Japanese Naval Sword

[Panzervtiger]

I just got this from an estate. I don't really collect Japanese swords but it looked so nice I got it. The blade pics came out blurry but it has a more or less straight temper line. There are painted characters on the hilt. the scabbard has no bottom drag. There is one ring on the scabbard but it looks as though it never had 2 as there is no impression or damage where the 2nd ring would be.

Any information would be appreciated. Is it a 100% machine made blade or partial hand.

[Panzervtiger]

[Panzervtiger]

[Panzervtiger]

[GHP]

The Circle-Anchor stamp identifies this as a sword produced at the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal. Stainless steel with an artificial hamon. I have one of these and had it remounted for iaido training -- mine is quite heavy and ill-balanced for iaido. Not saying yours is ill-balanced, but that is just my experience with stainless steel.

--Guy

Kai-gunto swords were more commonly used by Japanese Naval officers. They may have rayskin covered saya which have been lacquered black or dark blue or black lacquered scabbards without rayskin. Some will have only a single hanger (ashi). The tsuka (handle) has same' (rayskin) of the same type and black or navy blue ito. The metal mounts are gilted brass. Blades found in kai-gunto mounts may be machine made, some are stainless steel, while others may be traditionally made.

Many of the stainless steel (taisabiko or sabinaito) kai-gunto were made at the Tenshozan Tanrenjo in Zushi near Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture. These blades were made exclusively for the Navy and sold through the Tenshozan store. They are signed on the nakago "Tenshozan Tanrenjo" (see nakago at left) and marked with an anchor stamp. The other main source of blades for the Navy was the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal. Many of these blades are unsigned except for an anchor stamp (different from the Tenshozan stamp) either alone or in a circle or sakura blossom (see common tang stamps above). Stainless steel blades are all considered machine made. Some maybe oil tempered (?), but on most the hamon is purely cosmetic. The Tenshozan Tanrenjo also made Naval dirks.

source, Rich Stein's Site, now unavailable [at least to me] except in cache.

--Guy

[Stu W]

A similar piece here and various thoughts on the configuration.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=late+war+navy

Regards,
Stu

[Panzervtiger]

Thank you thanks for the help!