gunto length

[bdgrange]

This is a good idea and there was a group dedicated to these swords that is now

gone. More and more are showing up. I study and collect traditional nihonto and am delving into ww2 pieces.

Just purchased a Kazunori, dated 1943 primarily because of its length. It is in leather saya. The nagasa is 23 in. and short by ww2 standards.

This places it as a wak as to be katana must be 24 in.

It is Seki stamped as are all of the blades by this war time smith, I believe.

I am curious as to whether it was intended to be used as inf. or perhaps tank corps., or air force.

In that it has leather cover I see it as dedicated to field use. The koshirae is standard

shin gunto. Still the length would indicate other intended use perhaps.

best

Bill de

[Brian]

Bill,

I think a tanker or submariners sword would be much shorter, and visibly so.

In your case, it is just under the length requirement for a katana, and I don't think enough to qualify it as one of the short variants. Just a guess, but perhaps made for a soldier that was just short and needed one shorter than normal?

Given the "custom order" nature of many of these swords, I think it is a possibility if the blade is a standard machine made blade.

 

Brian

[loiner1965]

it could be classed as uchigatana or o-wakizashi but to me its just a katana....maybe just custom made to that size or shortened for easy use in tight places like jungles etc...pics would be nice

[bdgrange]

Tried to send pic but 1200 wide was too much.

It is well balanced and reminds one of a ko-tachi.

The menuki are separated wider than I have seen before so must have been for

the particular grip of the soldier.

Here is the orig. listing but I have already fixed the saya with new lacing as well.

The blade is pretty much o.k. and am working with uchigo powder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0136748611

best

Bill de