Need help verifying authenticity of a Gunto (pics inside)

[Bassmaster360]

I am interested in this Gunto katana some one is selling. They claim that their grandfather owned it, and he recently passed away. It looks like a type 98 gunto to me. The only problem is, there is a 01680 serial number on the habaki. Everything looks aged and authentic, but made-in-china forgeries now a days are getting really good at... faking forgeries. I heard real guntos only have serial # on the blade itself since the habaki is not an integral part of the blade. Are there exceptions to this rule? Or am I looking at a fake? Perhaps its a real gunto with a replacement habaki that was replaced some time after the war by a owner?

 

Another thing that bothers me is that the mei engraving is fresh and silver while the rest of the handle is oxidized and dark. That seems fishy to me... shouldn't the mei/signature be just as oxidized as the surrounding steel?

 

 

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Now that you've seen the pics, please let me know if the blade is real or a fake. And please identify what the blade is (is it a type 98? 94? 94 repo? 98 repo?).

 

Also, whether or not its fake, let me know if it's worth $100.

[raaay]

sorry

 

it's a Chinese fake, value = o IMHO

 

ray

[David Flynn]

Concur, Chinese fake.

[Bassmaster360]

Hmmm, that's what I thought.

 

Man, chinese fakes are getting really good. If it wasn't for the serial number and if they aged the mei, I don't think any of us would know it's fake unless you're trully an intermediate to expert collector.

 

The grain of the exterior steel seemed alittle fishy too. The metal near the habaki looked a little too damascus-y.

 

 

Any other opinions?

 

For all I know until I see it in person tomorrow, it could be the real thing with a replacement habaki that happened to have a serial #...

[David Flynn]

Sounds like you're talking yourself into it. IT'S A FAKE!

[Bassmaster360]

Sounds like you're talking yourself into it. IT'S A FAKE!

 

Well I managed to bargain with him down to $100.

 

Is it worth it?

[ROKUJURO]

......I managed to bargain with him down to $100. Is it worth it?

An almost true Picasso for only USD 100 is no bargain.

 

In your case you have to decide if you really want to buy a sword which was made especially for betrayal. In fact it is not close to a Japanese sword, it has no historical value and you could never be proud of it nor show it to someone who is knowledgeable in this field.

[Bassmaster360]

An almost true Picasso for only USD 100 is no bargain.

 

In your case you have to decide if you really want to buy a sword which was made especially for betrayal. In fact it is not close to a Japanese sword, it has no historic value and you could never be proud of it nor show it to someone who is knowledgeable in this field.

 

I guess you're right.

 

I'll see if I can lower it down to $50, repolish it, and use it for rough backyard tameshigiri.

[Lee Bray]

I'll see if I can lower it down to $50, repolish it, and use it for rough backyard tameshigiri.

 

The steel in Chinese fakes is cheap, of unknown quality and has no heat treatment.

'Backyard tameshigiri', any kind of cutting and possibly even just swinging it will more than likely result in a broken blade and worst case scenario, the broken bit is lodged in you or anyone with you.

Save your money and some probable grief.

[Brian]

Hmmm, that's what I thought.

 

Man, chinese fakes are getting really good. If it wasn't for the serial number and if they aged the mei, I don't think any of us would know it's fake unless you're trully an intermediate to expert collector.

 

The grain of the exterior steel seemed alittle fishy too. The metal near the habaki looked a little too damascus-y.

 

 

Any other opinions?

 

For all I know until I see it in person tomorrow, it could be the real thing with a replacement habaki that happened to have a serial #...

You really need to spend more time looking at real swords. There is NOTHING about this one that looks remotely real. Even a half second look at the tiny pics immediately said fake. The mei isn't even close to a real mei, the shape is wrong, the fittings are terrible.

Until this one screams fake to you, you shouldn't be buying anything. Really...it isn't even close. The serial number should have been the last thing to tell you this...only NCO mass produced Gunto have serials, and those are somewhere else.

Not even for $50...

 

Brian

[sencho]

 

I'll see if I can lower it down to $50, repolish it, and use it for rough backyard tameshigiri.

 

You are 26 days late for April fool.... surely you are not serious???

 

I usually get bored with the 'spurts harping on about people having to read themselves to death before getting near a sword, but in your case I have to agree with them...

 

Brian is right... you should have spotted that this was a fake in half a second in the thumbnail alone... it is complete and utter garbage, as again as Brian says there is nothing at all that looks anyway near genuine with this.

 

Cheers...

[Bassmaster360]

i see. well, i guess i have much to learn. I've been collecting firearms for years now, but Japanese swords are a new thing to me. Hopefully I become as adept with nihonto as I am with firearms as years pass by.

 

Thanks for the input. I'm not purchasing the blade.

[Stu W]

Books, and reading back threads here, are a great way to learn. There are many references but I'll suggest two to start with. The first, an easily read handbook gives a beginners overview. The second is the current bible for gunto.

 

Regards,

Stu

[Bruno]

They claim that their grandfather owned it, and he recently passed away.

 

Just by saying that, you can be sure they intentionaly lied to you in order to crook you. Only for that reason, I would not buy it.

 

I bet this fake sword comes from one of numerous Ebay Chinese sellers.

 

You can buy a real gunto on Ebay for 500 USD easily. There are plenty!

[Bassmaster360]

@stu: thanks for the references. I'll make sure I read them during my freetime and become more adept with my new "hobby".

 

@bruno: once i become more familiar with nihonto/gunto, I'll make my first purchase. Thanks for the info.

[J Reid]

They're getting smarter. Now if only they would stop putting serial numbers on everything! Maybe try following details- they could actually reproduce NCO guntos.

 

Josh R