loiner1965 Posted November 7, 2012 Report Posted November 7, 2012 did they make gunto swords in aluminium as i have one on route to look at.... Quote
Drago Posted November 7, 2012 Report Posted November 7, 2012 Never hoeard of that. I've seen some dull machines blades that might have looked like aluminum, but holding the sowrd will immediately tell you it's steel. Maybe an Iai blade? Those are made often from aluminum alloys. Quote
loiner1965 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Report Posted November 7, 2012 Never hoeard of that. I've seen some dull machines blades that might have looked like aluminum, but holding the sowrd will immediately tell you it's steel. Maybe an Iai blade? Those are made often from aluminum alloys. 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 Quote
Lance Posted November 7, 2012 Report Posted November 7, 2012 The only shin-gunto with aluminum blades I've ever seen in were basically modern unsharpened Iaito used as a tsunagi to hold a genuine set of mounts together, they were all listed by Japanese dealers possibly because non traditional Showa-to are Illegal to own but still more sword-like than a wooden blade, maybe it's one of these? Only aluminum parts I know of that were used on Showa era swords were aluminum saya for officer's swords and handles for NCO swords. I have come across western WW1- WW2 (European,American) aluminum swords and bayonets described as made for training but I don't know if Japan ever used them. Most old photos available that show any Japanese military training with swords looked to be traditional kendo(?) equipment Regards, Lance Quote
loiner1965 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Report Posted November 7, 2012 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 Quote
Rich S Posted November 7, 2012 Report Posted November 7, 2012 Look on the bright side, at least you won't have to worry about oiling it or rust if it's an aluminum blade :-) Rich S Quote
sanjuro Posted November 8, 2012 Report Posted November 8, 2012 Are aluminium sword blades the forerunner of the rubber bullet?????? Meant to intimidate but not inflict lasting harm. :D Yes, I know about Iaito.............. Quote
Stegel Posted November 8, 2012 Report Posted November 8, 2012 If it helps, i believe some parade sabres and dress swords were made of Aluminium, you can find them in the reference books such as Dawsons or Fullers. Recently the type 95 NCO prototype posting showed and Aluminium blade. Cheers Ernst Quote
loiner1965 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Report Posted November 8, 2012 could be as said above as total length is 39 inches Quote
george trotter Posted November 8, 2012 Report Posted November 8, 2012 Only aluminum parts I know of that were used on Showa era swords were aluminum saya for officer's swords and handles for NCO swords. Believe it or not I have seen a Type 98 shingunto with an aluminium habaki...The habaki was a very nice piece of work too...blade was so elegant I thought it was koto...until I saw the nakago...Showa period definitely...I can't remember the mei now. I've never heard of or seen an aluminium blade in any kind of Japanese sword...curious. Regards, Quote
Baka Gaijin Posted November 8, 2012 Report Posted November 8, 2012 Good afternoon all, If I recall, Japan Sword Company in Toranomon had modern made Shingunto and Kaigunto koshirae with Duralumin blades for sale in the late 1980's. Cheers Quote
Kai-Gunto Posted November 8, 2012 Report Posted November 8, 2012 Never seen a original Japanese alu blade in shin or kaigunto. Looking forward to the photos. Quote
sanjuro Posted November 8, 2012 Report Posted November 8, 2012 Japan Sword Company in Toranomon had modern made Shingunto and Kaigunto koshirae with Duralumin blades for sale in the late 1980's. May the Gods of nihonto forgive them! Quote
loiner1965 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Report Posted November 8, 2012 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 Quote
loiner1965 Posted November 9, 2012 Author Report Posted November 9, 2012 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 Quote
george trotter Posted November 9, 2012 Report Posted November 9, 2012 Steve, just saw your pics...is that rust on the blade and on the nakago?...if so, it cannot be aluminium can it? Also, I doubt if an aluminium blade can be sharpened and hold an edge like a steel blade...surely, being soft, it would have nicks. Just wondering. Regards, Quote
loiner1965 Posted November 9, 2012 Author Report Posted November 9, 2012 Steve,just saw your pics...is that rust on the blade and on the nakago?...if so, it cannot be aluminium can it? Also, I doubt if an aluminium blade can be sharpened and hold an edge like a steel blade...surely, being soft, it would have nicks. Just wondering. Regards, seen that too george but its not magnetic Quote
Nasher Posted December 18, 2012 Report Posted December 18, 2012 Could it be some sort of stainless? Some stainless has a very poor magnetic response. John N. Quote
Kai-Gunto Posted December 18, 2012 Report Posted December 18, 2012 Looks like iaito blade made of alu. Any fittings? Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted December 18, 2012 Report Posted December 18, 2012 It looks like a typical Zinc Alloy blade. When I tried removing the chrome layer on my Iai-To it looked the same. KM Quote
Kai-Gunto Posted December 18, 2012 Report Posted December 18, 2012 It looks like a typical Zinc Alloy blade. Indeed it is ,it was the zinc alloy blade I meant. Quote
loiner1965 Posted December 20, 2012 Author Report Posted December 20, 2012 It looks like a typical Zinc Alloy blade. When I tried removing the chrome layer on my Iai-To it looked the same. KM 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 Quote
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