Infomation on WW2 handmade, Japanese katana please!!

[mjb]

Hello all,
Basically my grandmother gave me my grandads sword he 'collected' from when he was in Burma, WW2.
she said it was awarded to him by someone but she doesn't know more than because he refused to speak about what happened, which is understandable.
I'm not planing on selling it due to the sentimental value but i would like to know a little more about it, price, condition (taking into consideration it has been kept in the loft for the last 40+ years) and just any other information about it. The family would really appreciate any information concerning this blade.
Matt.

[Alan M]

Hi mjb , welcome to the forum . Wow , what a patina !! Your Grandfather brought back a Japanese Officers Katana dressed with type 98 fittings . The tsuba or handguard is of the better quality "cut out " type . To find out more info about the blade , unfortunately , you would have to dismantle the tsuka or handle , exposing the tang ! Now looking at the tsuka , and in particular the mekugi ( the bamboo peg which holds the handle on to the sword ) it seems this hasn,t been taken out since the period and personally i would leave it untouched ( just my preference ) ! However , if you feel you must , the peg needs to be removed . These are usually slightly tapered so find the side with the smaller circumference and gently knock it through from that side ! A tip would be to use a wooden chopstick or something similar . Please take care when handling the blade as they can sometimes be very sharp and also never handle the blade with bare hands as the salts from you skin will in time eat into the metal !! These blades also require regular maintenance to keep them in good condition ( a rub down with Uchiko powder and a wipe with Choji oil ) Also keep a note of the order the seppas ( washers that tighten the handle to the blade ) are taken off so that they can be replaced into the same position . As an aside , do you know the service history of your grandfather , regiment etc. as i would love to know ?

[rbminis]

I would also add that from these photos, it would appear that the leather cover has been added later.
Ralph.
P.S. Welcome to the forum!

[mjb]

thank you both for the reply, it means allot. and AlanM, all i know is that he was in the Northamptonshire regiment and served in burma for 5+ years but i cant be certain. Also, he was linked in with the forgotten army. and where could i purchase Uchiko powder and Choji oil taking in to consideration i live in Birmingham/U.K. ?

[António Fragoeiro]

Welcome to the forum.
Beautiful piece, you lucky to have such an important historic piece.
And with family background too.
Outstanding
As Alan, i too would love to know more about your Grandfather`s service history.

Cheers
Nuno

[Stu W]

Hello,

Some random thoughts:

Before you decide to dismantle, or not, you should be aware that the odds of you having a hand made ancestral blade in those gunto mounts is slim at best. Even if you remove the tsuka (handle) and see some kanji on the nakago (tang) it does not mean it's more than what it appears to be, a WW2 period IJA Officer sword, one of many made in factories during the period.

I'd suggest wiping the blade down with a fine grade lubricating oil such as sewing machine oil and then leaving it alone as Alan suggests. Just a few drops...it goes a long way and excess creates other problems. Don't use motor oil or any sort of compound that is primarily meant to loosen rusted metal nuts and bolts.

If you do decide to dismantle it don't clean the nakago until you have photographed it and shown us the images. The type and age of rust is one of several factors considered in determining age of a blade.

If you do take it apart don't worry about the wooden peg being damaged. They were routinely taken in and out during sword servicing and a replacements can be fashioned from a chopstick.

I'll add a photo of some kanji so that you can see the proper way to photograph it. It's read from top down so keep the top kanji uppermost as it relates to the sword tip.

Regards,
Stu

[mjb]

hello stu w, i managed to remove the mekugi but i'm having trouble removing the tsuka. will probably try again tomorrow evening and i will keep you all updated.
thanks again,
Matt.
p.s. the mekugi came out with no damage so im pleased.

[Stu W]

Have a look part way down this page...

JAPANESE SWORD CARE GUIDE

If that tsuka has been on for decades it will not come off easily so take your time. You don't want to end up with a severe laceration as some have done before you. You may also find it beneficial to look for a sword club in your area. There are lots in your country and the members will be most helpful I'm sure.

Regards,
Stu