Reddawn27

I actually just found more info on this book right after posting this in Gerys for sale library lol. Looks like my kind of book! Next payday it shall be mine! Thanks! Dom..

As I continue to expand my Gunto book collection I ran across this book today on Amazon. While I'm sure it's no Dawson. How does the book hold up?? https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Japanese-Swords-Beginning-Gendaito/dp/150777012X Thank you Dominic..

Nice one Bruce!!!! I have a Tokyo stamped one on Layaway right now with a seller. I can't wait! I too share your love of guntos !!

This was the most depressing thing I've read in along time!!! I was thinking of leaving my stuff to a museum but now I'm unsure . Damn I'm super bummed out. But as Charle1 said I'm only 28 but the high cost of some blades really hurt new collectors. But we're trying! Also would a Japanese museum take better care of the older non-Gunto swords better than the US museums since there's more of a historical connection ?

A possible Vietnamese build Japanese Gunto ... I don't really know what to make of this one .. I leave it for you guys http://www.swordsantiqueweapons.com/s1846_full.html

So the more I look into the world of Japanese sword collection.. In the military camp of collectors.. What is allowed and abosolutly not allowed in preserving your sword concerning two parts...how to deal with cracks or splits in wood sayas and the proper way to care for leather cover guntos. I happen to love the way they look but most are always sadly in poor condition. Now I've read some threads and it would seem that the proper way to preserve swords with cracked or splitting sayas is to use Rice glue for the wood repair. As for leather care .. This one seems tricky.. I've read were the use of Saddle soap is Ok as long is it dose not have mineral oil or vaseline in the mix. Now I know and understand those say thing should be left as is and I'm all on board with that..but at the same time preserving also means maintaining .. .. So would using saddle soap or the like qualify as proper matinace for leather WWII swords??

Dang Steve thats awesome! I never knew this, What a great read! Thank you! Suprising we havnt found anything from the philippines? I would have thougjt after the Japanese captured it, that there would have had been enough modern machinery there for at least some type of production.

Wow! Nice work Stegel!! Its intersting to see that the diffrences in quality and the diffrent types! I wonder how may swords out there that have been seen as chinese junk, actully have some really historical value< I use the word value loosely. Also I always forget as like id assume most americans that in some south east asian countries the japaese were viewed as liberatiors. Especially in indonesia under Japans Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.. were japans routing of Dutch and British forces was greatly welcomed and thus gave rise to groups like the Indonesian Pembela Tanah Air ground forces. Also here is a blade that is supposedly from Java but thats still up for debate it looks like..http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/appraisal-some-Japanese-swords-please-sword-number-3-a-398208-2/ Also this, http://badikpusaka.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-katana-sword-from-peta-warriorheiho.html I think this has sprouted into a very interesting thread!

Also is the last Nco types you speak of Steve, do you mean the wrapped handle and the White handle types?

There is this sword.. its supposedly Japanese, either super late war, foreign war time made, or a fake and this guy is wrong.. either way have a look...http://quanonline.com/military/military_reference/Japanese/sword8.php I did find this thread on the same sword, the the consensis is there Manchurian made for Japanese troops in China..http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/ww2-sword-305490-2/

Sweet! Thank you Bruce for making the time and photo copies! I do not have this book but i have seen it! I shall add it to my books to get list. How acurate is his book? I would have never had thought Java would be a place of production... very interesting!

Among my many hobbies one of them is collecting Japanese bayonets. Now as far as bayonets, there are at least two arsenals that were under Japanese control that were pressed into war time production outside of Japan. These were Jinsen in Korea and Mukden in Manchuria. Now in my first post someone had mentioned that one of the later war swords that I was looking at might of had parts made from an occupied area like the phillipines or elsewhere. However I have not found any info on occupied swords or sword part production. Now I cant see any blades being made outside of Japan, but maybe parts? Has anyone ever come across any published material or pdfs or links on if there was any Japanese sword production outside of Japan?

Sweet!!!! Thank you guys!!!! Grey I'll be looking threw your site for sure!!

Wow! That is one high priced book!!! Well I guess I'll start saving! Dominic

So I'm looking for a good book with some great illustrations much like this book http://m.ebay.com/itm/281201846584?_mwBanner=1the problem is that it seems like alot of the good books are in Japanese and sadly my Japanese is horrible lol what is the best book with some great professional photography in it? I bought Jims Dawson's book for Japanese modern military swords.. Is there a like book for the Edo and old swords? What do you recommend?? Thank you! Dominic

I have seen a few of these.. They seem to always be in pretty good condition. I find it odd that no one can ever date them nor pin down what exactly they are other than being a late war Kai Gunto. The ones I've seen go for about 1000$ each.

