The NCO swords were introduced on September 16, 1935. These swords were machine made and came in six different variations. however, two of the variations were not officially recognized by the Japanese Imperial Army.
All swords were marked with a serial number on the blade and the scabbard. In addition, the arsenal markings were stamped near the habaki in the handle. The example displayed on this page is the aluminum variation.
The sword was also issued to officer candidates on September 17, 1940.

The locking mechanism was welded to the handle and it kept the blade firmly secured to the scabbard so it would not falll off during battle. The locking mechanism is a component that breaks fairly easily if not handled properly. The arsenal control markings (left picture) can be seen towards the bottom of the handle.

Just like the regular swords, the menuki and pommel portray the cherry blossoms representative of the Imperial Army. The only difference is that in NCO swords these items are painted instead of being separate pieces.

THE BLADE
The NCO blade is easily recognized by the serial numbers engraved near the top of the blade. Another telling fact is the blood groove which spans nearly the entire length of the blade on both sides.

The top of the blade has some rust spots and the tip shows slight marks of sharpening but the overall condition of the blade on this example still very good.

THE SCABBARD
The numbers on the scabbard match the numbers on the blade. The scabbard is painted with the imperial army brown. All NCO swords were issued on this color.

THE TSUBA
The tsuba ob the NCO swords is normally a completelly solid design. The tsuba shown here is a much more ornate and thinner example and is constructed from brass.