WW2 Japanese sword Marking - Zoheito Discussion

[BANGBANGSAN]

17 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

@Swords - how about a shot of that ‘&’ stamp too!  Looks like we have 2 of them now.

Bruce

Here you go.

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

We don't have a dedicated thread for Zoheito specific discussions, so I thought I'd use this one.

 

After discussing a zoheito blade with Sam, @Scogg, I re-read Ohmura's page on them and found the first item interesting:

"1. Common name "Zōhei-tō."
　The Type 91 noncommissioned officer blade sold to the officer will be said around 1931-2.he next Type 95 blade is also included. The common name of the meaning "the blade made from the arsenal."Army sword steel (C1.0%-1.1%) is used.
　One-sheet forging. It is forge molding by the rolling roll, a machine hammer, etc. The size and weight of this blade are slightly lightweight and a thin figure compared with "formality Zohei-to." The tempering in oil of this blade was carried out, and it carried out machine finish by dry polish. There is no tempered line (account of  Major Bitō recollection).
2. Zōhei-tō (Peculiar formality name)
　The manufacture command of the new military swords as of September 16, 1938 is the starting point like the
　bovementioned army formality present age forging sword.
　The trial production blade was completed by the end of 1940 by the Kokura Army Arsenal. It is imagined as "the
　ancient rite half forging sword of a Tamahagane" developed behind in Seki, and the approximated  blade.However,
　Major Bitō's (Nagoya Army Arsenal Seki Part Factory manager) account of recollection is as follows.
　"The shape and the size applied to the forging sword correspondingly in general. A blade uses army sword steel
　(C1.0%-1.1%)"

 

My question is - What is a "Type 91 noncommissioned officer blade" that is sold to officers?  Any ideas?

[BANGBANGSAN]

On 8/23/2026 at 7:23 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

 

 

My question is - What is a "Type 91 noncommissioned officer blade" that is sold to officers?  Any ideas?

The Type 91 sword, which came in foot‑soldier（徒步） and cavalry（乘馬） variants, was the direct predecessor to the Type 95. It stayed experimental and was never mass‑produced. Take a look the  experimental sword(試製軍刀） and   “32‑modified sword” （改修軍刀）Nick referenced in his Type 95 thread.   https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/short-development-history-type-95-gunto-676112/

 

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Petition: Request for Establishing the Provisional Specification for the Type 91 Cavalry Sword（乘馬刀） and Type 91 Foot Soilder Sword(徒步刀）
27 February, Shōwa 7 (1932)

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

1 hour ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

Petition: Request for Establishing the Provisional Specification for the Type 91 Cavalry Sword（乘馬刀） and Type 91 Foot Soilder Sword(徒步刀）
27 February, Shōwa 7 (1932)

That's perfect, thanks Trystan!

I was trying to get a feel for how early the zoheito were being made.  So, officially, it was 1938.  However 'factory blades' were being made as early as the Murata-to in the late 1800s, and all sorts in-between, as 25s, 32s, etc.