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WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .

Article about: I just picked up this nice WW2 Japanese army sword at auction;the pictures were poor, it was dirty, the blade was held in by a screw,there was no picture of the tang, etc..Amazingly, like so

  1. #1

    Default WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .

    I just picked up this nice WW2 Japanese army sword at auction;the pictures were poor, it was dirty, the blade was held in by a screw,there was no picture of the tang, etc..Amazingly, like so many other Japanese swords, the locking mechanism was missing;believe it or not. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people tell me that they had to break the lock, holding the blade in and them dumbly stare at me when I ask if they pushed the "button," in first?
    My question, is can anyone advise me what the tang states? I believe this to be an early WW2, machine made blade, and as such, I have a friend who can clean the blade up for me and improve it(some light scratches, etc.), however, if it is a better blade than I think, then, I would have it polished properly or left alone.
    I have learned by experience, that it is better to ask these questions before action is taken ,then later !
    Regards,
    David
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .   WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .  

    WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .   WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .  

    WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .   WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .  

    WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .   WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .  

    WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .   WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .  

    WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .   WW2 Japanese sword;need help with identification, please .  


  2. #2
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    Hi David , the signature on your sword is Kanetoshi and it is dated Showa 18 or May 1943 .


    Edit : correction to my initial translation of the signature , it is indeed Kanenori as stated in the following post . Many thanks to Guy for steering me in the right direction !
    Last edited by Alan M; 10-27-2013 at 02:06 PM.
    REGARDS AL

    We are the Pilgrims , master, we shall go
    Always a little further : it may be
    Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow
    Across that angry or that glimmering sea...

  3. #3

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    Kanenori [kanay-nory]
    兼則

    Showa 18 year (1943), May
    昭和十八年五月

    Damned advert is obscuring the smith's name; I wrote:
    Kanenori [kanay-nory]
    兼則

    Kanenori (KAN 1929) was born Kojima Taro in Meiji 40 (1907) and was the younger brother of Kanemichi. He studied swordsmithing at the Token Tanrensho in Seki. This was founded in 1907 by Kaneyoshi, a decendant of the koto Mino Zenjou school. Many gendai smiths were students of the Token Tanrensho.

    Kanenori went on to win First Seat at the 1941 Exhibition. He was an Rikugun Jumei Tosho (Army Certified Swordsmith) during WW2. To become Rikugun Jumei Tosho, a swordsmith had to pass tests and examination of his blades. Once accepted as a Rikugun Jumei Tosho, the smith was given a regular allocation of tamehagane with which to make sword blades. A complete list of Rikugun Jumei Tosho swordsmiths was published in Showa 17 as "Rikugun Jumei Tosho Meibo". The NBTHK is on record as passing and papering star stamped gendaito.

    In addition to swords made under the Army Certified Smith programme, Kanenori also made gendaito without star stamps and non-traditional swords. His work can be seen with star stamps, no stamps, sho stamps and Seki stamps.

    Nagoya arsenal stamps are seen on gendaito, both star stamped and otherwise. They indicate that the sword was forged by the smith at the arsenal, rather than at his private forge. In short, the stamp just indicates where the sword entered the military supply chain, in this case at Nagoya. A non-traditional sword of this date would have an additional stamp, such as a Seki or Gifu stamp.



    source
    same signature, highlighted.
    same lacquered "stamp" (I think????)



    --Guy
    Last edited by ghp95134; 10-26-2013 at 07:54 PM. Reason: formatting ... trying to "out fox" the advertisement

  4. #4
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    Quote by ghp95134 View Post
    Kanenori [kanay-nory]
    兼則

    Showa 18 year (1943), May
    昭和十八年五月






    Damned advert is obscuring the smith's name; I wrote:
    Kanenori [kanay-nory]
    兼則



    same signature, highlighted.
    same lacquered "stamp" (I think????)



    --Guy

    Good call Guy
    REGARDS AL

    We are the Pilgrims , master, we shall go
    Always a little further : it may be
    Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow
    Across that angry or that glimmering sea...

  5. #5

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    Quote by Alan M View Post
    Good call Guy
    Thanks Al. Though, I've just made quite a lot of errors on another forum .... (hides face in shame).

    --Guy

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    Quote by ghp95134 View Post
    Thanks Al. Though, I've just made quite a lot of errors on another forum .... (hides face in shame).

    --Guy
    Certainly no need to do that my friend . Anyone interested in Japanese militaria knows how difficult and diverse a subject translating the old style Japanese language is !!! You are a valued member here and you do a great job , i cannot thank you enough for your input
    REGARDS AL

    We are the Pilgrims , master, we shall go
    Always a little further : it may be
    Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow
    Across that angry or that glimmering sea...

  7. #7

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    I am very grateful for the translation; should I invest in a proper polish or leave it as it is ?
    Regards,
    David

  8. #8
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    Hello David,

    Before you do anything else I suggest you carefully examine the nakago (tang) for any stampings and if one is present you photograph it for further review here. If your blade is gendaito then a polish might be worth undertaking if the blade itself is without fatal flaws as yet unseen in the photos. A qualified polisher, of which there are two (Becerra and Benson) I'd use in North America, will charge you about 125 USD per inch of blade to undertake a proper polish. Otherwise I recommend leaving it alone and enjoy it for what it is ... a great iconic collectible from WW2.

    Regards,
    Stu

  9. #9

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    By the way .... is it "bold" of me to "like" a compliment? Thanks Al.

  10. #10
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    Not when it is so well deserved.

    Regards,
    Stu

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