ChrisW

My advice would be to take it to a proper Nihonto show near you and get opinions on it from people there. Looking at a blade in hand is always better than pictures over the internet.

I doubt the parts present are worthwhile to use on another blade. The habaki (blade collar) is made to fit that particular sword as is the tsuka. The only transferable part for certain is the sarute. The blade itself is very much abused but appears to be solid, if its traditionally made then it is likely worth a polish. The only way that can be found out is by having a window (small polished area) done to see what the hamon is like.

First impression, 3 and 4 are my personal favorites.

Sheesh! I wish I could find these sorts of things just laying about. Its absolutely crazy to think that they'd end up in the trash! Also really saddening to think how many antique blades have met their end this way.

That's a seki stamp in the first picture I think. My gunto has that same mark, so yes... WWII blade.

Indiana here.

I live in the midwest so I tend to clean off old oil/re-oil four times a year, as I do much the same for firearms. Do try to keep any oil away from wood, as it can soak in and compromise the integrity of the wood! My father learned that the hard way years ago. He had an old double-barrel Ithaca whose stock shattered after years of oil soaking into the wood.

Eh... no idea. Perhaps the old saying of "a fool and his money are soon parted"? Seems a few people were fighting over it and someone had a stupid amount of disposable income.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/wwII-Japanese-Army-officer-sword-ORIGINAL-SCREW-gunto-old-antique-part-L1/113447289924?hash=item1a69fc4444:g:8QoAAOSwcN1aWSdO There you go! Best I could find. Sadly from that samurai monkey guy.. so ugh. Probably shouldn't have. But its unfortunately all I found.. further proof of him parting out swords/parting together.

Ah, I see! So basically what I've done is for display purposes only. Does iaido make use of wakizashi and tanto sized-blades though? Or is it more restricted to katana?

Thank you for sharing this with us Piers!

Horrendously sad. People are their own masters of course... but there is something to be said for lineage and tradition.

Still very well-carved I think!

@Bruce Ah, the overall slenderness of the nakago and the fact that there are three mekugi-ana. Just have never seen it on a WWII blade before. But thanks guys! That clears this one up. And I think it is likely machi-okuri because there's a clear demarcation where the habaki was lower on the nakago.

What explains the fact that its cut down? Showa 18 places it as a WWII blade if so. Is it a mumei that was bought and cut down for use in the war? So strange.

Let's make sure people have awareness of his downright destructive practices so we can spare people from costly frauds!

There's some kind of build-up of dust in the signature. I think it might be possibly flour? Any way to safely remove this without harming the mei?

That looks pretty awesome to me!

Hey guys, Got another blade here. I think this one is mid-1800's but I am unsure. I'd love a translation of the smith and what I believe to be the date? The nakago is really slender compared to the guntos I have, so I think this one is earlier. It appears to be o-suriage as it has an area that clearly was where the habaki was lower. It has three mekugi-ana though, which are all clustered rather closely together. The current habaki has been somewhat butchered sadly and is missing the 'flanges' that flank either side of the blade. Sadly, much of the geometry is eroded but there is definitely enough meat there to have it polished and brought back... if it's worthy of that luxury. If you want pictures of the rest of the blade, feel free to ask! It does have a shirasaya so there's no worry for that. The blade-edge measures approx. 25 1/2 inches. P.S. I apologize for my still-amateur photography skills.

Ah, should I go ahead and turn them around? I've left the sword pretty much as I got it. I wonder if the last owner fiddled around with it, seems to be the case.

Thanks for the input Bruce! I did state earlier though, that the tassel is not original to it. I just had it laying about and display it with this as its the only gunto I have that can be displayed with it. Forgive me for that, I should have left it out of the picture. As for the second hanger, I did notice that it slides right off and nothing is actually securing it but pressure so it may not be original either... however the top hanger is much the same way. Perhaps the previous owner had a spare hanger and simply slid it on? I've no idea on that. Or it could be personalized by the official that owned it originally. And I know next to nothing about wartime fittings, so anything you can share is very much appreciated! It would be a crazy coincidence that I actually found and put a proper tassel on it. Honestly, I just thought it looked nice and had put it on there.

The third picture is a blade made from damascus and therefore not Japanese in the slightest.

Well, despite him being low-rank, the blade does appear to be of good quality. I'll have to let someone with more experience than myself handle it to be sure though.

Thanks Steve! I finally have a name to put to this blade. Could I be a bother and ask people for information about this guy? I searched the site and there's precious little information on him, only one thread from 2012.

No, the + appears near the very tip of the nakago. Its very small. But yes, I thought that the marking in the 4th picture was a seki stamp.