Steve, Fabulous work. Seriously can't wait for your book. Please don't let silly things like work, marraige, new baby, etc, get in your way!!! Ha! Now I feel like there might have been some legit transitional 95s come through here that we may have dismissed as "brass" fakes. Are you saying that ALL aluminum handles were coated with almite? If so, it must have worn off with the paint in the gunto we see today that are bare aluminum. I have a #10506 that clearly has the almite coating still. Looks like it was after the transition because they were "moving" the ito for the screw.

Thanks for the article Dave! Since it is such a simple wrap, I will go for it. We have enough examples to go by for me to copy, and like you said, the knot at the end is the only real challenge, but looks do-able. In the end, if it looks crappy, I'll still send it off for the pros to do and I'll have learned something of the craft in the meantime. Thanks for the menugi, Neil! I'll order the ito from Fred's website.

From Guy at Warrelics: “ 豊佑作 Toyosuke saku”

I tried to get a menuki from him, but he's blocked me!

Checking now.

Chris, That really is a beautiful hamon! Smith is: 兼永 (Kanenaga) Real name: 渡辺 万次郎 (I don't know how this translates) Don't know anything about the smith, maybe one of the nihonto guys can help. At that price, you got a great deal!

Thanks for the update, and thanks JP for checking on that!

Thanks Neil. I've left a phone message with Fred (his website email system seems to be inop at the moment). I'm hoping to negotiate a lower price since the wrap is so basic with no folding. It looks so simple I might consider buying the ito from him and doing it myself if he's not willing to work with me on price.