Shin-Gunto

[Scotth85]

Recently acquired this. 1943 Ishihara Yoshisado. Really my question revolves around would this be considered officers gunto as it has wrapped handle? Also interested in getting any insight on production process as blade doesn’t have the non typical stamps. Thanks in advance! It’s my first Shin-Gunto and I will definitely cherish it. Not perfect but also seems to me to be in pretty good shape. Hopefully pics uploaded properly. Really a beginner so i welcome any insight and details! Thanks again.

[ghp95134]

Yes, officer's sword; however, some NCOs could have one (my iaido teacher had several as an army swordsmanship instructor).

義定
Yoshisada

昭和十八年四月
Showa 18th Year [1943], April

Not much is written about him:
From the Register of Names of Seki Forge Swordsmiths Since Showa 14, October (1939)
義定 石原錠一 S14.10.25

Swordsmith name: Yoshisada
Legal name: Ishihara Jō´ichi
Date entered the Seki Guild Log: Showa 14 [1939] October 25


From Markus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths:

YOSHISADA (義定), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Yoshisada” (義定), real name Ishihara Jō´ichi (石原錠一)

That's it!!

-- Guy

[Bruce Pennington]

Type 98 Japanese officer sword. You can read all about these, with tons of high quality pictures on Ohmura's site, along with the other Types, here:

Military Swords of Imperial Japan (GuntM)

As to how it was made, your photos don't show enough detail of the metal surface, including close-ups of the hamon (temper line). It is always a difficult thing to do, online, to say whether a blade was made traditionally or not, but certain signs, if evident, can help us guess.

Just for interest, there were a variety of ways blades were made. Richard Fuller in one of his books posted this list: