Japanese Type 32 Cavalry Sword

The Japanese Type 32 Cavalry sword was a government-issued cavalry sword. It was first issued in 1889 and would be crafted until the end of WWII, though by the end of WWII, where they had been serving in Manchuria and China. Though horses were largely obsolete for warfare at the time, the open terrain of North China gave advantages to using cavalry that slow men and vehicles lacking in supply depots could not fully exploit. The cavalry found their usefulness in reconnaissance and supply line raids. This Japanese Type 32 Cavalry Saber shows the adoption of Western influence coupled with traditional Japanese styling popular at the closing years of the 19th century. The blade is katana-like in styling, though it has the proportions of a saber. The hilt is clearly heavily western influenced. The unsharpened blade is crafted from high carbon steel. The hilt is of steel with a leather finger loop and the grip is of cross-hatched wood with a steel backplate. The scabbard is of steel with brass accents and a brass hanging ring. The sword locks into the scabbard via a simple catch lock. A press of the thumb releases the lock.