Attention Mantetsu Owners: A Survey

[Bruce Pennington]

I would call it very dark brown. But again, I don’t have it in hand either. There are black ones, and while they are not as common, there does not seem to be any significance to them, unless everything else has been painted black. We have many example of those. But even those, we do not know the significance.

[Rawa]

Dunno if Bruce got this one.

 

https://ebay.us/m/16TcNL

 

[Bruce Pennington]

4 hours ago, Rawa said:

if Bruce got this one.

Interesting.  Yes, It's on file, but from a year ago, April 2025.  Maybe he didn't get his reserve the first time.  Thanks Marcin!

[Giantmalamute2003]

[Conway S]

Hello Jerald, 

 

Does your sword have koshirae or is it just the blade? Can you post a photo of the full length of the nakago? 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks, @Giantmalamute2003 Jerald!  I assume you already know, but just in case - Spring 1939, Kao Isshin Mantetsu made; serial RO 429.

 

I'd love some shots of the blade and fittings, as well, if you don't mind.

[Scogg]

I wonder what could have chewed up the Nakago like that. 

I can not imagine why something like that would be done intentionally.

Wartime damage perhaps? Would love to see more of the sword.
-Sam

[Rawa]

On 7/3/2025 at 3:19 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

Thus the chart now has "RA" in '41, but with a footnote: (note: Pasting the chart on the NMB site causes spacing distortion)

1941 WA ワ KA カ YO ヨ TA タ RE レ SO ソ TSU ツ NE ネ NA ナ	WA 6 -S WA 134S WA 158S WA 175S WA 231S WA 238S WA 638S	KA 89-S KA 228-S KA 232-S KA 236-S KA 238-S KA 275-S KA 353-S KA 405-S KA 458-S	YO 11 YO 57-S YO 122-S YO 150-S YO 162-S YO 234 YO 320-S YO 349-S YO 350-S YO 352-S	TA 24-S TA 68-S TA 127-S TA 181-S TA 287-S TA 298-S TA 277-S TA 305-S TA 313-S TA 336-S	RE 6-S RE 71-S RE 153-S RE 193-S RE 347-S RE 413-S RE 409-S RE 476-S RE 524-S	SO 25-S SO 66-S SO 185-S SO 216-S SO 219-S SO 231-S SO 257-S SO 308-S SO 453-S SO 482-S SO 564-S SO 574-S SO 620-S SO 630-S SO 718-S	Tsu 29-S Tsu 95-S Tsu556-S Tsu 198S Tsu 254S Tsu 438S Tsu 573S Tsu 575S Tso 601S Tsu 651S	NE 2-S NE 26-S NE 144-S NE 347-S NE 384-S NE 396-S NE 401-S NE 414-S	NA 5-S NA 124-S NA 106-S NA 184-S NA 232-S NA 354-S NA 377-S NA 379-S Na 383-S NA 484-S NA 573-S NA 574-S NA 716-S	RA 222-S#	? 218 ? 283 ?xxx Filed off.Bohi
1942 RAラ MUム U ウ WIヰ NOノ O オ* KUク YAヤ MAマ	RA 7(?)-S RA 100-S RA 341-S RA 495-S RA 768-S RA 820-S RA 823-S RA 858-S RA 934-S RA 984-S RA1027S RA1030S RA1071S RA1162S RA1196S RA1232S RA1256S RA1333S RA1356S	Mu 87-S Mu 89-S Mu213-S Mu528-S Mu555-S Mu595-S Mu637-S Mu705-S	U 20-S U 70-S U 99-S U 255-S U 357-S U 414-S U 481-S U 592-S U 703-S U 704-S U 1593-S	NO 34-S NO 273-S NO 302-S NO 430-S NO 474-S NO 493-S NO 533-S NO 730-A	Ku 33-A Ku 101-A Ku 327-A Ku 452-A Ku 466-A Ku 471-A Ku 560-A Ku 878-A Ku 897-A Ku 947-A Ku1020A Ku1087A Ku1200A Ku1226A Ku1327A	YA 72-A YA 79-A YA 201-A YA 246-W YA 350-A YA 353-A YA 417-A YA 475-A YA 505-A YA 608-A YA 622-A YA 623-A YA 677-A YA 702-A YA 710-A YA 736-A YA 957-A YA1048-A	Ma 77-A Ma 78-A				? 26-S ? 345-S ? 483-S ? 529-S ? 744-S ノ???-A

 

 

1942? 143. Nice condition.

Edited Friday at 04:33 AM by Rawa

[Bruce Pennington]

7 hours ago, Rawa said:

1942? 143.

Yes,

Autumn 1942, Ku 347 Koa Isshin stamped "143."

Thanks!

[Rawa]

6 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Yes,

Autumn 1942, Ku 347 Koa Isshin stamped "143."

Thanks!

So new example afterall. Great.

[Conway S]

Found the above Spring 1939 posted by GiantMalamute on EBay here: Spring 1939 Mantetsu

 

Note the shape of the nakago jiri and the hamon. Although, I can’t tell if the hamon’s appearance is the result of some post-war fiddling. 

[Bruce Pennington]

47 minutes ago, Conway S said:

the shape of the nakago jiri and the hamon.

Good eye there, Con!  There might have been a little more experimentation in the first couple of years.  Photos for later when the link goes dead:

 

[John C]

Jerald posted those pics here on April 16th - slighly larger versions, that is.

 

John C.