Anyone know about Japanese Swords?

[MissingSomething]

Is this a WW2 issue sword?

[ame="http://s842.photobucket.com/albums/zz348/wolf_of_buddha/?action=view&current=detail2.jpg"]detail2.jpg picture by wolf_of_buddha - Photobucket[/ame]

 

[25thapril]

Don't think so

I'm no expert on Japanese swords but I have owned a few and I'm pretty certain this is not a WW2 Jap sword the handles look like China/Phillipines cheap knock off crap especially the smaller blade inside the handle no self respecting Samurai Would use a sword where during combat you may have your handle come apart at the wrong time
But the blade looks like folded steel or it could be acid etched to look that way and it has not been sharpened to produce the wavey line
Well thats what I reckon anyway and I have been wrong before about things
Regards 25thapril

 

[MissingSomething]

Thanks, the consensus on another forum is that its a newer Chinese or other Asian copy.

Thanks. :tongue:

 

[BOUGAINVILLE]

Japanese swords

Hi there, :tinysmile_twink_t:
I'm no expert but just looking at it would make me believe that it is not "fair dikum". I have a NCO sword captured in Bougainville and it is complete with arsenal marks etc. The kind that one sees on headstamps etc. The tip of the scabbord even has a wear mark near the bottom where it has rubbed on the sargent majors boot from slogging it along jungle trails.
If you want some pics just let me know and I will post some.

While reading a book on the Australian 31/51st Infantry Battalion that fought on Bougainville it was interesting to note that the rascals got up to lots of enterprising tricks in their spare time, even making fake Japanese swords from jeep springs etc and hocking them of to American GIs as the real Macoy. Interesting to know that fakes were around even then. Here's the quote from the book;
"Bosley Field had a large stage and market area, where soldiers could buy souvenirs of the war, captured or taken from dead Japanese soldiers, or forged replicas. Australians sold Japanese swords made from Jeep springs, to American servicemen, and flags complete with the rising sun, plus Japanese characters carefully copied from labels found on tins in abandoned Japanese camps. The swords were very well made and sold for 80 to 200 pounds and the flags sold for about 100 pounds depending on their size. How many American servicemen in the USA have these Australian made replicas, believing that they are the genuine articles? Enterprising soldiers made jewellery from perspex that was purchased and sent to their loved ones at home, to remind them that they were not forgotten. Most gambling games were played there except Crown and Anchor, which was banned.

Whisky bought by officers in an Officers Mess for five shillings (50 cents) a bottle, could be sold for five pounds (10 dollars) or exchanged for watches etc. at Bosley Field market."

Bosley Field was located at Torokina on Bougainville Island and was a huge American forward base for the advance towards Rabaul and the Philpines.

I thought that you American members would appreciate the WWII Aussie fakes. You might just look a bit closer at those GI bringbacks from now on.

Cheers,
BOUGAINVILLE :wink: