Japanese pilots/aircrew sword

[Steve Flanagan]

Heres an interesting example of what is supposed to be a pilots or aircrews shingunto sword. This is an extremely rare sword if original but there are several interesting things to learn from this one. Its a fifteen inch blade yet has three megukiana (peg holes) the last one being at the broken tip of the tang. This indicates remounting and shortening several times over the life of the blade yet the signature is fully intact. Im personally running for the nearest exit on this one but we can learn from the bad examples as well as the good! Has it been retipped? Hilt doesnt appear to be of Japanese manufacture and is not inletted to leave room for same to be put down prior to wrapping. Interesting study example,,,but do you push the buy it now button,,,,not me!
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=119809066

[Budo45]

scary

Steve

think your right on not hitting that button, have a feeling this may have been a broken blade. it does have a showa stamp, so its not old, lots of names on that mei, woking on it now, sho, sada kane shige...ect. Ill ask a friend in Nippon to help me saves on the gray hair. also dont think the bottom hole was ever a mounting hole working on that as well.

Edit this just in from Koichi-san



I think that the inscription is as follows, though I am not 100 % sure about correct readings for some phrases.



正真子福本兼宗 應鈴木慶雲師需 謹而作

Shoshinshi (reading?) Fukumoto Kanemune, responding to the request of Suzuki Keiunshi (reading?), respectfully made (this).



Notes:

As for 鈴木 X 雲師, I am unsure about the 3rd kanji. If the name is 鈴木慶雲師, he was a mask (of Noh) maker (明治28年 – 昭和46年).

[Steve Flanagan]

Tang

Heres a shot of the tang in question with Showa stamp marked,,,Stay away from this one, probably regular length Showa era sword blade broken and retipped! With a great story of course. Photo provided by Budo45