WWII Gunto Restoration

[dgm2026]

Greetings, to all.,

I have a WWI Gunto blade and saya    All other parts are missing. I'm looking to find a source so that I can restore this or have it restored by another.

 

Any help in locating these parts or a person to repair or restore. would be great.. 

Edited January 12 by dgm2026
grammer and spelling

[Tensho]

Unless this has sentimental value I wouldn't attempt this endeavor. It would be much cheaper and less of a headache to purchase a Type 98 that is complete. 

 

To try and find the missing parts that Fit the saya alone will take a lot of time(these aren't all one size fits all) I'm assuming it is missing the wooden liner as well? 

 

Also the fact that the nakago on the blade has 2 mekugi makes me question if the type 98 saya is for this blade. 

Edited January 13 by Tensho

[mecox]

@dgm2026   Daniel, I agree with Matt above.   Is there a signature (mei) on the blade?   Can you post a close up pic.

[Rawa]

Def. some not random marks probably date so tachi mei?

Edited January 13 by Rawa

[Bruce Pennington]

Daniel,

Do you know the background on this sword?  The blade looks like it was made for a Rinji seishiki model (Type 3; Type 100; Type 44; etc) and the fittings would look like this:

 

If you decide to keep it in that Type 98 saya, I'd at least try to find a Type 3 tsuka (handle) for it.  It would be a mis-match, but I have seen many gunto like that over the years.

 

I found the missing parts for my dad's Mantetsu, but it took me 2 or 3 years.  You can find parts for sale on ebay and other aution houses (Proxidbid and Invaluable show sales from a variety of auction houses)

[dgm2026]

here is a better  view of both sides

[Conway S]

Daniel,

 

The smith is Yoshifusa and the sword is dated March 1945. As Bruce suggested, the blade would originally have been in the fittings pictured above. 
 

2 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Daniel,

Do you know the background on this sword?  The blade looks like it was made for a Rinji seishiki model (Type 3; Type 100; Type 44; etc) and the fittings would look like this:

 

If you decide to keep it in that Type 98 saya, I'd at least try to find a Type 3 tsuka (handle) for it.  It would be a mis-match, but I have seen many gunto like that over the years.

 

I found the missing parts for my dad's Mantetsu, but it took me 2 or 3 years.  You can find parts for sale on ebay and other aution houses (Proxidbid and Invaluable show sales from a variety of auction house

[mecox]

Daniel,  as noted by Conway it is made by Yoshifusa  and an arsenal blade very late in war March 1945, and probably a Seki smith.  

However, there are 3 listed smiths of that name and kanji.   But it is likely to be one the the first two.

 

YOSHIFUSA 義房: real name Yoshida Sadao (吉田貞夫) .  Born Taisho 12 ( 1923) February 12. Registered as Seki smith  Showa 18 (1943) November 8 (age 20).  he was from Kamo-gun, Tahara-mura to the east of Seki.
YOSHIFUSA 義房: real name Sugimoto Fusao (杉本房夫) .   Born Taisho 6 (1917) September 13. Registered as Seki smith Showa 19 (1944) February 2 (age 26).  he was from Seki-machi, Kichimoto-cho (or Yoshimoto-cho).

YOSHIFUSA 義房: real name Mitsuwa Mitsugu (三輪 貢) (also read as Miwa Ko).   He is in a 1940 list a living in Seki-machi, Daimon-cho (boarding there).   But he is not is Seki registration list.  However,  he looks to be registered as Ujinaga  氏命  with same given name and address. Must have changed his name. Born Taisho 12 (1923) registered Showa 15 (1940) June 29.  So would not be him.

 

As noted by Bruce, he shows the type on rinji seishiki mounts (koshirae) the blade would be in.  As late war it would be made at Nagoya Arsenal (and likely to have  名 "na" stamp).  They typing has 2 holes in nakago, signed tachi-mei with date on reverse.   Mostly the hamon was suguha (straight edge) and often artificial.   Your blade looks in good condition, but maybe not the original saya.  Does it fit well, or sloppy?