Mumei în shin gunto mounts

[Battara]

Greetings folks.  I am a newbie to nihonto and have a katana in shin gunto mounts.  The blade is mumei, has some rust, and seems to me to possibly have an itame hada.  On the nakago, there are file marks that seem to be katte-sagari.  Where the blade meets the habaki, the blade is sharpened, so I doubt it is gendaito.  

 

It needs a polish badly but don't know if this blade is worth the cost.  What can you tell me about this katana?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Jose

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hello Jose, from those photos your sword very much resembles a standard oil tempered sword. The condition looks to be OK, so best to enjoy it as is. 

[Bruce Pennington]

I defer to your expertise, John, but what do you think about he nakago shape and two holes?  Not a standard WWII nakago .... unless it's something late war?  But hamon seems too good for late war.

[John C]

I was thinking pre-war (Taisho era) and converted to gunto. But agree not standard gunto and not very old.

 

John C.

[Battara]

The scabbard once had a leather combat cover that is now gone. 

[Battara]

So you would say this is gendaito mumei blade, though pre-WW2?

 

 

Edited April 13 by Battara

[John C]

Tough question to answer. As John mentioned, it's probably oil quenched, which means it's not a gendaito in the way we use the term. It is technically a gendaito, though using the literal translation "new sword." So it probably falls somewhere in between. To answer one of your questions directly, I don't think it would be worth the cost of a polish. I would leave it as is and maintain it as a piece of history.

 

John C.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

It's not a Gendai sword , it is not made pre war , it is a classic oil tempered piece mass produced during the war years . 

[Battara]

Thank you folks.  As said earlier, it is not the typical late shin gunto blade.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

 It IS the typical late shin gunto blade 

[Battara]

Thank you for clarifying 

[Mister Gunto]

Still, a very nice wartime blade. The leather saya cover is missing, which is not uncommon on the WW2 bring back swords. I have a couple in similar condition. The leather cover just didn't last, or someone cut it off to see what was underneath ( usually just a simple wooden saya) 

 

The cost of a professional polish plus a new habaki and shirasaya is probably more than the blade itself is worth. But it's still an original Japanese Officer's sword from WW2, and it has a value all of it's own for that. So, kind of up to you if it's worth the investment.