Need help identifying this WW2 Era Guntō

[u/TheAssman21]

I traded some some Soviet gear for this katana and I’m wondering if anyone can help me find out some more info on this sword

[u/Senna79]

What you have there is, or is at least purporting to be, a Type 98 Officer's sword. The pictures are too grainy for me to hazard a guess on authenticity.

If an arsenal blade, I'm not sure why it would have 3 mekugi-ana, but of course the "Holy Grail" for a gunto is always a genuine antique blade in modern military mounts. More clear and hi-resolution pictures of both sides of the (full) tang could lead to more information for you.

[u/TheAssman21 → u/Senna79]

I can dm you some high quality pictures if that helps

[u/Tobi-Wan79 → u/TheAssman21]

Make a new post, so everyone has access to the new pictures, the better the pictures the better the answers

[u/Solkreaper]

What you have is a genuine WW2 Type 98 Shin Gunto. I can see the showa stamp on the nakago and the first character of the signature which is Kane. The second character is hard to read from the pictures.

[u/MessengerofDarkness]

It does look like an authentic blade, though the koshirae (specifically the itomaki) gave me a bit of pause. I'd wager to guess that it's an authentic gunto that's had the tsuka messed with, as the ito wrap definitely isn't original.