Scogg Posted June 2 Report Posted June 2 1 minute ago, Bruce Pennington said: Found on this Shigure-militaria sale site. Very nice, Bruce! I always really liked those green ito + combat cover civ guntos. I once had one in very similar fittings. A hirazukuri wakizashi in civ gunto fittings and leather combat cover. Might even be the same fuchi/kashira... Unfortunately, I sold this one a while back; to prioritize another sword project. I think I will always regret letting this one go -Sam 1 Quote
Rawa Posted June 2 Report Posted June 2 Is this normal for type 98 to have all sakura flowers kinda more shiny? Also release button have sharp finish. Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted June 3 Author Report Posted June 3 I have seen buttons like that. Not the "norm" but not uncommon. The patina/finish on the fittings looks to be legit. You will see variations in such things. Various shops that made them sometimes did their own thing, plus custom work often diverted from the norms/standard. Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted June 4 Author Report Posted June 4 Thanks to @Rawa for bringing this one to us. Found at this Jauce Auction 3 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted June 7 Author Report Posted June 7 Second time I've seen a tsuba with the 3-5-3 kiri, this week! Don't know the significance. Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted June 16 Author Report Posted June 16 Thought I would add this unique WWII tsuba, posted by @aftakas HERE: Could be a modern repro, but I don't think so. Looks legit to me, and as such would be quite a custom job. Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted August 18 Author Report Posted August 18 Had to post this seppa cut from black lacquered ray skin! I regularly hear about folks making seppa from leather, but this is a first. 1 1 Quote
Rawa Posted August 18 Report Posted August 18 On 6/16/2025 at 3:25 PM, Bruce Pennington said: Thought I would add this unique WWII tsuba, posted by @aftakas HERE: Could be a modern repro, but I don't think so. Looks legit to me, and as such would be quite a custom job. It's so good that you are so detail focused! I knew I saw it somewhere and after 2 months here are results. http://ohmura-study.net/906.html Number 3 -special order 1/1 match. [No chuso ana] Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted August 18 Author Report Posted August 18 24 minutes ago, Rawa said: Number 3 -special order Dang, good observation Marvin! Quote
Lareon Posted August 19 Report Posted August 19 Higo No Kami Kuniyasu blade one side has the typical gunto menuki but the other side has a fly, whether this was post war i have no idea. 1 Quote
Lareon Posted August 19 Report Posted August 19 Leather Cord wrapped around the Saya, is old and probably of the era. blade inside is Kozori Hidekage, the kabutogane also has a silver decoration 2 Quote
Rawa Posted August 19 Report Posted August 19 I would like to post this kabutogane with nice crest implementation. Looks like made for crest not a rework of existing 2 leaf cherry. Rest of sword had maybe interesting lacquered tsuba and a lot of damage. 2 Quote
Scogg Posted August 23 Report Posted August 23 Thick gunto fittings with unusual kamon placement, and the mon is only on one side. With a 10mm pierced brass tsuba and two piece habaki. Blade signed Bushu ju fujiwara Kanenaga and dated August 1660. Thanks to @Ganko’s translation in the translation section. Polish in decent condition for an “as found” sword. I can even make out the boshi and activities in the hamon. But the blade has a slight bend Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted August 24 Report Posted August 24 Nice find Sam, there are a few swords with this peculiar Mon placement saved in the thread below. I had thought this was a quirk of a particular sword shop but the unique hanger on your example differs from my example. 1 1 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted August 24 Author Report Posted August 24 14 hours ago, Scogg said: “as found” sword. Wow, Sam, wonder why the ito was cut away like that? Also, I've only seen maybe one other gunto with the haikan worn this much. Guy must have worn it every day and done a lot of walking! Quote
Rawa Posted August 24 Report Posted August 24 10 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said: Wow, Sam, wonder why the ito was cut away like that? Also, I've only seen maybe one other gunto with the haikan worn this much. Guy must have worn it every day and done a lot of walking! Someone extracted one menuki. It could be menuki with crest on it. As I recall on tsuka there is only one with crest and the other is common. 1 Quote
Rawa Posted August 24 Report Posted August 24 And here T98 example. Wakase but with replica blade I suppose. Quote
