Did officers swords have a blood groove?

**Adam M** · 02-06-2013, 08:22 PM

I am looking to buy my 1st ww2 Japanese sword and and seen one advertised as an officers sword it has the correct scabbard, handle and tsuba as an officers sword but the blade has a blood groove like an NCO sword I have never seen a officers blade like this before, has anyone else ever seen this, is it real or fake?. Help would be appreciated.

**harryamb2** · 02-06-2013, 09:46 PM

not a expert but I would say no blood groove.

**BOB COLEMAN** · 02-07-2013, 01:31 AM

by harryamb2

not a expert but I would say no blood groove.

This is totally incorrect. The groove, known as hi(he), are placed in a blade to provide balance for the owner. It would be a special order on a military blade but they do exist and are not rare. The style of usage of the katana would not require a "blood groove". When properly used, swinging a blade with a hi will provide a high pitched whistling sound that is unmistakeable. On the receiving end, it could be the last sound you hear.

**BOB COLEMAN** · 02-07-2013, 01:35 AM

Militaria Collector-
Welcome to the Forum. Before laying out any cash, post some detailed pictures of the sword along with those of the bare blade tang. There are replicas being made in China that can easily fool the untrained eye. The tang should be photographed with the point of the sword up and the butt of the tang down. If their is any signature on the blade, that will assist in reading it. Sideways and upside down kanji are difficult to read!

**Adam M** · 02-07-2013, 01:28 PM

Here are some pics from the militaria site its on, unfortunately there are no pics of the tang.

**BOB COLEMAN** · 02-07-2013, 04:06 PM

These pictures are useless as they do not show any details. It does not appear to be a Chinese fake and is likely an unsigned, machine made blade. If you are seriously interested in it, request better pictures including the tang.

**harryamb2** · 02-07-2013, 10:28 PM

I bow to your knowledge BOB,its just thatI have never seen one.

**BOB COLEMAN** · 02-08-2013, 01:35 AM

by harryamb2

I bow to your knowledge BOB,its just thatI have never seen one.

It is always dangerous to assume something is not correct when you have never seen one. If you have seen thousands of an item, it is a little safer to make such an assumption.
This sword looks identical to a piece I picked up for a Japanese American fellow who was studying iato, the discipline of drawing the sword. I found one just like this that had a hi and also was a short katana(the fellow was small). I brought it to him and he did not want to spend the $100! This was in the early 1980's. I never again bought anything for someone. Another example of Murphy's law. At least I found another buyer eventually and for a better price.

**Adam M** · 02-10-2013, 01:19 PM

Thanks for the help, but I think I will leave this one and wait until I can find a nicer sword with a signed blade. When I find the right one I will post it for all to see.

**Gunny Hartmann** · 02-10-2013, 01:34 PM

by BOB COLEMAN

This is totally incorrect. The groove, known as hi(he), are placed in a blade to provide balance for the owner. It would be a special order on a military blade but they do exist and are not rare. The style of usage of the katana would not require a "blood groove". When properly used, swinging a blade with a hi will provide a high pitched whistling sound that is unmistakeable. On the receiving end, it could be the last sound you hear.

Useless fact number 769 Mitsubishi J8M Shusui (Sword Stroke) named after the sound of a sword stroke.