japanese nco “shin-gunto” sword ius-s-116

All Japanese officers in 20th century wartime Japan were required to wear a sword as a badge
of rank. Though traditional swordsmiths made exquisite blades for the highest officers, there
was no way they could meet the mass demand required by the Army. The gap was filled with
non-traditional smiths using non-traditional metals and techniques. The tang of non-traditional
blades were stamped to distinguish them from traditional swords.
In Japan these mass-produced ‘’Showato’’ class swords are illegal to own as they are not
considered to be ‘’true’’ Japanese swords.

Specifications:

Total length: 96,52 cm
Blade length: 68,58 cm
Weight with scabbard: 1.550 kg

These mass-produced military ‘’Shin Gunto’’ swords substituted the complex hilt construction of traditional blades with an aluminium-cast painted false ‘’Tsuka-Ito’’ lacing.
The blades were stamped with factory numbers and the hilt and scabbard feature a simple locking mechanism. The blade is made from tempered high-carbon steel and the scabbard is steel with a wood-core and drab-painted exterior. The tsuba is of brass.