Military Knives

1 vintage Mantetsu WW2 Japanese Army Officer’s sword available.  This Japanese Mantetsu sword would make an important addition to any collection.

This sword is signed ‘Mantetsu kitau tsukuru kore’–meaning ‘Mantetsu (Co.) made this by forging’.  The ‘Ren’ (Dairen Railroad) stamp is above the signature.  The reverse side of the nakago is dated.  The spine of the nakago is also marked.  This fine sword measures 26 5/8″ (67.6 cm) (measured properly from the blade tip to the notch in the blade spine). 

1 antique World War II Japanese samurai Army Officer’s sword available.  This sword was made by 2 Million Yen smith Kanenobu.  This fine Japanese Army katana would make an important addition to any collection.

Kanenobu was named an ‘Intangible Cultural Asset’ of Gifu Prefecture many years after the war in 1973.

The blade measures 25 3/16″ (64 cm)–as measured properly with a tape pulled tight from the blade tip to the bottom of the notch in the habaki.  

The hamon is complex–not surprising for a smith of Kanenobu’s skill level.  

This sword has a premium pierced tsuba.  The blue/brown Company Grade Officer’s tassel is attached to the sarute.  A bringback tag is attached to the sword.  It reads ‘Cpl. Frank P. Kostecky’.  

The leather combat cover has kept the Army saya in perfect condition.  

1 large antique World War II Japanese Samurai Army Officer’s sword available.  This is the biggest WW2 Army sword a collector will ever run across.  An Army Officer sword of this size is exceedingly rare.  

This sword was made by Minamoto Masauji.  This Japanese Army gendaito sword would make an important addition to any collection.

This sword is signed ‘Minamoto Masauji saku kore’.  The reverse side of the nakago is dated ‘November 1936’.  This is about the earliest date to be found on a shin-gunto sword.  

The blade measures 27 9/16″ (70 cm)–as measured properly with a tape pulled tight from the blade tip to the bottom of the notch in the habaki.  This sword measures 43″ from blade tip to the end of the handle.  The tsuka/handle on this sword is oversized–it measures 12 1/4″ (50% longer than the typical regulation Army tsuka).   

This sword has an undulating, water-tempered hamon/temper line.  

The fittings have matching assembly numbers on them–all fittings are stamped ’40’.  The tsuba is the large over-sized variation. 

The kashira has a Samurai family mon.  This mon is the family crest of the Shizume Samurai clan.