Mark C

Hi All, I have several Gunto's with leather covers over the saya and wondered if you guys treat the leather or leave well alone? Any suggestions greatly appreciated All the best Mark

Hi All, I've owned most of the colors mentioned above but find this one interesting. It's a gunto with sharks skin ( I think ) covered saya painted the normal chocolate brown. It has a loose leather saya cover as well. All the best Mark

Nice one Bruce, Never seen a gunto saya liner like that, Very intersting. Does the inner one slide out of the outer? Keep looking to get one myself but they seem to command a high price here in the UK. Mark

Hi Dave, I get what your saying but it doesn't account for the original guilding on the inside surfaces of both piercings. I don't think this has been made with one piercing and then modified to suit another set of mounts/fittings unless they went through the guilding process on the new piercing. All the best Mark

Hi All, This tsuba is mounted on a Kanetsugu gunto (Maekawa Kanetsugu) I think it's nothing special, Probably late war production but I've not seen anything like it before. It has two seppa either side and the one closest to the tsuba also have the same sort of thing. The holes have not been put in after manufacturing as the guilt is on the inner surfaces. Your thoughts would be greatly appriciated. All the best Mark

Hi All, Mei picture just for reference. As usual, comments always welcome. Mark PS Apologies, can't seem to turn the picture no matter what I do

Hi Luis, Could be Hiratoshi saku but I'm normally way off All the best Mark

Hi All, I knew there wouldn't be a straight forward answer and I will never know what it means although you guys have given me a few possibilities. I don't believe it's a Showa-to as there is no stamps, Two mei signature of Masayuki (as shown in Military swords section) Although the polish isn't great it has sort of wild Hamon with Nie and sunagasi. Sadly I can't make out the Hada. Anyways, Many thanks for your thoughts, greatly appreciated. All the best Mark C

I thought assembly marks but that doesn't make sence. all the seppa and the tsuba are marked with the number 0650

Hi Everyone, Anyone got ay ideas as to the meaning of or seen these marks before please? Many thanks Mark C

Hi All, Apologies for the reply time delay, I had to go away and read a bit more. I have finally got a picture of the Mei in question. The blade is covered in something like Renaissance wax so details are just visible but impossible to capture with the camera. Nagasa = 65cm Hamon = gunome midare Hada = I think Itame/masame Mei is simular to the one George Trotter discuses here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12557-gendai-tanto-by-sunaga-masayuki/?hl=masayuki In Gunto mounts, Pieced tsuba and a sharks skin (I think) laquered saya with a leather saya cover. All the best Mark C

Hi Rayhan, Apologies for the delay in answering, Yes, As in Kiyomaro. All the best Mark

Thank you Rayhan, This helps my research a great deal. May I use the Mei pic for my research file? Just need to find a 2 character mei example pic of MAS1453 Again, Many thanks Mark C

Thank you Rayhan, Just need to find an example now. Mark C

Hi Everyone, I have a 'stamped' mei Masayuki but my question is, Did Masayuki also sign using a two character signature using the normal means (not stamped) Many thanks in advance. All the best Mark C

Hi Kevin, If you can get to the Motorcycle Museum (NEC) this Sunday, there is a military fair that The Northern Token Society stalls at plus plenty of other knowledgeble people. Bring it along and show them. All the best Mark

Hi All, The hagire in my Wakizashi hasn't gone through the hamon but it is certainly Fatal.

I have a Wakizashi in nice koshirae with two hagire but it is still in my collection. Worth very little money - Yes Does the hagire make it a bad sword - No, as I have a good idea as to how the hagire happened. It was purchased with the Mune almost flat from hammer blows, Probably used to split logs so it was always a risk. So it's failure was due to missuse. Would I purchase/take a risk on another - No Mark C

Hi Steve, Very interesting, found something very simular in Slough's page 98 All the best Mark C

Hi Tom, My guess is: Seki Ju Kojima Kanenori Saku. Mark C

Hi, I would have a guess at: Motte yasu Gi Ko Kitau Kore (forged this with Yasugi steel). Is there anything on the other side? P.S - Please sign your posts with your name (Board rules) Mark C

Hi Kris, I will have a go: Showa 18, 8th month (Aug 1943) Mei - Yoshiaki Of course I could be way off, Usually am Mark C

Done, $50 on it's way. Mark C

Hi George, This info is great. Many thanks for looking him up for me. All the best Mark

Hi All, Trying to do some research on a particular swordsmith. The swordsmith in question is Mitsuhiro. I have a Katana (Gendiato, I think) with a mei of “Hizen Kuni Mitsuhiro” There are no stamps or no date on the nakago. Some pictures of hada and hamon in this thread http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/25529-hada-help/ He is listed in Sloughs page 112 Real name of Yamaguchi Fukutaro Born 1898 Studied under Kurihara Hikosaburo (Akihide) as a part time student. I would like to try and find out when he became fully trained if possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated. All the best Mark C