The Year 25 Model Cavalry Gunto

[Nick Komiya]

Rare glimpse of the variety of edged weapons in IJA use before WW1

[Kiipu]

Having spent 2 years with the new cavalry design, some shortcomings were becoming a nagging problem. So three points of design improvements were proposed by the cavalry for consideration by the Minister of the Army, Iwao Oyama.

Some of these improvements suggested by the cavalry, chiefly the method of retaining the scabbard, would have to await for the design and introduction of the 三十二年式軍刀 [32 Year Type Military Sword]. However, there would be two versions, instead of just one, and the cavalry would have to wait a while longer.

[Nick Komiya]

The Merging of Swords and Bayonets before the Russo-Japanese War

As discussed earlier, the end of the 19th Century saw spiked bayonets becoming more knifelike while specialized swords for infantry and artillery were also transforming into something akin to long knives.

Thus evolution had put them on a converging path, yet the minor differences that still remained fragmented logistical supply and caused havoc during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95.

Having learned the lesson that variety had a huge cost in efficiency of production as well as supply to the field, the merging of similar demands into one weapon was finally set into motion.

The key was the Type 30 bayonet that was introduced in February of 1898, as an integral specification to the Type 30 infantry rifle. As soon as this bayonet came out, it was clear that this could kill three birds with one stone by eliminating the walker sword as well as the artillery sword, which was announced in November of that year.

Remaining stocks of the walker and artillery swords kept on being issued during the Russo-Japanese War, but the torch had already passed onto the Type 30 bayonet and the obsolete swords were in phase-out mode.

This bayonet also got paired with the Type 38 rifle that was launched in 1905. At this time, because the bayonet was regarded as an integral part of the gun, they had serial numbers stamped into the side of the grips that matched the number of the gun. But now that the same bayonet had to fill demand for walker and artillery sword substitutes, as well as get matched up with Type 30 and Type 38 rifles, it was decided to take the bayonet out of the guns’ specs and set it up as a stand alone item. Thus from July 1906, the serial number stamped at the head of the grip stood for the consecutive number of bayonets produced and they were no longer required to match the serial number of the guns they got supplied with.

[Kiipu]

Pictures of serial number 1996.
Sold: Type 25 Sword

Pictures of serial number 6784.
Japanese Cavalry sword type 25 1892

[Kiipu]

Nick, I was looking at a Japanese document put out by 陸軍兵器本廠, entitled 兵器廠保管参考兵器沿革書 第一輯, and dated 昭和四年十一月, that mentioned the 輜重兵刀. Alas, it was written in old style 漢字 kanji characters. Is there any worthwhile information in the text below.

本邦製兵器
輜重兵刀　（戦歴　西南日清北清諸� �）
様式ハ刀型尖部兩刄ニシテ獨國製造� �年月不明）及本邦（明治十六年乃至� ��十四年）ニ於テ製造セラル全長一〇 二〇粍ニシテ鞘ハ鋼鈑製ナリ

[Nick Komiya]

Translation "Transport troops sword (Battle Record, Seinan Civil War, Sino-Japanese War, Boxer Rebellion). Style in sword shape with double edges at pointed tip. Made in Germany (production date unknown) or in Japan (produced from 1883 to 1891), having an overall length of 1020 mm with a scabbard made of steel. "

So originally imported from Solingen, then produced in Japan.

[Nick Komiya]

If you are trying to have a closer look at the transport troops sword preceding the Type 32, here is a good look of it as of 1875, when they were still imports from Germany. Also a photo of transport crew, carrying the sword, whose Haikan was reduced to one officially from December 1909.