Acquired a Shin Gunto and looking for some info / translation

[KKCook]

Hello all,

I purchased this Shin Gunto from an auction and they called it a Type 94. I found a thread on this site saying a Type 94 has two hangers where mine has only one. The blade is not in the best shape, it has spotting that is quite heavy on the last 12", but I still believe I got a good deal. Could anyone assist with a translation and possibly info on type?

Thanks in advance!

KK

[mecox]

Kevin   the smith is  YOSHIMITSU 義光: real name Yabushita Fujio (藪下不二夫).   Born Taisho 4 (1915) August 18. He registered as a Seki smith Showa 15 (1940) April 1 (age 24).   The signature is “Noshu Seki ju Yoshimitsu saku”    and the date is  Showa 17  “1942”.  Has a Seki stamp.  This is a Type 98 mounts but has some custom work with extra gilt and ray skin (samegawa) cover on saya.   It is an example of a good early war oil quenched Showato.   Apart from "Seki" was there another stamp?

 

[KKCook]

Thank you for the detailed info, this is all fantastic news. I do not believe there is another stamp besides the Seki. If there were, where would it likely be?

 

You mentioned it has custom work. Is this something done originally when produced, or customized after the fact?

[Rawa]

Check tsuba for marks.

[mecox]

Kevin, the "custom" work would be the extras on the mounts, above the standard items, which the owner chooses and pays for.  

[Bruce Pennington]

@PNSSHOGUN, John will step in and help with the 94 vs 98 question.  From what I can see, with the offset chuso (latch button) and thinner tsuba, I'd guess this was made as a Type 98.  The 94s had a thicker tsuba (handguard) and centered chuso.  The second haikan (belt hanger) was removable and many were discarded by the owners, or lost over time by collectors, so that by itself isn't a great determiner, unless of course it is still present!

[george trotter]

22 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

@PNSSHOGUN, John will step in and help with the 94 vs 98 question.  From what I can see, with the offset chuso (latch button) and thinner tsuba, I'd guess this was made as a Type 98.  The 94s had a thicker tsuba (handguard) and centered chuso.  The second haikan (belt hanger) was removable and many were discarded by the owners, or lost over time by collectors, so that by itself isn't a great determiner, unless of course it is still present!

I'm no expert on the cut-off date of the Type 94  (if there is one - maybe both types were produced in conjunction?), so I ask...as well as the details of the catch button location and the tsuba thickness etc, wouldn't the date on the tang, if dated after the introduction of the Type 98 in 1938, also be an indicator that the sword was a Type 94 or Type 98?

Just wondering...

[Bruce Pennington]

Just now, george trotter said:

I'm no expert on the cut-off date of the Type 94  (if there is one - maybe both types were produced in conjunction?), so I ask...as well as the details of the catch button location and the tsuba thickness etc, wouldn't the date on the tang, if dated after the introduction of the Type 98 in 1938, also be an indicator that the sword was a Type 94 or Type 98?

Just wondering...

That's a really good question, George, and one I don't know the answer to.  Maybe John - @PNSSHOGUN - knows.

[george trotter]

Yes Bruce, be interesting to know the answer...

[Rawa]

Imo If dated after why add extra haikan to create non-statutory piece?

Open tsuba was used in both types. Maybe thickness of tsuba is set in establisment act?

Chuso isn't 100% indicator of type? I was sure that either centered or ofset chuso depends on mekugi-ana.

If ofset was an upgrade why type 3 have centered chuso?

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/35744-central-chuso/

Which atributes/mesurements are mentioned in decrees? If somebody have full translation of both it's time to quote. 

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,

Everything already mentioned above suggests this is a type 98. I don't think there are any individual "cast iron" rules, but the combination of all these factors together says type 98.

Cheers,

Bryce

[KKCook]

Thank you for confirming this is a type 98.

 

I pulled the tsuba and checked it closely, I do not see any marks there.

[mecox]

George , about Type cut-off dates, Nick Komiya put up great material and I tried to summarise in my Fukuoka paper on NMB Downloads.

But basically there was a "few" years (2-3?) of overlap in both design and production, looked like:

Type 94 produced from 1934 (official decree).  (and was also with Zoheito).

Type 98 produced from 1938 (official decree).

Rinji Seishiki (never a formal "type", 1938 design started, August 1940 design completed with initial batch produced.

But also the swords (koshirae) were being produced in different locations, so no strict end period as far as I can see.

[george trotter]

Hi Mal, I agree.

[KKCook]

What are the basic thoughts on having the blade professionally restored and polished? I purchased this at auction for $400, so I don't think I have too much into it, but I've read mixed thoughts on polishing / restoring the blades. Obviously if I did have this done I'd use someone skilled and that is quite expensive at $105 per inch of blade. The saya is missing a lot of the original black that was on the ray skin, so it may look weird to have a beautifully restored blade with a time worn saya.

 

Are there ways to get some of the blade spotting off at home without hurting the blade?

[Rawa]

Per inch on each side? And why it have seki stamp? Answer to both this question combined - it's a waste of money and won't add new value [oil quenched?]

Edited Wednesday at 03:41 PM by Rawa

[KKCook]

On 9/24/2025 at 11:33 AM, Rawa said:

Per inch on each side? And why it have seki stamp? Answer to both this question combined - it's a waste of money and won't add new value [oil quenched?]

Forgive my ignorance, being a newbie to Nihonto - is a seki stamp and oil quenched blade a bad thing?

Per inch of one side

[Rawa]

https://japaneseswordindex.com/showato.htm

And adding picture. First 3 types imo worthy on putting money.

[Rawa]

You are much welcome to post more closeups of blade, but from what you already posted blade imo should be preserved as it is now. Dunno if kissaki wasn't already altered.

Edited Friday at 11:12 AM by Rawa

[Bruce Pennington]

Kevin,

The large Seki stamp, and oil quenching simply means the blade was not made in the fully traditional way.  Not good or bad.  It just depends upon what your collecting goals are.  If you want a WWII sword, good quality, then I have found the blades with the large Seki stamp are usually quite nice with attractive hamon.  A polish would likely bring out it's beauty.  As you say, with the condition of the fittings, it would be worth having a shirasaya made.  All this would bring your expenses higher than the market value of the sword, though.  So, if you plan to re-sell, it is not cost effective to do all this.  

 

If you are keeping the sword, and would just like to see it in it's full potential, and have the cash to spend, go for it.  That's a personal choice.  Some folks, though, like to keep the war swords in their 'as-is' condition since it depicts the life of the sword to this date.