Type 97 Naval Kai-gunto

Axis Powers > Japanese > Edged Weapons >

Here's a very nice example of an Officer grade Shin-gunto The 26.5 inch machine-made blade rates Exc++. There are a few odd surface scratches and three small areas of roughness to the obverse where the was maybe some pitting. It has a nice clean cutting edge. The tip looks good and the fit is nice and tight. The tang is nicely signed. The scabbard is black rough paint smulated shark skin over wood, with gold plated brass fittings. Each fitting depicts cherry blossoms and leaves over a pebbled background. The scabbard body is in fairly good condition with a small spotof paint losson the leading edge between the the ashi and some minor spots and scuffs throughout. The dent free scabbard is the type without a release latch. The tsuba is a chemically blackened bronze oval with decorative lines surrounding the beautifully detailed seppa's depicting the rising sun. The handle is a hand fitted wooden sleeve wrapped in unpolished black shark skin and wrapped again in a twisted silk tape. The two menki's depict three cherry blossoms on three disks each. The fittings are gold plated brass. The ishizuke nicely matches the kabutogane. Finally finishing this is a nice unfrayed original tassel.