Yesterday's Weapons Forums

....updated(but lousy cellphone cam ) pics of the Samurai sword from my Vet buddy that he picked up In Japan right after the war ended...in Tokyo on Xmas Day 45' after they pulled in from all their battles....the capture papers are dated Jan. of 46...this is a true samurai....not an officers mass produced one for the war.....from what I've been able to determine with alotta help-is that this is a Meiji Period sword-hand made by Kanamaru for someone named Hideshige,and it way predates 1900.....still digging up more leads for more specifics-its painstaking...I managed to purchase a real Meiji style Tsuka and Tsuba from Japan tobring it back to what it really looked like when it was carried-when Frank picked it up,the guard and handle were removed by the family as they were not "required " to surrender that part.....many many more details too much to type for me at this time....and a lot I still ahve to find out.....












....again I humbly apologize for crappy pics with cell camera.....only method I have to post pics with.....

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....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

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A dart or a sledgehammer What do you prefer?

Old Thor ain't got nothing on me.



Gungrubber

very cool

Sorry to jab this one back to the top after so long, but that's just such a FINE @#$%'n sword that I need to say somethin' here.
THAT is a fine find.
Many more mine friend
8) 8) 8)
jon

....well,heres a pic of the 'capture papers'....

_________________
....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

....and it is STILL sharp as hell-I have to watch how I handle it when I do....all I have doe is to oil lightly to prevent rust...

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....Naj puška govori!....
.............deplorable typical "bitter clinger"....

Few years back, I heard a docco on radio.
Was about an Australian medical officer (military) in the Pacific in WW2.

He attended a Japanese surrender on a ship off an island.
All of the Japanese officers surrendered their gear.

After the ceremony, all of the Allied officers were invited to take a sword and a pair of binocs off the piles.

Oz doctor took his.

Kept the sword for 30+ years (binocs were stolen before he got home)

Anyway, there was a scrap of cloth attached to the hilt of the sword...with Japanese writing.

He, eventually, became curious and had it translated (by coincidence, his grandson was fluent in the language and employed at our Tokyo Embassy)

Was the name of the original owner.
Had the name tracked....after ensuring the Japanese officer wasn't a known war criminal, contacted him and sent the sword to him.

Seems the sword was a family heirloom. Owner was a priest at a shinto (?) temple and the sword had been passed down by his father who was the previous priest.

Gratitude was touching.

Grandson visited the priest, later and was treated as some kind of royalty.

nice story, IMO.

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If you would win an argument, it is best to stick to the truth......or, at least, provable untruths.

Another story I like:

In the 1920s or 1930s, a Japanese Antarctic expedition was forced into Sydney for some reason. A problem with the ship, I think.
The crew was given basic accommodation (some sort of camp alongside the harbour) and left to their own devices.
They experienced some hardship.

An Australian who was a veteran of Antarctic exploration heard about them and organized support. A few luxuries and visits with sympathetic families. Excursions, maybe.

Eventually, they were repatriated.

Later, they sent the Australian explorer a sword in gratitude.
Sword spent decades forgotten in storage.
Bloke's descendants found it and tried to find what it was.
In the 70s or 80s, word got back to Japan.
Family heard from a Japanese expert who flew out to examine it.
Declared it to be a priceless antique by one of the most famous makers.
Took it back to Japan, had it refurbished, professionally, and returned it.
It is, now, in an Aust National Museum.

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If you would win an argument, it is best to stick to the truth......or, at least, provable untruths.