Looking For Information About A World War 2 Sword

[Dennis Smith]

This sword was brought home by my father during WW2.   I would appreciate any information that I can get about it.  From studying pictures on the internet I believe it is Type 3 Emura or Nagamitsu.  Can anyone tell from my poor photography if I guessed right?

 

 

 

 

I would like to remove the tsuka to see if there are stamps or signature, but the screws are partially covered by the ito.   They are very stiff and do not move.  Can anyone advise me how are the screws removed in a case like this?

 

 

 

 

 

This is the tassle.   It's my understanding that this signifies a company grade naval officer's sword.  Is that right?

 

 

 

 

Everything I've seen about the Emura and Nagamitsu swords say the scabbard is made of either metal or wood.  This scabbard has a wood core with metal liner.   The metal liner is wrapped with an outer covering.    Does anyone know what this outer covering is?  Is the crack where the covering was wrapped together?

 

 

This is with the scabbard mouth removed:

 

 

This is the sword owner's picture and I.D. card.   A friend told me that the card is a driver's licence, issued from Manchuria China, 12 March 1944.  The man's name was Seiichi Hamada.   He was in the Sakakura Division 737 of the Navy.  Born December 11, 1921.   He either died on New Georgia Island or in the Philippines.  My father could have told me but I didn't have enough sense to ask.    According to the issue date on the card, it must have been in the Philippines, as the U.S. invaded in 1944-1945.  

 

 

 

This is the other side of the card.  I hope i have it turned right side up.

 

 

 

 

Many thanks in advance for any information anyone can provide about this sword!

 

[cabowen]

It will never be known for certain who made the sword until the handle is removed. It is usually possible to push the wrap slightly to the side around the heads of the screws to remove them. You can start pushing the wrap from the ends to try and realign it enough to get the screws out. Just be careful....

 

Having said that, Nagamitsu blades are often found in this mounts, but so are others....

[johnnyi]

Hello Dennis and group, please you and the group forgive me for not having any pertinent information to offer; but nonetheless I'm compelled to say how much I particularly enjoyed the way your questions were posed with these fine pictures and interesting story. Now to sit back and read what I'm sure will be some good answers.  Regards, John Irwin

[Kai-Gunto]

Its a type 3 army sword with army company grade tassel.

[george trotter]

The side of the licence (with photo) says (reading right column first):

No. 61

Vehicle licence

Manchuria district 737 Saka? kura? (Sakagura?)

Army superior private (Rikugun Jotohei) Hamada Seiichi

Born Taisho 10 year 12 month 11 day (1921/Dec/11)

 

The front of the licence is dated Showa 19 year 3 month 12 day (1944 /Mar/12).

 

Because his rank is Superior Private the sword may not be his....BUT, it also may be a document he still had on him after he was promoted, but I don't think so as his rank in 1944 was still Superior Private.. I don't know promotion procedures for WWII Japanese Army, so you'd have to check to see if a Private could become an Officer.

 

The sword will be handmade in my opinion. Those fittings usually contain a good sword...possibly with a star stamp on the tang.

 

If you are careful and use a PROPER correct blade screwdriver (not with a 'V' shape tip but a parallel sided tip), and one that is just slightly less than the width of the screw slot...it should turn without damage to the lacquered binding (although as Chris said, you can try to carefully press the binding back into correct alignment).

Please don't dismantle everything like that throat piece...not necessary and you lose or damage a part and you can't get replacements. Please put the tassel back on EXACTLY as it was ...make sure the original folds are re-used so it is original placement again (sorry...just my historical preference for originality coming out)....those tassels are rare on the Type 3 fittings.

Look forward to seeing who the maker is...nice sword, you are fortunate indeed.

Regards,.

[Brian]

As George said, and just to reiterate...these mounts almost always contain Gendaito (fully traditionally handmade swords) which are a cut above (excuse the pun) the regular mass produced arsenal swords. A decent find. It should be signed.

 

Brian

[Dennis Smith]

Many thanks to everyone for your answers to my questions.  

 

I'm glad to learn that it was an army sword and an army private as I could not fathom how a naval officer could have crossed paths with a corporal from 43rd Inf Div out in the muddy jungle.

 

One could speculate forever why Private Seiichi had an officer's sword.   Perhaps he was the ranking survivor of his company and was leading a banzai charge with his dead commanders sword.   The only people who know the answer are no longer able to tell us.

 

George, the tassel hung from the sword handle for many decades, standing in a closet in my parents house.   It had become so fragile that it was sort of crumbly to the touch, so I put it in a little box.  That's where the folds that you noticed came from.

 

 

 

I don't think the blade is traditionally made.  It shows no signs of grain (hada) nor temper line (hamon) that I can see.  I took several pictures of the blade, but the pictures did not turn out very good.  I will attempt to remove the tsuka some day when I'm feeling lucky.  Until then, caution is the better part of valor.

