Help with authentication of my Sword please.

[Nimm_]

Hello All,

 

My name is Chris, I have been a been police officer for 27 years and have been in love with Japanese sword craftsmanship since I was a kid. I have wanted a Japanese officers sword for a very long time and have come to a point in my life to have the means to obtain one. I recently found this sword at a Gun show in my town and I had to have it. I have done research over the years but of course know nothing really compared to you guys. I came across this board while doing research on my sword and was very happy to see such helpful people. The sword isnt in great shape the blade has some patina and as far as I can tell it isnt signed although it seems like there are very faint numbers on one side of the tang and VERY feint stamps? on the other. I am pretty sure the saya isnt original to the blade due to it being wooden although the leather covering did seem legit. The tsuba is in very good condition although it is missing its locking mechanism. The tsuka has lost its ito along with menuki and if the sword is indeed genuine I intend to restore it. 

 

Thank you so much for your guys time

Chris

 

I will upload more photos due to limitation on posts.

[Nimm_]

More

[Nimm_]

a bit more

[Nimm_]

Last one

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Chris, welcome to the forum. You have a decent looking older blade - at a guess it is from the later Shinto period. The condition is not great, but nothing irrecoverable. The mounts are standard Type 98 handle and fittings, with the original Saya converted to military use with a hanger and leather cover. 

[Brian]

Nice genuine piece, probably with a slightly earlier blade. It had a civilian saya, which they reused for the war, and put the combat cover over it, so it's likely the original one.
Don't use anything abrasive on it, but you'll find regular oiling and wiping with clean tissue will improve it a lot.

[Bruce Pennington]

I can't see any stamps, but you said they are very faint.  Could you try a close-up of them?  If it's an old family blade, as the guys say, I doubt they are actual stamps.  Often, small irregularities and scratches cause marks that our eyes pick out as stamps.  Happens to me a lot.

 

General care and cleaning guidelines: https://japaneseswordindex.com/care.htm

[Tensho]

The nakago appears to have 3 hash marks inscribed which would correspond to the "3" stamped on the fittings. 

 

 

Not so sure about the saya and combat cover on this. The cover is cut out for a Kurigata on the saya which was removed for the metal hanger. Your fittings are also cut for a chuso but the saya lacks any provisions for it. 

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, Tensho said:

The nakago appears to have 3 hash marks inscribed which would correspond to the "3" stamped on the fittings. 

Which tells us the tsuba/seppa set were likely made for this blade re-fit.  So, really, only the saya and leather cover are a mystery.  These are always unknowable.  

Various options:

1. War legit, and shop used parts available

2. Blade came home from the war without saya and collector found one to fit.

[Nimm_]

MAN You guys are awesome! Thank you all for the great info and you really set my mind at ease. I bought that Japanese cultlery oil that the sight recommended  ty for that. Bruce about that possible stamp per your inquiry I took a magnifying glass to it and I think you are  right it looks like just iregularities in the metal. The numbers I kinda saw on the other side I think was possibly written by a pencil a long time ago. One more question for you guys about that locking mechanism near the tsuba. Is it possible that it was left out intentionally due to the saya not having a way to lock it in? 

 

TY so much Guys.

[Tensho]

58 minutes ago, Nimm_ said:

One more question for you guys about that locking mechanism near the tsuba. Is it possible that it was left out intentionally due to the saya not having a way to lock it in? 

 

TY so much Guys.

If that was the case, they wouldn't have bothered modifying the tsuka, seppa, tsuba and fuchi for one. Usually they will just have a leather strap with snap that snaps onto the saya cover, a buckle, or nothing at all.. You can actually see the missing snap on your leather cover(this could have possibly been for a leather tsuka cover as well)

 

The saya would have been modified for the chuso. Either just a notch cut out, or a metal collar with tab to lock it. My guess is the saya is a replacement.  You used to be able to find a lot of gunto parts at gun shows. The condition of the blade would lead me to believe it was brought back without a saya or one that was heavily damaged.

 

Here's 2 of mine for reference 

[Nimm_]

I got ya....ty Tensho makes sense.