Probable Stainless Steel Gunto

[ChrisW 457]

Hey all!

 

I picked up this number with another katana about a week ago. After looking at ohmura (http://ohmura-study.net/212.html), I believe this to be "anti-rust gunto," the kind made with chromium alloyed steel during the wartime. I think this one is signed Takeyasu.

 

Some measurements:

 

Nagasa: 64.5 cm.   Sori: 1.7 cm.

Moto-haba: 3.3 cm.  Saki-haba: 2.5 cm. 

Moto-gasane: 0.8 cm.  Saki-gasane: 0.6 cm.

 

 

Please let me know if my assumptions are correct and what the probable age is. I know he lived well after the war ended, but I don't know if he was still creating after the war. I'd love to hear anything you guys may know or can glean from the pictures! I think its a fairly gorgeous blade, despite not being made entirely traditionally!

 

~Chris

 

P.S. As for the pictures, I did not take them. The seller did! There are small scratches here and there, but thankfully nothing that detracts from it seriously.

[IJASWORDS 2,189]

You are correct in your assumption about "anti-rust" blade. 

[Bruce Pennington 2,572]

Many officer blades come with a date on the other side from the smith's name. If yours doesn't have one, it's not really possible to say. If you know the smith, some of them died during the war. So if you have a date of his death, you'd be able to say it was made "no later than ...".

[Dave R 1,141]

You are correct in your assumption about "anti-rust" blade. 

 

 Which means a Showa-To and so made no later than the end of the war!

[ChrisW 457]

Thanks guys! Now I just need to dig up some information about this Takeyasu guy, information on him is somewhat sparse. Its a very pretty blade regardless!

[IJASWORDS 2,189]

Hey Chris, is there an anchor stamp any where on the tang? 

[ChrisW 457]

No, just the three kanji that translate to "Made by Takeyasu" ->  "Takeyasu saku"