 

I hope someone can tell me what the material is on the scabbard.   One website said it's ray skin.  The material under the ito is also ray skin, right?  They sure don't look alike.  I've never seen a stingray, so I don't know if they have such vastly different textures.  

 

Again, many thanks for answering my questions and thanks to the owners for allowing me to ask my questions here.  Hurray for the internet!

 

 

 

[reeder]

Try easing the screws out and removing the handle. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[Brian]

I would bet it is traditionally made. There is too much info under that tsuka not to remove it.

The saya is covered in a textured pebbled laquer or paint type finish. The same as all of this pattern I guess. Wrapped in cloth/linen/whatever? first and then painted. Maybe someone knows the actual material but it is not rayskin. Under the tsuki-ito (wrap) is rayskin though, although in this case it may be synthetic rayskin.

 

Brian

[Dennis Smith]

You guys were right all along.  The tsuka came off easier than I expected.  

 

 

 

 

Anyone so kind as to translate this would have my humble graditude.   

 

 

 

Many thanks for everyone's help.

[cabowen]

Emura saku.....

[Stephen]

http://japaneseswordindex.com/emura.htm

[Dennis Smith]

Emura saku...  Thanks cabowen.   I have more studying to do now!  Emura had a sword factory at Okayama prison, right?  Somehow I can't imagine how that could work out!

[Dennis Smith]

Many Thanks Stephen!  

[Kai-Gunto]

Saya is made of Honoki wood an wrapped with somekind of thin skin. Then its heavy laqured in the color OD.

By the way, nice sword and great smith, congrats.

[Brian]

We told ya so.....

Nice result. Many say he is overrated, but the fact remains that their swords are decent Gendaito and the name makes this more desirable whether earned or not. I like his (their) swords, and it is a good find. Because you didn't pay for it, it may actually be worth having polished or restored.

 

Brian

[Dennis Smith]

The part of the blade under the brass habaki still shows the original polish.   It looks like the flat part (shinogi-ji) was mirror finished and the angled part (ji) had a matte finish.  

 

 

 

 

I would like to have it re-polished, if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  Can anyone recommend a good budget polisher in the U.S.?

[Stephen]

id consider this, its safe and good enough for a Emura or Nagamitsu.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12772-sword-polishing-service-in-Japan/

[Grey Doffin]

Every beginner who finds a sword wants to get it polished and I wish people here on NMB would stop encouraging this.  This sword is a good example.  It will cost $2,000 for a real polish and since we don't put polished swords back into their old koshirae, shira-saya, a tsunagi (wooden blade) and new habaki will be necessary also.  But people who collect Emura want them in the military mounts so it is unlikely all the expense will be recaptured once the owner decides to sell (and, most likely, he will at some point decide to sell, either because he loses interest or because he discovers how much more interesting than Emura Nihonto can be and opts to move up).  If you consider net profit or loss, this sword is much more valuable as is than it would be in polish.

Polish does nothing to preserve the blade; removing active red rust is all that is necessary for that.  I think the best advice for this or most any beginner is to take it slow, take the time to learn a whole lot more, and then, if he still wants the Emura polished, go for it.

Another reason for beginners to wait on polish is that beginners most always screw up polishes (I did; I bet you did also).  Not a terrible thing when we're talking about a lowly Emura but if this was a much better blade it would be a pity for it to have to suffer an extra polish for no good reason.

I know I'll take some grief for having written this but I'm convinced it is sensible advice.  Slow down Grasshopper; take the time to learn.

Grey

[Stephen]

five post after this and ill fallow Ron, if you want to polish it do it, just learn from Grey, do not ever expect to recoup cost, 

sold mine for 3K after the fact, markets change listen to your heart, i wouldn't say polish unless i thought youd not be happy with this or Chris's Nagamitsu which is rusting away.

[Dennis Smith]

I'm not a collector and never will be, with my measly income!  But I appreciate being told about the available options.   I'll never sell this sword because it was my dad's.  Having it polished would be a "nice thing to do", someday, maybe.  But it doesn't need an art polish, just a "near original" polish.   I wonder how much one of those costs?

[Brian]

In cases like this where the original cost was zero, I think a polish can be beneficial and rewarding. I love my Emura I got from Stephen way back. But you have to take your time and know what you are getting into, like Grey said. Just don't rush into a polish, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it...just get educated a bit on the process first.

I think there are a number of options for swords like this, and I am sure you will have some pm'ed to you.

Stick with a decent polisher, not some backyard butcher with a year experience. But there are some decent guys who can do a clean up who have been working for years. Most of the good ones will have a waiting list!

In the meantime you may want to pick up some decent uchiko powder and sword oil, and go through the routine a few times. Uchiko can help out of polish swords.

 

Brian

[Jamie]

You might start just by oiling it and cleaning it periodically. This will stop active corrosion, and some of it will come off.

Use good oil, like sewing machine oil.

 

Google nbthk sword etiquette and you'll see how to do it