Help With Japanese Sword #5

[Rich Landy]

My most recent acquisition - from the vet's nephew. This sword features a 28 inch blade which is beautifully done along with a blood groove. There are no nicks or dings - this is a really terrific blade. The scabbard is wood with tailored custom made leather over it. The handle features a tassel which I think denotes an Officer in the Imperial Japanese Army. I am reasonable sure that when is knocked the dowel out of the handle today - this sword has not had the handle taken open since the war. To my great surprise there do not appear to be any maker maker marks? For a sword of this quality I was taken aback. But perhaps that reflects my lack of knowledge in this area. Once again I ask for you commentsand insghts. Thanks Rich

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[Budo45]

mumei ..no mei...nice clean fuller (bohi)...shortend for gunto mounts?

[reeder3]

Looks like a machined blade but I could be wrong.

[gunto]

Looks like a machined blade but I could be wrong.

Looks old.

[kaigunair]

blade looks shortened to me. seems like a nice find. I believe the tassel color for officers would be red. blue is for NCOs.

Looks like a nice example. Don't touch the blade and keep a light, very light coating of choji oil or mineral oil on the blade. you can apply using a clean plain non-lotion kleenex on the blade. be careful and do not pick up any rust from the tang area or the area under the copper habaki and wipe it up the blade. I'd also put a very light coat on the tang, as that red rust isn't very healthy for it and you want to control that. Can apply to and rub the tang gently with clean paper towels (but don't use this on the blade area).

Don't use any abrasives to remove to rub or try to remove anything.

Oh, and its bad to keep the blade inside the scabbard/saya when the handle is removed. bad form and bad for the blade. by keeping a bare blade in the saya like this, it means the blade is most likely resting on one side of the saya inside causing scraches. worse, the tip could jam up into the saya and get bent/damaged.

[Stu W]

...I believe the tassel color for officers would be red. blue is for NCOs...

Hi kaigunair,

I believe that blue and brown tassel if for Company grade officers. Red and brown would be for Field grade. NCO swords used the leather knots to the best of my knowledge.

Regards,
Stu

[Luis22]

machine made blades only have one hole in the tang also the rust looks to be from much older blade .....

[DanielSvensson]

If a Nakago has one or more "holes" doesn't depend of it's age, it just says the sword's been remounted. Of course the possibility are higher that an older blade been remounted than a Showato or Gendaito.

[reeder3]

I've also read and heard that people would drill extra holes in the blade to make the appearance that it's old. I'm not saying that's the case here at all though.