This is a WWII Samurai sword. As issued to Japanese armed forces during WWII. The simplicity of design, strength and
beauty has made the sword famous. It is employed in movies and commercials quite often, propelling it into one of the
top military collectibles.
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.
The tang has three holes which are used to secure the blade to the handle via wooden pegs.
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