What I’d like to introduce this time is a replica of the military socks, known as gun-soku (軍足), worn by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. Strictly speaking, though, it’s not exactly a replica—socks of nearly the same design are still being manufactured and sold today, so this is more of an introduction to those. The gun-soku used by the Imperial Japanese Army differed somewhat from the socks generally sold today under the same name.…
I've put together an overview of the S&Graf reproduction Type 30 ammunition pouches, along with a summary of the simple restoration work I performed. All of the steps can be done using basic leather‑craft techniques, so even beginners should feel free to give
This is an example of a military police (憲兵/Kempei) non-commissioned officer wearing the Type 98 Summer Tunic. In the case of the Japanese Army, the lowest rank for military police is Senior Private, so care must be taken when recreating this. To become a military police officer, one had to apply to and graduate from the Military Police School (Kenpeitai Training Unit) after serving in a general branch of the military. As of 1943 (Showa…
Here is an introduction to the Type 5 Canteen used by enlisted men and NCOs of the Imperial Japanese Army. There are three variants—Type I, Type Ro, and Type Ha—distinguished by differences in the canteen strap.
The Type 95 sword was a regulation-issue military sword used by non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army who were required to wear swords, such as cavalry, military police and transport corps. Although I don’t own an original Type 95 sword, I do have a replica made by PK Militaria. Even as a replica, it is quite expensive. After wearing it during outdoor games, the scabbard ended up covered in scratches. I had…
This time, I'm focusing on modifying the Windlass-made Type 30 bayonet. Windlass' Type 30 bayonets are relatively easy to acquire, and since the blade is made of non-ferrous metal1, they are safe and convenient for regular military reenactment activities. However, there are some slightly disappointing aspects to them. In particular, I’ll be correcting the most noticeable issue—the shape of the scabbard. The most attention-grabbing feature is the round lump at the tip. Authentic bayonet scabbards…
This is an example of the attire worn by Army Medical Department non-commissioned officers and soldiers using the Type 98 Summer Tunic. In this example, the rank is Sergeant, and the individual is wearing the Medical Department identification insignias established in Showa 18. A medic in Type 98 Summer Tunic (front view)A medic in Type 98 Summer Tunic (rear view) As explained in the article on medics wearing the Tropics 2/3 Sleeves Shirt, non-commissioned officers…