Jump to content

Need help figuring out the signature and if this blade is machined or traditional


kealpe

Recommended Posts

I keep hearing that the WW2 era sword blades aren't very good and not made traditionally. I'm not an expert but this sword blade doesn't look like a machined blade with etched temper line. Can someone take a look at the blade and tell me if this is a machined blade and tell me a little about the blade? I tried to figure out the signature but just got more confused as I went. The third symbol I think is Kane and the last symbol is Saku (made this)

 

Thanks for any help you can.

 

Regards, Keith

army combat 14.jpg

army combat 9.jpg

army combat 8.jpg

army comb 4.jpg

army comb 3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember that the Showato/arsenal blades we talk about are not really machined. They were still produced by a smith or workshop with lots of hand work, but just not traditionally made or water quenched. And the hamon were real, not etched. But oil quenched.
The NCO Shin Gunto are machine made, but that is a different sword entirely.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, kealpe said:

I keep hearing that the WW2 era sword blades aren't very good and not made traditionally.

Hi Keith!  You've likely been hearing that from guys that don't study WWII blades.  So, it depends upon what a collector considers "good".  There were over 2 million swords made for the war and many of them were made by top-ranking smiths.  Mantetsu, Yasukunito, and Minatogawato were swords made for the war that were better than many, if not most, swords made in centuries past.  The RJT system put out thousands of traditionally-made blades from top smiths.

 

Now, having said that, your blade with the large "Seki" stamp was likely not made "traditionally", but like the Dave's chart shows, that simply may be that it was oil quenched, not water quenched, but could have been made with the same skill and techniques of the traditional smiths.  From my observations, most blades with the large Seki are quite good, to high, quality.  A system of inspections was put into place early in the war to weed out poor-quality showato.  Those passing inspection were stamped with the Seki or Showa stamp. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keith, it looks like (reading downwards from the stamp) IKE DA KANE TSUNA SAKU

This is Ikeda Kanetsuna made (this)

There is a Seki smith listed as Ikeda Kanetsuna. His real name is Ikeda Tsutomu? He started at Seki on 26 Oct. 1939.

Regards,

 

Dang, that Bruce beat me to it again...

  • Wow 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...