loiner1965

cheers george, cannot find much info on this smith

thank you

hope everyone had a wonderful christmas... can one of our learned members please comfirm this mei as watanabe masanobu or if i got it wrong...any info on this seki smith

think you are correct.....if you look closely after i cleaned the blade up abit you can see traces of what looks like chrome in the blood groove ( opologies for calling it this as my brain as had a malfunction at the min and the real term escapes me lol) whatever been used was effective in removing 99% of the finish....the blade is upright at the min as i left oil to trickle inside the habiki as its stuck solid etc....do not think they will be chrome underneath but its a shame to damage fittings by neglect

this site is valuable in its experience members who will help you but look at the links at top of the page as loads of info there

read here http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_002.htm

seen that too george but its not magnetic

sword arrived as description as follows typical nco style blade with blood groove along mune and it is aluminium. tang looks suspect on the pics i posted on the forum but its absolutely fine. tang file marks are present but not as neat as normally done but are present and on both sides. there is a number 15 stamped into the metal on the tang....serial / identification ? now an aluminium blade is no good for fighting and aluminium was a scarce precious metal in wartime Japan so is this a gunto or iaito sword would a iaito sword have file marks? can understand a blood groove as they make a sword swish when swung ....it as a cat scratch habiki which is stuck on at the moment but i have seen these present on guntos as well. what do everyone think this sword is? i can see it being a parade sword but its quite long too. not measured properly but its roughly 28 inches long not including the tang why have 2 mekugi anas instead of the usual 1 ? blade not chrome plated but just bare aluminium? oooppps....most inportant it is fully sharpened all along the blade

here are some pics i received....not the best looker ...tang looks strange but will see when it arrives. is it steel / aluminium / chinese copy but i think not the later but will see [/img] Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us Uploaded with ImageShack.us

could be as said above as total length is 39 inches

the shop does make mistakes with these swords as i commented to them on some chinese fakes before, they do not do it intentionally and are a good company to deal with... here is the sales blurb he sent me....Japanese ww2 sword blade rare late war ersatz blade in aluminium. untouched with some random staining 974mm long including tang he sent me a pic but its on other pc....it looks standard showato with single groove to boshi and ile marks to tang...nice cat scratch habiki lol i reckon its a copy or steel machine blade....magnet ready anyway lol

a mate bought it online as a rare aluminium showato blade. posted it to me to look at....maybe iai blade but who knows? will find out when it arrives

did they make gunto swords in aluminium as i have one on route to look at....

interested what you find on this smith as also have a hand made seki stamped katana by him too...hopefully should be still in the board archives if you do a search

many many thanks morita san

i do not mind having a go at trying to decipher kanji but this type of script if genuine baffles me.........many thanks http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/832/517124i.jpg/

ny personal opinion means nothing as my knowledge of nihonto is rather limited but on this forum we have some of the worlds best in that subject.....all for free. if they say walk away then please heed their advice....sometimes our hearts rule our heads

the kashima sisters have always been very helpful and quick to reply everytime i asked for advice or answers

i am sure this ebay seller is or was a member on here and if my memory serves me right he is not one of those misleading sellers etc......ok guy i believe

if you cannot locate choji oil i am sure most members here recomment light oil...ie sewing machine oil is sufficient

nice blade....certainly seen some action with the big chips on the edge

i like these slightly heated debates as it brings out vasts amounts of valuable knowledge thrown across to each other like touche....way over my head may i add but highly valuable

if i wanted to buy a decent nihonto rather than the guntos that i have which i am pleased about and cherish, my first port of call would be the members on here for advice.... i would certainly not go against their advice or not heed it. not saying you did but just posting for future collectors to listen to experience.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/68 ... 575ef.jpg/ replied to another thread here about kanetoshi , can somene comfirm my mei please and wether authentic as i do not want to lead or confuse the other member. this blade as been polished and as a nice suguhu hamon...ko-itame grain and a nice featherd / hakikki boshi. its definately handmade but i dare not or cannot comfirm traditionally made. also as a nice hot stamp possibly buddist related and seki stamped too

here is my kanetoshi mei http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/68 ... 575ef.jpg/ it also as a hot stamp at the bottom to