THE FITTINGS
The fittings found on this sword are typical of the WWII era. The pommel displays the cherry blossom on its top while the side has a circular pattern (below-left). The Tsuba is of very rough construction, this implies that it was produced late in the war when the materials were getting more scarced and were dedicated to the construction of weapons (below-right).

The scabbard is outfitted with a brass hanger and tip ornament. Notice how just above the scabbard there is an indentation on the wood. This is where a wooden, hollowed piece would be placed to allow the soldiers to secure the sword via a cloth sash.

THE BLADE
The blade is hand made. Some minor nicks can be seen in the edge of the sword. In addition, the upper section of the blade is bent. When force is applied to a blade it will bend or crack. Hand made blades bend because they were constructed by folding the metal onto itself several times.

This Samurai Sword may be currently reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the collectible.