It just means that that seppa originally was fitted with others of it's type in a manner that allowed the release mechanism shown in the above photos to pass through from the tsuka to saya. Looks like the release mechanism has been removed which is not unusual. I've seen many that were so the sword could be held in place by friction fit and drawn more easily when required.
The 3 is a part number in my view and I feel it's just coincidence that it shows through.
Regards,
Stu
There should not be a gap under the seppa. My guess is that it's been taken apart before and put back together incorrectly. Each seppa is smaller than the previous one as you work out from the tsuba so they should sit flush against the previous one. Again, not a big deal but something to rearrange if you do take it down.
Regards,
Stu
If you go back and look at the photo with the seppa laid out you will see that while they are uniform in general shape they each have a rectangular slot cut into one side of the space where the blade slides through. That's where the mechanism would pass through. You can see the tip of it peaking out in another picture as well as a cross section of it in the first picture. Again, on an Army sword but the idea is the same as on a Navy sword.
Regards,
Stu
I just added a couple more photos above that might better show what I meant. If not let me know and I'll see what I can come up with.
Regards,
Stu
I did notice that it wasn't even, that was part of my concern about why not to disassemble it. Thanks for all the info. Also you mentioned that you were surprised that it fit in the type 3 scabbard, is it bad for the sword to be put in the wrong scabbard?
Thanks,
Michael
Hi Michael,by Bodey
Not so much bad but if the fit is not exact the blade edge can cause damage to, or be damaged by, the inside of the saya. If you just want to put it on the wall no problem. If you are having to push it into the saya then it's definitely binding and should be left out. Although most swords fell within a standard set of dimensions for their type there was some hand fitting required. Primarily of the tsuka so that it would fit well on the nakago (tang). Having a Navy blade fit a late pattern Army saya is not something I would have expected. I'll take a moment to add this comment. When returning a blade to a saya it's best to hold the saya with one hand and slide the sword into it on it's back not the cutting edge. Try to keep the sword and saya roughly parallel so that the sword tip does not dig into the interior of the saya as it glides into place. The following picture may illustrate what I mean. Again, taken from the Net for educational purposes ... thanks to the contributor.
Regards,
Stu
Not if it fits.
All officers swords, Army and Navy were custom assembled. Parts are not generally interchangeable which is why there are so many messed with examples around. Trying to fit a square peg in a round hole has consequences.
There should be no issue taking yours apart and maybe putting it back together in the order Stu suggested. If the parts are mismatched the fit is probably loose or tight and forced together by any means necessary.
Regards, Rod
The sword fits into the blade fairly easily... I would not say that im forcing it in at all and i dont see any damage to the blade so i think it will be fine. Do you have any idea what this sword would be worth?
Thanks,
Michael
Assuming for the moment that it's a semi machine made blade with some hand finishing produced during the 2nd WW period I'd suggest you could sell it for 800 USD. The problem is that it's a mix. You may see swords looking similar selling for more on various venues but asking price and selling price are often two different amounts. Also, the value to you is that it belonged to a relative. To me it's a parts sword that I would have to put money into to make right again. I hope that does not sound harsh. It's not meant to but each of us views these items within the context of our collecting focus.
Regards,
Stu
PS: If you pull the tsuka and find it's signed by a master then a full evaluation might be in order. The chances of that are extremely slim though in my view from what I have seen so far.
PPS: If you do pull the tsuka and photo any kanji or stampings you find please photo and post them this way with the tip uppermost ...
... and in case you get bitten by the sword bug (it's a good thing!) here are some Navy in their original form to view.
Regards,
Stu
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