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Samaurai? katana? junk? copy? souvenir?
82trooper
Member Posts: 251 ✭✭✭
I am looking for any assistance identifying this sword. It belonged to my father-in-law, and family story is it was a WWII bring back. He has now passed, and sadly I cannot ask him directly.
My concern is the grip/handle. It appears to be cast metal, replicating a cloth wrap. The handle itself does not attract a magnet (the blade does). My other concern is that all the reference sites I looked at show the handle held to the tang of the blade with tapered pins. This seems to have a screw holding it together. Clearly not correct...but perhaps a "fix"?
Any thoughts as to the originality (the handle fasteners aside)? Is it worth trying to get the screws out to see if the tang is marked? Does the metal handle indicate is not "real"?
Also, the numerals are "english", not japanese characters.
Here are some pix.
Any insight would be appreciated.
My concern is the grip/handle. It appears to be cast metal, replicating a cloth wrap. The handle itself does not attract a magnet (the blade does). My other concern is that all the reference sites I looked at show the handle held to the tang of the blade with tapered pins. This seems to have a screw holding it together. Clearly not correct...but perhaps a "fix"?
Any thoughts as to the originality (the handle fasteners aside)? Is it worth trying to get the screws out to see if the tang is marked? Does the metal handle indicate is not "real"?
Also, the numerals are "english", not japanese characters.
Here are some pix.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Comments
Current going rate for one in that condition is $300-$700.
It's machine made, not forged. Junior officers would carry them too.
Don't repaint, sand, grind, or otherwise molest the sword. It was made between 1937 and 1944.
If you want to clean it up, use a little Murphy's oil soap and a nylon brush. Follow up with a light coat of oil on the blade and scabbard.
You should have some stamp of the black fuchi ring just aft of the guard. Look for a harp, stacked cannonballs or any little stamps about 5mm high. These will tell whether it was made at Kokura or Torrimatsu.
It's supposed to have screws, not mekugi.
Any specific questions just ask.
Also, after looking closely, there is the same serial # on the scabbard, as well.
Ben Stein had the best sites under Japanese Swords on the Internet.
Start with this:
https://nihontoclub.com/discussions/2013/12/24/aluminum-handle-sword