My Original Type 94 Shin Gunto

Here's an in-depth look at my other antique Showato that I've been training with since about 1983. It's a rarer beast, with very different dynamics from my Type 98. The uncommon full bohi is from a time when these swords, when not refit ancestral blades, were still being exclusively commissioned by the officers, and there are interesting patterns in the active hamon. Unfortunately, the original saya was long gone when we acquired and restored it for dojo use.
There's still some mystery in translation of the signature (mei), as I haven't tracked down this particular smith and may be having challenges reading his chisel-writing style. Handmade, kobuse kitae lamination, but likely made out of modern industrial steels taken from Manchuria.

[@jamieadams7550]

I absolutely love your reports and review thankyou I’m learning so much

[@jamieadams7550]

Trying to find info on the sakabato Kantana is not finding a lot but I bought one from shadow dancer

[@9SS94Cr]

I would be really interested in your process of restoring/repairing these sword, like the tools you used and the how you remade the saya, etc. Maybe for a future video?

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Sadly, this was about 40 years ago, but since then I've worked out other methods, though without access to a current workshop space.

[@BACCHUS777]

Not quite sure where you found this information from regarding Type 94, it is unfortunately completely incorrect. Beyond the removable secondary hanger Type 94 will have a large pierced Tsuba, a locking latch generally centered in the Fuchi, and other small differences that were eventually resolved and standardized for the Type 98. The example you are showing (if completely original) is almost certainly a Type 98, perhaps early in the production (1939/1940). This information can be found and confirmed in the current reference books on Japanese military swords and daggers.

[@Militarycollector]

Yup… that’s right…! B

[@jananilcolonoscopu4034]

I do love me some iron fixtures and fittings.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

That is my preference on an uchigatana, absolutely!

[@johnwayne2103]

A lot of steel that was used to make swords was the Japanese Railway steel and that steel came from Sweden. Early blades were either Family heirloom blades or swords that were issued out to foot solders during the Feudal era of Japan. Japan still had a lot of those swords still left and so they refitted them with military hardware, I have one of those swords that is over 400 years old. No family name but the Smith Name and no other markings. Just hand forged the traditional way.

[@jonben7244]

Another amazing video thank you for that and I'm definitely learning a lot so far out of the blade profiles you've discussed I like your original type 98 gunto that acts like super tough blade Loving home learning so much about the different types of shapes and blade profiles and how that affects cutting and and overall performance and handling

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Thanks!

[@Militarycollector]

“10-15 degree bend,, not too bad”…A 10-15 degree bend when it comes to a sword blade would be massive…!!!

[@michaelrizzo5523]

It's why I got it so cheaply. That and the rust and no scabbard. Not sure if it happened in combat or some idiot wrapped it around a tree. Looked like Matthew Jensen had too much fun with it. Thankfully no cracking or delam. We spent days slowly pressing it back straight. It's still a degree or so bent, but hasn't gotten any worse with decades of use.

[@shawnclifford362]

Be back after work. Have a great day sir. ☘️

[@TheSilvertrigger]

I know shin gunto are illegal in Japan, the mass manufactured ones are not allowed to be owned by Japanese people .

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Sad. Bars martial artists who can't afford the price of a registered traditional Nihonto, nor can they practice any other kind of swordsmanship.

[@TheSilvertrigger]

@@michaelrizzo5523 I think every Japanese person who wants to own a katana should be able to if they want. It's their cultural. Heck I've seen people in Texas who carry old colt 45 saa revolvers in old timy gun belts. No problem with that.

[@JoeSteel1]

Great information as always Michael 👍

[@shawnclifford362]

Dia Duit Michael. Your restoration skills are impressive. Thanks for the history lesson, I haven't gone that deep. I know more about Japan and Korean interaction than Japan and China. Kensai Rizzo. Always a pleasure. Slan ☘️

[@yotomuramasa]

The stamp makes me think it was made in Seki

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Seki had their own signature stamp which was a Kanji. (Mukden also used a Kanji.) Some naval Kai Gunto had their own stamps. The most coveted (potentially highest quality) were the Star stamp and the Minatogawa Kikusui "floating flower" that could potentially indicate a more traditionally made blade. This is the more generic standard Showa flower & kanji stamp, pretty common across all areas (my Mino 98 has a version of this). Definitely flags it as non-traditional. This one is only half-struck, like it was put on sloppily later, or maybe the smith wasn't too thrilled with putting it on. Some pics and info here: www.japaneseswordindex.com/showato.htm

[@kahlorockk2762]

@@michaelrizzo5523 hey where can i purchase a murasame type 95 nco shin gunto i really want one

[@michaelrizzo5523]

@@kahlorockk2762 Murasame currently lists them as unavailable on Amazon. You could try messaging Shewan through Amazon at the Murasame Store and see if he's looking to stock more soon, or could find you one.

[@LIFEAFTER78]

nice

[@johancahyadi6905]

With so many katanas & swords you have, what rust-inhibitor you most recommend sir?

[@michaelrizzo5523]

I use modern firearm oils and protectants. Break Free CLP is my current favorite.

[@johnwayne2103]

If you want to use traditional methods just do a search there are a couple of restoration placess in the U.S. that sell the traditional sword maintenance kit. It's sourced from Japan.

[@JohnJones-fh8hp]

Any collector of Nihonto knows to NEVER touch the blade.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

I've had them for 44 years. Used frequently in training for decades, including Soete and Noto (hands all over the blade doing those techniques). Never once rusted them by touching them. One learns how to take care of one's own tools. But one never touches someone else's blade.

