98 Gunto for review

[Pevan]

Recently won this Gunto at auction, However it appears to be made put with the wrong tsuka as the mekugi does not line up with the tang and the chuso which i thought to be broken in the auction pictures is intact but is too short and wide for the saya on the plus side the pieces do seem to be matching in fit and assembly numbers (all numbered 10)

As for the rest all the seppas and tsuba fit well on the tang and have a matching inscription on them so would appear to be complete and the blade fits well in the saya which i have read is the hardest part to find.

As for the blade it seems in good condition despite not having a visible hamon with what seems to be a single character on the tang which looks to have been cut down.

Anyhow enough waffle from me and i look forward to what you have to say about this piece.

Thanks for reading.

[Pevan]

And the rest of the pictures, If any more are required i'm happy to take them.

[ghp95134]

It looks like an NCO sword refitted. The cut-down tang has a セ (se) stamp.

The names scratched on the seppa are probably the finishers:
倉島一
Kurashima Kazu
The given name 一 can also be pronounced as Tsukasa, Hajimu, Makoto, Hajime, Hitoshi, Ichi, Osamu, Susumu, or Hitotsu.

ヨ山
Yoyama
This is unusual -- I cannot find it as a surname. The katakana ヨ (yo) might be an informal simplification of 当 (to) which is a simplification of 當 (to). If so, then ヨ山 could be Toyama.

-- Guy

[Pevan]

Thanks for the info, I also forgot to mention that the scabbard is lacquered wood as opposed to wood in a metal sheath which i suppose is uncommon in this configuration?

[Bruce Pennington]

Hi Pevan!

You didn't say whether the mekugi ana don't line as as in being short or long on the nakago. In other words, there may be too many seppa keeping the tsuka from sliding down far enough; or there may not be enough seppa and the tsuka slides down too far? Either way is fixable, and I feel confident in saying that the original officer carrying this would not have carried it in such a state of affairs. So, someone has messed up the seppa count since it fell into the collection world.

The "Se" stamp is:
セ SE 小倉陸軍造兵廠第二製造所
2nd Factory of Kokura Army Arsenal

So the blade was made by the Kokura Army Arsenal 2nd Factory. It is not an NCO sword, though the design and manufacturing methods are quite similar. They are called "zohieto" or "factory blades." You can see a discussion of them on Ohmura's site here: 造兵刀　Army Arsenal blade

[ghp95134]

Thanks for the info, I also forgot to mention that the scabbard is lacquered wood as opposed to wood in a metal sheath which i suppose is uncommon in this configuration?

Yes, it is set up as an officer's sword. NCOs could also carry a sword in the officer configuration if they were 帯刀本分者 "Taitō Honbusha," [sword-bearing personnel].

Japanese search results giving four examples of the phrase Taito Honbusha. Disregard the � marks, the Japanese formatting throws those in randomly:

(1) また、士官候補生でも騎兵・輜重兵� �乗馬帯刀本分者は軍刀を佩用する。

(2) また、前述の通り下士官兵のうち対� �者には官給品の軍刀が支給されてい� ��が、上級下士官や、外地・前線にい る者は帯刀本分者でなくても私物と� �て誂え軍刀を佩用する事例があった� �� ...

(3) このような経緯から発表されたのが� �軍刀の操法及試斬」で、偕行社から1 940年11月、全国部隊の帯刀本分者に伝 達された。 ...

(4) 更に陸軍の下士官兵においては、乗� �本分者たる騎兵・憲兵・輜重兵とい� ��た特定の兵科に属する「帯刀本分者 」と、徒歩本分者である歩兵などで� �連隊・大隊本部附、営外居住者たる� ��長を中心とする一部の上級下士官も 該当する。

(1) Furthermore, even among cadets, cavalry and transport soldiers on horseback wear military swords.

(2) In addition, as mentioned above, government-issued military swords were provided to non-commissioned officers. There were cases in which senior non-commissioned officers and those working overseas or on the front lines wore custom-made military swords as their personal belongings, even if they were not officially "Taitō Honbusha" [sword-bearing personnel] There were cases where it was used. ...

(3) Based on this background, "Gunto Handling Techniques and Test Cuts" was published, and it was passed on by Kaikosha¹ to sword-bearing personnel in military units across the country in November 1940. ...

(4) Furthermore, among non-commissioned soldiers in the Army, there are "sword-bearing personnel" who belong to specific military branches such as cavalry, military police, and heavy transport soldiers who are responsible for riding horses, and infantry personnel who are responsible for walking. This also applied to some senior non-commissioned officers, mainly sergeants who resided off-post.

-------
1. Kaikosha was soon incorporated and set about providing aid to wounded soldiers, supporting temples that consecrated war dead, publishing academic research and essays on military topics, and fostering friendships among fellow officers both in active service and in the reserves. These activities were funded by membership fees.

2. Here's my favorite "sword-bearing personnel", Nakamura Taizaburo (the late master of the style I studied). He was the sword-bayonet-dagger combatives instructor for many of his years in the army.

[ghp95134]

...
So the blade was made by the Kokura Army Arsenal 2nd Factory. It is not an NCO sword, though the design and manufacturing methods are quite similar. They are called "zohieto" or "factory blades." You can see a discussion of them on Ohmura's site here: 造兵刀　Army Arsenal blade

Thanks Bruce, I forgot all about zoheito.

-- Guy

[Pevan]

Hi the mekugi ana is way too short, as well as the chuso being too short when the seppa are put on, I suppose i will either have to sell on the tsuba for a better fitting replacement or is it not worth it for a zoheito?

[Bruce Pennington]

So, do you mean the holes align this way?

[Kiipu]

This is an early Type 94/98 and the blade was made by an arsenal. The tang was shortened by the fitting shop? Does the crossguard have a maker's logo on it?