Gendaito by Kanetoshi

Signature: Noshu ju Murayama Kanetoshi Saku Kore.
Year Made:  WW II era
Forging Pattern: Difficult to see due to scratching, 
Tempering Pattern: Sanbonsugi.
Dimensions:  Blade Length:  26.125 inchesNakago: 8.875 inches 7 mm thick and 32 mm wide at Hamachi
Mountings:  Partial '34 pattern shin-gunto mounts. Wooden saya with leather combat cover in very good condition. Tsuka is in poor condition, wood is broken, same cracked and fittings have been painted at one point with gold leaf. Brass rain pattern habaki. Missing tsuba and seppa.
Overall Condition:  Fair, sword has been polished with stones or fine sandpaper, showing the hamon but leaving a fine scratch on the ji. Kissaki has been reshaped, it has good boshi but a polisher would have to decide if it could be reshaped to a more traditional shape, however it is not that unattractive as is. Kanetoshi was a Rikugun Jumei Tosho or registered army smith of note. He took 2nd seat in the 1941 sword competition and is known for making, medium to high-grade gendaito. The hamon is a traditional Mino hamon of Kanemoto, known as sanbonsugi or three cedars with the peaks in nioi and the troughs filled with nie. Would be a nice sword by a good smith with a professional polish and possibly a reshaping of the kissaki.