[@Darksoull.]

I recently inherited a type 98 from my dad. I know it's original, because my grandfather brought it back from the war. My dad told me how he used to sneak it out of it's storage box when he was a kid and play with it. My sword: brown painted metal scabbard with one hangar. Tsuba is deep pressed pattern. It doesn't have a sarute though, there is like a round shoelace type cord instead. The tassels look black almost, but maybe a really deep navy blue? and they don't have the stringy frizzy bits at the end. the hamon has like a wave pattern to it (although I had to wipe off tons and tons of old thick grease, the scabbard is full of it) No fuller in the blade I've never taken the handle off, it looks too fragile and is loose, The locking clasp doesn't work, and the blade looks like it is partly pulled away from the handle, although it is stiff and wont push back in. Also you can see the bottom part of the locking clasp below the button in the handle, I think a piece of the handle must have broken out and exposed this, or is it supposed to be like that?

[@michaelrizzo5523]

It sounds like the either the mekugi peg has failed or the hole has stripped to let the tang slip forward out of the grip. The V spring for the latch is in a slot in the grip below the button hole, and it could be snagging and keeping you from pushing the blade back into the grip, or a broken peg is caught, or something else is hung up in there. It may also be that rust inside the grip has glued the tang to the wood. If it was mine, I would try to remove the peg and use a soft mallet to gently tap it apart (from the back of the guard, not the front, as the habaki is delicate on the blade side), or if you can fit a flat screwdriver or similar between the fuchi (top grip collar) and the seppa (guard washer) and gently pry the blade out. Sounds like I need to do a quick video on stuck sword disassembly.

[@Darksoull.]

@@michaelrizzo5523 Thanks for the advise. I really want to take the handle off to see the markings on the tang. But When I inspected it, I can see the peg on one side of the handle, but the other side looks like it is under one of the wraps. So I would have to somehow get under the wrap with a punch, and I'm scared that I would end up moving or wrecking the wrap or the ray skin. I'm in AUS btw. I checked around a bit, and it's pretty hard to find someone who repairs these swords. There is only one trained sword polisher, and he charges about $3k just to polish. I've found no one that is highly recommended to repair the handle.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

@@Darksoull. That bulge under one side of the rayskin is likely where the pin hole stripped forward, loosening the assembly. It's pretty common on these old pieces. You might be able to insert a thin screwdriver up under the rayskin and push the pin out, but it might be a struggle. Keep looking, might be someone in-country you could send it to in terms of a collector who could at least help you get it apart.

[@Quin9296]

I don't think that sword is Original. Did you try to take the handle off and look at the signature on it? If not it should have manufacture mark and serial number.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Did you watch the part where I showed the tang signature and Showa/arsenal stamp? No one made reproductions of this quality 45 years ago, and if they did, they wouldn't mount them in original fittings, rust, age and damage them, and then sell them through reputable collectors for what we paid.

[@Quin9296]

@@michaelrizzo5523 I apologize. I skipped the part that you said it badly rust when u got it. I saw few reproduction like that in China or ebay come with fake signatures or serial numbers. Not sure about yours sword.

[@Quin9296]

@@michaelrizzo5523 Additional that the original fitting is very easy to find at the flee market in Tokyo. They sometimes sell it separate parts, or put it on a decoration non-sharp blades. I think the Japanese really don’t care too much about Gunto.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

@@Quin9296 After the war, any sharp sword that wasn't registered and licensed as fully traditionally made using traditional tamahagane became illegal to possess and were destroyed, and that's still the law in Japan today. People sometimes find gunto hidden away by original owners or their families as keepsakes but it's a serious crime (possession of a deadly weapon) to keep them, so they have to turn them in to the police for destruction. It's also why you can't buy a new Japanese made sword that doesn't cost as much as a car, and you need to get a license to buy it. Fittings and blunt iaito can still be sold.

[@jakemake142]

Do you have a authentic World War II gunto? I heard those are super pricey

[@michaelrizzo5523]

Both this one and my original Type 98 are from WWII, captured swords. Very expensive today, not so much back in 1980 when I bought them. I think the 98 went for $200 and the 94 for $375, both in pretty sad shape.

[@jakemake142]

@@michaelrizzo5523 ​ one more thing with all due respect to you and your experience with blades if you touch a katana blade make sure your skin is not touching the blade because human skin produces oil and oil and steel creates rust and fingerprints at least wear a glove 🧤 because in Japan I don’t see them touching a blade with their skin hand 🤚

[@michaelrizzo5523]

I did a video on this topic a while ago. Traditional Tamahagane is very corrosion prone compared to modern industrial alloys, so I wouldn't even want to breathe on one. Also, I've learned the hard way that traditional Choji oil is actually terrible at protecting blades, and breaks down fast. As I do a lot of Soite (half-sword) training, and fingers always contact the spine in resheathing (Noto), I now swear by modern protectant/lubricants like CLP for my swords as they're great at resisting moisture and hand oils. I just need to give the blade a quick wipe after handling.

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

Good video. Its a nice sword. As far as restoration goes though it does depend on where you are selling it etc. In Japan they see it as disrespectful to not keep a blade "in polish" whereas here in the west we like to keep the patina that shows its age. This is why you find so many really shiny antiques in museum b/c they keep them polished.

[@michaelrizzo5523]

I do believe in keeping my tools well-maintained, not worried about antique market value.