Battara

Great. Ok a leather covering ad a simple steal band. Would it improve the value if I replaced it with a new simple steal band?

Thank you folks. This was another possibility I forgot about - a combat leather cover. So no fuchi gane at the throat either I gather. What belonged there then?

Greetings folks, Been a while since I last posted. I received a shin gunto with an unsigned blade (I'm sure machine made) and with a black lacquered says. One can see the wear at the bottom of the scabbard and it is missing a fuchi gane at a throat. Is this normal? Could this be some sort of marine piece? Any help on this piece would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Greetings folks, Been a while since I last posted. I have an army officer's sword given to me by a friend. Would it be wrong to add an army tassel to it (below general rank) or leave it as is, tassel-ess?

One other thought/question that I hesitantly ask: Could this possibly be a kamikaze dagger? Yes too many shira saya tantos out there are claimed to be kamikaze, but again in Fuller and Gregory's work, there is an example of such a dagger with a blade nearly identical to mine. Also, if it were a cut down blade, wouldn't the tang be more squared off like other ones reused as daggers?

Bruce you have a good point. It is probably more like a tanto in shira saya mounts, though the scabbard is missing. Thank you both for you help. What got me confused is that I have seen similar examples in Fuller's book with nearly identical blade profiles.

Greetings folks. This is my first post over on this part of the forum. I got this little aikuchi in a lot of several pieces of US and Filipino origin, including this Japanese piece. I think this is a WWII made aikuchi for an officer. The hamon looks oil tempered to me, and it is mumei. What are your thoughts? Thank you in advance.

I may take you up on this. Would these blades fit any kozuka? Would they together fit any Wakizashi? Jose C

Greetings folks! I lurked here a little and heard of this forum for a while. I used to be on the Nihonto section of the now nearly dead International Sword Forum. Since that died, I've been looking for where everyone moved. It seems to be here where the knowledgeable people are. Great. I bought a few books, did some research, seen true nihonto in an exhibition or two. Since then, I now have a WWII army gunto katana (given to me) and a wakizashi (Muromachi) and a tanto (1800s) that I traded restoration work for. I have always been interested in nihonto but was afraid to purchase until I had some research and understanding under my belt. My main interest is Philippines weaponry. However I also have love of mokume hada (which I find more among koto blades). So yes I am a newbie, but learned enough so far to know what I want and love most. And BTW - I made my first nihonto seppas for my wakizashi. Domo arigato and maraming salamat! Jose C. (aka Battara)

Many thanks folks. Very helpful information. I will take my time and look on both your sites. Grey I can get to your site, but what is Mark's site? By the way, I've seen some real and fakes ones. Big difference!

Greetings folks, This is my first post on this forum. I recently acquired a Muromachi wakazashi but it is missing the kogatana. What would be your recommendations to find a real kogatana of the same period? Thank you in advance. Jose