Help please. Japanese Gunto (Genuine ? ) with battlefield scabbard.

[Battara]

A window polish might not be a bad idea. Sometimes good and family blades were placed in "crude" mounts when being brought into the combat arena.

[katana]

Cleaned an area on the blade with very fine wet and dry paper using a very fine 1020 grade then (even finer) 2040 grade, lubricated with some olive oil.

First thing that was noticeable is there is a Hamon and its not a Chinese acid etched one !!! Its not regular but is a fine colour change in the steel I also think there is 'activity' in the blade....impossible to photograph....but when reflecting direct sunlight the cleaned area glistens and sparkles...hard to explain but the blade seems to come to life as you gentle 'angle' it in the sunlight.... like it is covered in very fine glitter ...but when you look at the blade 'staight on' the 'metallic' sheen is gone ....not explaining this very well but hoping someone might understand the 'rambles' of this madman

There is a small, but noticeable, forging flaw which could explain why, if the blade is of some quality, it was not signed ??

Not certain what to do now...should I etch the newly cleaned area ????

I would be grateful for any advice, help or comments

Regards David

[laEspadaAncha]

Hi David,

Fuller & Gregory cover this variant of late-war production, leather-covered shin-gunto, which according to them, "may be encountered without tsuba or kabuto-gane." These late-war variants were invariably of poor construction. The shrunken leather scabbard cover looks right for the age & pattern. I do find the three mekugi ana to be a little odd and "out of scope" IMO.

Regards,

Chris

[Battara]

Usually though the ersatz late Japanese pieces do not have 3 fit tang holes.

Also many nihonto blades are not signed, having nothing to do with forging flaws.

[laEspadaAncha]

Something else that caught my attention - the bent kissaki and ha (edge)... Normally, these will chip due to the hardness of the tempered edge (including the boshi). While my exposure is admittedly limited, I can't recall seeing a bent kissaki or edge, though I have seen more than a few edge nicks and chips.

[katana]

Hi Chris ,
I totally agree that the scabbard and fitting are low quality and typical of those late in WW2.
However, the blade is much better quality and seems a total mismatch...whether it is due to necessity during the war or later ...
The very tip of the kissaki is slightly bent (the picture makes it look larger) but is still extremely sharp and well defined..... and do not want to try to straighten it as I am certain it would snap. The tip is also very thin where it mets the spine due to the contination of the Ihori (inverted v profiled spine)The edge section you mentioned is also quite small. I am not saying this blade is Nihonto but does seem better than some other gunto I have seen.
The late war blades were often made from sub-standard steel and produced rapidly, so manufacturing standards dropped...it was a time of desperation, so do not believe that this blade is one of those.

I have only seen a few gunto but do not recall any of them having the Ihori type spine....just a standard flat one.

Thank you Battara for your continual input , I too think that the 3 ana points to a 'previous' life. I had thought that all nihonto were signed ...sounds alittle more promising

Kind Regards David

[laEspadaAncha]

Originally Posted by katana

I have only seen a few gunto but do not recall any of them having the Ihori type spine...

Hi David,

FWIW, all three kai gunto I have owned (only one of which is still in my collection) had ihori mune.

Of these, two were of pre-war production and the other had a mei and nengo dating it to 1943.

Regards,

Chris