Blade Translation Help

[YooperSkipper]

Hello all....I am a new member with little knowledge of Japanese swords.  I have a Japanese Katana sword that I inherited from my uncle who I believe brought it back from WWII.  I've been reading quite a bit about these swords with most of it being over my head!  I was told I needed to remove the handle to see if it was signed and was able to do so without damaging anything.  I would very much appreciate some help in translating the markings on both sides of the tang (see attached photos)?

 

[rebcannonshooter]

Good morning "YooperSkipper", your sword is a late ww2 army officer's sword.  The first picture of the tang is the date it was made Sho-Wa Ni-Ju Nen San Gatsu (march , 1945)  The last photo is the swordsmith's name,"Yoshi-Tada" . I'm sure you would have trouble trying to translate this, this guy's writing is really sloppy!

 

    Hope this helps,if you have any other questions just ask.    Tom M.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi, name please,

Here is a care and handling brochure, good to read:

http://nbthk-ab.org/cleaning-maintenance.html

Grey

[YooperSkipper]

Good morning "YooperSkipper", your sword is a late ww2 army officer's sword.  The first picture of the tang is the date it was made Sho-Wa Ni-Ju Nen San Gatsu (march , 1945)  The last photo is the swordsmith's name,"Yoshi-Tada" . I'm sure you would have trouble trying to translate this, this guy's writing is really sloppy!

 

    Hope this helps,if you have any other questions just ask.    Tom M.

 

 

Tom, thank you so much for your translation.....it is much appreciated.  Quick question:  I think I see what is referred to as a "Seki" stamp just above the smith's signature.  It is really hard to make out.  What does this signify?  Does this mean the sword was machine made?  Could it have been handmade by what is called non-traditional methods?  Another gentlemen who supposedly does appraisals told me my sword was handmade.  Your thoughts?

 

Thanks again, Phil M.

 

[YooperSkipper]

Hi, name please,

Here is a care and handling brochure, good to read:

http://nbthk-ab.org/cleaning-maintenance.html

Grey

 

 

Thanks much Grey!

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Phil,

That is a Seki arsenal stamp, which tells us that your sword is machine steel (not traditional) and that the sword was made by machine and someone who had little or no training as a swordsmith.  This would not be considered handmade, although a bunch of people used their hands in its production.

Cheers,  Grey

[YooperSkipper]

Hi Phil,

That is a Seki arsenal stamp, which tells us that your sword is machine steel (not traditional) and that the sword was made by machine and someone who had little or no training as a swordsmith.  This would not be considered handmade, although a bunch of people used their hands in its production.

Cheers,  Grey

 

Grey,

 

Are you saying Yoshitada was not an accomplished swordsmith?  Here I thought I had a real treasure on my hands!  LOL!!! 

 

Thanks, Phil

[Bruce Pennington]

Phil,

Your gunto is the Contingency model, formulated from the Type 98 officer gunto. Originated in 1938, but didn't hit the streets until 1940. Often called the "late war" because they most commonly have '44 blades in them for some reason. You can read more about them here: http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/deflating-another-myth-type-3-army-officera-s-sword-expanded-version-584796/

 

The stamp, like Grey indicated means the blade was not made "in the traditional way", which could mean any of 8 different ways. The smith making it might very well have been skilled, but due to the demand of needing hundreds of thousands of swords for the war, most were made, even by skilled smiths, in non-traditional, ways that expidited mass production. Many skilled smiths would still produce a traditional blade now and then.

[YooperSkipper]

Phil,

Your gunto is the Contingency model, formulated from the Type 98 officer gunto. Originated in 1938, but didn't hit the streets until 1940. Often called the "late war" because they most commonly have '44 blades in them for some reason. You can read more about them here: http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/deflating-another-myth-type-3-army-officera-s-sword-expanded-version-584796/

 

The stamp, like Grey indicated means the blade was not made "in the traditional way", which could mean any of 8 different ways. The smith making it might very well have been skilled, but due to the demand of needing hundreds of thousands of swords for the war, most were made, even by skilled smiths, in non-traditional, ways that expidited mass production. Many skilled smiths would still produce a traditional blade now and then.

 

Thanks Bruce I'll check it out!

[Ken-Hawaii]

Phil, while you're at it, please go to your Profile, & set up your first name in Signature. Brian's rules.

[Tom Darling]

It is called chicken scratches, hurriedly done. Peace.

 

 

Tom D.