I just joined!! Dominic

Hmmm I never really thought of Japanese Guntos being made in occupied countries by the Japanese.. Or was it only the fittings and parts for repairs? Also I bought my Jim Dawson's book!!!!! Thank you guys for all the advice! Dominic

So even when swords themselves come from Japan like this.. http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0805/member_frame_sword.htmThe only thing "real" is the the blade? Everything else is a new made item? Do any originally as completed swords exist? I looked for some pictures but nearly all swords displayed are blades only. Also I read a report about the NHTHK being raided back a few years ago and around 500+ improperly registered swords were confiscated.. We're these swords destroyed? Or were they allowed to be registered properly? Japan wouldn't actually destroy swords that are 200+ years old would they?? Here is the link http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/09/30/police-raid-society-for-preservation-of-Japanese-art-swords/

So while trying to get my feet wet in the art of collecting and preserving historical swords, I find my self coming up with the same few questions. 1) How does Japan go about preserving katanas? I ask this because Japan went through the trouble of creating a system to preserve is historical swords during occupation,..So WHY does it allow its culturally important swords be sold of around the world? Why wouldn't the Japanese obtain its national treasure to be preserved? Ex look at the Egyptian government... Any thing from the Egyptian past is considered a national treasure and strictly protected and kept in museums for the preservation for future generations. Ive seen sights were you can buy swords from the 13-15-16th centuries straight from Japan! This seems strange to me as it would be like Egypt selling off parts of the sphinx or the pyramids. It seems kinda foolish that the Japanese government would put so much trust in collectors ( these swords are after all the nations historical and cultural artifacts) when these swords can be neglected, stolen, abused by some owners kid thinking its a toy, destroyed by a house fire, ect.. 2) How exactly does the NHTHK work as far a preserving historical swords? Do they just track the blades once they have proven a sword to be authentic? 3) When collecting historical swords.. Is it really only the blades that matter? I've seen so meany web pages that sell historical swords but only the blades are historical and every thing else it new.. Ex..http://new.uniquejapan.com/home/, http://www.nihontoantiques.com , http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0805/member_frame_sword.htm . 4) Do new mounts help with increasing the value? 5) Are most swords that we see are with new mounts as the originals no longer exists? 6) Dose Japan actively try to preserve its past? Or dose there strict laws and now pasavist ways put an end to that? Thanks guys sorry for the long post! Dominic

As for the second sword.. Is this what is considered an improper mount?? What makes a mount improper? Whould this be a late war blade? Thus the reason for the lower quality? If it is a late war blade why does some late war blades like the type 44 guntos and the wooden NCO blades look better?? Wouldnt quality had become even worse than this? Lastly with the second blade.. if it is late war .. why would the leather be still in ok condition? Also i see that the handle had an improper tassle ring but the Kashira < end cap? Looks like it was once painted red and looks like there missing the Cherry blossom.. is this normal with late war blades? Also the sayas latch button looks weird.. is this just more evidence of late war quality or something someone has done? Thank you guys for the teaching me!! I cant wait to get my book lol.

So even though I let these go, I did recive a few additional photos that kinda made me glade i passed them by... but it did raise a few questions with me as well. Being new to collecting swords, closer pic has me doubting parts on these swords. The first sword with the metal saya the fitting look like solid copper. When i look at higher end swords the fittings around the Tsuba are almost aways painted as seen here on Ohmora's site http://ohmura-study.net/906.htmlThis has lead to belive that the first sword was tampered with and has had the fitting ether stripped and polished by the previouse owner or the fitting my be after market fakes??? Let me know what you guys think so I can hone in my knowledge!!

Thank you guys! And thank you Charlie for the list of books! And that is a beautiful type 44!! I do have a thing for the late war swords!! I guess I'm a military collector when it comes to swords. . There's so many different types and variations. I just thought the two I found for being machine made.. They still had a decent Harmon, signed, and arsenal markings on the opposite side, good wrappings and bright blades ( though the fittings on the first sword looks off to me). These blades are much better than some of later war machined blades from 43-45 that I've seen. And sadly most swords that I have found either was given to the kids to chop wood with, someone tryed to sharpen and put grind marks all over the blade or are super rusted. I do have a thing for machine blades as they did just as well on the front lines and served there owners well. But then again I do recognize I'm still new to this and have much to learn. In the mean time I'll just keep studying and learning! Thank you for all your help!! Dominic.

Ok I'll wait, I didn't mean to offend. And I wasn't trying to ignore anyone advise... I just love WWII Japanese military equipment and I usually collect the type 99s and bayonets. I actually love the type 95 NCO swords over the type 98 blades dispite them being machine made. I'll save my money I just figured these were better than the NCO swords I'm after with them being signed blades and semi-machine made. And I know that the navy blades are stainless steel, I just love the IJN.. I study it quite extensively. It's just that I've never considered getting into collecting the swords until recently. And with all the Chinese fakes out there I've always just avoided them outright. While the traditional blades get all the love they rightfully deserve, I sorta always had a soft spot for the WWII blades. Btw.. What are some credible sites to buy from? Also when it comes to WWII Japanese blades.. What books would you guys recommend?? Thanks always Dominic

Ok I was committed to getting both but now I may wait .. I would still like to get one of them (maybe the leather one? They first sword looks like it's been messed with..and the leather one seems more cleaner and period correct) and save the rest of the money for a better sword then. I just haven't found anything cheaper! I every thing I've found is is in the 2000~3000 range . Right now that it way out of my price range. I did find some Navy mounts in the 1000s. One has gold fittings and the other silver. Both with the navy stamp on the tang but with single belt mounts, not your normal two. Are navy swords any good? And what are these star stamped swords? Thanks for your guys help! Dominic!