Please Help With Sword Identification - Presumed Military

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Oliver,

Here is a link to a care and etiquette site that will tell you how to keep the sword:

http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

And for the time being, until you know a lot more about Nihonto than you now do, resist all urging and any inclination you have to get these restored.  Proper restoration of the sword will be expensive (improper restoration will be a disaster) and you don't know enough to appreciate the work or keep it pristine.  Restoration isn't necessary and does nothing for preservation; the sword is fine without it.  Keep a light coat of oil on the polished part of the blade, handle it properly, and maybe someday in the future you'll want to do more and you might even know what makes sense then.

Grey

[Bruce Pennington]

Oliver,

 

If you haven't found it already, the Ohmura Study site is a fabulous place to learn a great deal about Japanese war swords and dirks. Here's a link directly to the pages on dirks http://ohmura-study.net/971.html

 

Like Garaint said, the 2 tassels on the dirk are legit, but don't belong there. The brown/blue one would go perfectly on the large sword, as it is Army. The all brown one is Navy, and while the dirk is Navy, they didn't wear tassels on them. If you plan to add to your collection (dangerous addiction to start you might keep the navy one as many swords on the market do not have them.

 

I should add that late-war army tassels were also all brown, but a different shade, and I don't have a firm grasp on differentiating between the 2, so it might be army too.

 

Enjoy!

[Stephen]

Well lots of options for you to pick from, cleaning the axle grease is not restoration, its preservation. you got some reading to do Oli

[wieble]

You have all been amazing! Such a nice helpful comminuty.

 

I will be going on the sites suggested by bruce, and grey as I do find these items fascinating, and am eager to find out more about their history.

 

I have a family friend who is an expert in antique arms and owns a shop, so I will take the items to him for some further advice. I agree with your comment Grey that I do not yet know how to properly care for these items, but I will do my research and take my time to make sure they are well cared for.

 

I shall keep you all updated and perhaps post i this forum before I make any decisions regarding proper preservation or restoration. I have no idea what these things are actually worth and whether it would even be worth having them restored.

 

Thanks again, I really appreciate all the comments from everyone.

[Stephen]

How long is it from tip to mune machi...the nagasa.

[wieble]

it is just shy of 34" from the tip to the bottom of the tang.

 

From the tip to the mune machi is measures a little less than 27"