IJASWORDS Posted October 16, 2018 Report Posted October 16, 2018 Going through my stuff, I decided to take close look at my KOTANI YASUNORI shin-gunto. It has a pierced tsuba, large nodule same on the tzuka, a cupped (dust cover) bottom seppa, AND surprisingly, an aluminium saya. My questions are, 1. was the aluminium saya an upgrade, as the rest of the koshirae looks like it was made as a high rank special order. 2. when was the aluminium saya available to officers? I assume the aluminium saya was lighter in weight, and was popular with officers in the field who wanted to carry a lighter sword. 3. has any member run into a YASUKUNI-TO with an aluminium saya? 1 Quote
ChrisW Posted October 16, 2018 Report Posted October 16, 2018 Can we see a picture of the blade itself too? And from what I see, the saya belongs to a Type 98 Gunto. Seems to be standard, but may be optional? Older NMB thread here: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/5787-gunto-with-aluminum-scabbard-opinions-and-translation-help/ Ohmura Study on Gunto Sayas here: http://ohmura-study.net/909.html Quote
IJASWORDS Posted October 16, 2018 Author Report Posted October 16, 2018 Thanks for the links Chris. I still need guidance relating to YASUKUNI-To in aluminium saya specifically. Photos of blade attached. 1 Quote
BANGBANGSAN Posted October 16, 2018 Report Posted October 16, 2018 Neil I think aluminium saya was lighter and more expensive than the meatl saya.Your sword has higher grade fitting and the colonel tassle ,I assume it was custom order rather than standard. Very nice! Quote
BANGBANGSAN Posted October 16, 2018 Report Posted October 16, 2018 Neil I asked few of my friends who own Yasukuni sword,most of saya was metal,rarely has aluminium saya.They also think aluminium saya specail order . Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted October 16, 2018 Report Posted October 16, 2018 Aluminium was a vital resource during the war, it would've been an expensive upgrade. My only aluminium Saya has high quality mounts with pierced Tsuba, Mon & Koto blade. 2 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted October 16, 2018 Report Posted October 16, 2018 Neil, Do you have a year on that gunto? I'm posting an article by Nick Komiya on the use of aluminum to replace nickle and copper in awards/medals and coins. The shortages hit them hard by 1941 and aluminum began being used. http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/anyone-care-rinji-seishiki-contingency-spec-badges-677442/ Personally, considering the weight of a gunto, I would have preferred the aluminum saya to a steel one, so I could see guys paying for the aluminum. I have not heard nor read anything that talks of it though. Quote
IJASWORDS Posted October 17, 2018 Author Report Posted October 17, 2018 Hey Bruce, it is dated June 1942. Quote
Shamsy Posted October 17, 2018 Report Posted October 17, 2018 Aluminium was a vital resource during the war, it would've been an expensive upgrade. My only aluminium Saya has high quality mounts with pierced Tsuba, Mon & Koto blade.I too believe aluminium saya were considered an upgrade. My mantetsu has one and it probably has the nicest koshirae I've seen on one. However, I don't necessarily think aluminium scarcity made it expensive. I'm no metallurgist (lucky I know one), but I'm pretty certain it would be more difficult to fabricate, as steel would be welded pretty simply but aluminium (again not an expert) cannot be welded. So wouldn't it be more difficult to produce a non-standard item with aluminium than steel? After all, steel would just be a sheet, measured, cut and welded. Please correct me if I'm wrong in my thinking. For the third time, no expert. Quote
Bazza Posted October 17, 2018 Report Posted October 17, 2018 I imagine (no expert here either) that an aluminium saya might be drawn and therefore seamless, rather than have two pressed halves welded or soldered... Is there a metallurgist in the House??? BaZZa. Quote
Redhorse Posted October 17, 2018 Report Posted October 17, 2018 I'm no metallurgist (lucky I know one), but I'm pretty certain it would be more difficult to fabricate, as steel would be welded pretty simply but aluminium (again not an expert) cannot be welded. Aluminum can be welded in a number of ways. Gas welding aluminum has been around since the early 1900s. Today we generally MIG and TIG weld it. While it is more difficult for me to weld, experienced aluminum welders don't have a problem. 3 Quote
Volker62 Posted June 9, 2024 Report Posted June 9, 2024 Abe Yasushige aluminium saya sarute textile leight weight 1 3 Quote
John C Posted June 9, 2024 Report Posted June 9, 2024 Is that a suya stamp on the seppa? John C. Quote
Volker62 Posted June 9, 2024 Report Posted June 9, 2024 "suya stamp" on the Tsuba only all is marked with number 724 3 1 Quote
John C Posted June 9, 2024 Report Posted June 9, 2024 Ah. Thanks. I thought this may have been a mark also. John C. 1 Quote
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