Scogg Posted August 24 Report Posted August 24 10 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said: Wow, Same, wonder why the ito was cut away like that? Also, I've only seen maybe one other gunto with the haikan worn this much. Guy must have worn it every day and done a lot of walking! I wonder too, but Marcin’s theory makes sense. The ito is still remarkably tight for missing that section. It does not feel delicate to hold. Like the haikan, the whole tsuka looks “well traveled”. It was apparent the tsuka had not been removed in a long time, and took some serious effort and time to release. It’s missing the saya drag, and the wooden saya is splitting. The chunky Haikan is what originally caught my eye. The thickness and size of all the fittings gives it a rather “large” look. Even the kabutogane is longer than I typically see. I added a little clasped hands sarute to see how it looks (Sword in question is on left, with the sarute) 1 Quote
Scogg Posted August 24 Report Posted August 24 Thank you @PNSSHOGUN, that’s a really interesting thread. Cool to see the variety of mon placement. I knew of a couple different spots you typically see, but I had no idea it could vary that much. Much appreciated, -Sam Edit: just measured nagasa, ~28.2 inches (~71.6 cm) Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted September 20 Report Posted September 20 This peculiar Tachi Gunto really beats the band.... https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/v1199975236 1 1 4 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted Tuesday at 02:13 PM Author Report Posted Tuesday at 02:13 PM Here's a unique haikan, posted by @Marcel HERE. Quote
Scogg Posted Tuesday at 03:36 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 03:36 PM On 8/23/2025 at 3:52 PM, Scogg said: Sorry to bring this one up again, John@PNSSHOGUN, but I am curious of your opinion on my sword. I had assumed it to be a Type 98 simply because of the single hanger. Is there a possibility that this is actually a Type 94? Single hanger, center chuso, thick pierced tsuba, wooden saya, and with a long Shinto blade. All the best, -Sam Quote
Rawa Posted Tuesday at 04:17 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:17 PM 42 minutes ago, Scogg said: Sorry to bring this one up again, John@PNSSHOGUN, but I am curious of your opinion on my sword. I had assumed it to be a Type 98 simply because of the single hanger. Is there a possibility that this is actually a Type 94? Single hanger, center chuso, thick pierced tsuba, wooden saya, and with a long Shinto blade. All the best, -Sam Could you check if saya have any marks after second haikan? Quote
Scogg Posted Tuesday at 04:25 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:25 PM 6 minutes ago, Rawa said: Could you check if saya have any marks after second haikan? None visible. It appears that the saya may have been repainted at some point (there is some of that green paint on the metal haikan itself). I will investigate more closely when I get home today. The existing haikan is unusually thick. Also, it is able to wiggle on the saya a little bit; either misplaced or from shrinkage of the wooden saya Condition aside, I like the sword quite a bit. It was a fun one to find locally "in the wild". -Sam Quote
Rawa Posted Tuesday at 04:40 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:40 PM 10 minutes ago, Scogg said: None visible. It appears that the saya may have been repainted at some point (there is some of that green paint on the metal haikan itself). I will investigate more closely when I get home today. The existing haikan is unusually thick. Also, it is able to wiggle on the saya a little bit; either misplaced or from shrinkage of the wooden saya Condition aside, I like the sword quite a bit. It was a fun one to find locally "in the wild". -Sam In states you have big sandbox. Here are pics from mine and if it wasnt t94 from beginning someone was playing with extra haikan. Quote
Conway S Posted Tuesday at 04:50 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 04:50 PM There was usually a piece of leather underneath the haikan, so finding a saya absent of marks would not necessarily be an indicator of Type 98. Con 1 1 Quote
Bryce Posted Tuesday at 08:14 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 08:14 PM G'day Sam, It looks like a type 94 to me, especially if the gloss paint is original. Cheers, Bryce 1 Quote
Scogg Posted Tuesday at 08:39 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 08:39 PM Thank you Bryce. I’ve taken it out to inspect and photograph the saya. Unfortunately, I do not have a high level of confidence that the saya paint is original. Also, it is in poor shape. It appears to have been painted “around” the metal fittings in a fairly crude way. Some paint overlaps onto the fittings themselves. I cannot see any evidence of there ever being a second haikan, but maybe that area was painted over after it was removed? Just a thought/theory. I had assumed the saya was a more recent repair job, but I am open to all thoughts and opinions. I traded a type 95 in similar condition for this sword. Thanks for everyone’s input, -Sam Quote
Bryce Posted Tuesday at 08:48 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 08:48 PM G'day Sam, As Con mentioned earlier the second haikan was protected by leather to prevent rubbing, so the absence of wear in this area is not definitive. Cheers, Bryce Quote
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