lambo35

Translation please. This blade is a recent pick-up of my brother's. Many thanx!

Thanx Bruce, Thomas. Some of the other parts of the Hoten T38 carbine also have the He stamp, lacking the circle.

Did Mukden also make the T95-6 variation? The proof prior to the serial number on Jace's sword looks like a "He" proof used on Mukden, Manchuko, series 6 T38 carbines . Chuck.

Shouldn't the gold thick seppa lie against the two large di-seppa then the black seppa, and lastly the two thin seppa ?

Bruce, John, this set-up is a Bubba put together, I am the guilty Bubba. I was told the blade/saya combo were original to each other. The Tsuba/Di-seppa fit with each other and fit the blade with no fitting necessary. I knew the Tsuka was not correct and was Army, but it was gifted to me, so I fit and mounted it to the Nakago. I feel pretty confident that the parts that fit each other were for/from an incomplete war time Navy sword [s] that never made it totally together during WW2 and was, in all probability, assembled as a souvenir and came to the U.S. as such. Now to find a complete Navy Tsuka.

Bruce, the saya came with the bare blade in it. The two ashi came with the saya. The ashi have bare wood beneath them, the combat ashi was a little lose so I was able to wiggle it around to determine the that the black paint was applied after the ashi were fit. The T98 ashi had been cut on the back side so I was able remove it and determined that it was also fit before the saya was painted. The red paint between the two bands of the T98 ashi I am not sure about, it looks like it was applied at about the same time the black paint was, there was no black paint under the red, but, a previous owner put black paint over the red at a later time. Ii was able to rub off the over painted black with a rag and alcohol. The drag was also fit before the saya was painted John, that is not a bad idea. :<) The mekugi ana, on the right side had a round fiber type bushing with a hole in it, wedged in, the tsuka picture shows the bushing. Have you seen that before?

This blade came in the attached picture of the saya. Do you think they are war time or post war produced? The two small brass seppa were ebay pick ups, the Kabutogane was from a board member in Australia, the other Koshiare parts were purchased from shop in San Mateo, CA. in 2018. The shop owner stated that the blade in the saya were together when he picked them up, but, he does not remember when. The "sun ray" di-seppa and tsuba fit perfectly on the blade when I assembled the koshiare after fitting the tsuka to the nakago. What do you folks think about my original question?

Possibly a tape [scotch tape] residue stain? Can you "feel it" Chuck.

Thanx Thomas. I couldn't tell how I messed up the link.

The stamp on the blade in question looks [design] very much like the emblem on a SNLF green field cap. Chuck. https://www.gunboards.com/threads/Japanese-naval-field-caps-depot-or-makers-marks

Hi Bruce, just the late war Yokosuka Naval Special T99's. I believe they also made various ordnance items, ammunition etc. Try this link: http://pre98.com/shop/scarce-Japanese-naval-special-type-99-earlyproduction Hope it works :] it does. When you get to the Pre98 page look for the following link: "Gone but not forgotten", it is there.

The metal around the edges of the impression is rounded as though it were pushed down as in stamping. Maybe press stamping a very hot blade. Just my WAG! ps. How does it compare to stamps of the Yokosuka navel facilities/shipyard/factories?

Is it normal for the fonts on the saya to be different from those on the blade, the above looks to be different, blade from saya. Chuck.

I recently bought a tassel that is in frayed condition, it has the blue side/brown side strap but the tassels are all brown no blue. The two knot sliders are somewhat tapered, unlike I've seen on reproduction tassels. Any one seen this combination before?

Buy what you like, tempered by what you can afford. Sooner or later you will no longer be here, you will be gone and the collection will be dispersed. Do what you enjoy under the circumstances you are in, your life will probably have greater quality to you and you may even live longer.