Recently picked this up and I am looking for some more info on it.

I believe it to be a WW2 Japanese military sword a Shin-Gunto.  Its almost exactly like this Kanetomo 55.  I believe its a early war model since it has a metal scabbard and not a wooden.

http://quanonline.com/military/military_reference/japanese/sword_55.php

Any help of input would be greatly appreciated.  

Sorry for so many pics, but I know details are crucial with these things.

bump

IMHO it looks like a recent copy that's been 'aged' for suckers.

try in GD...there is at least one advanced collector that will be pointed in your direction...

good luck

WW !! Officers sword . Looks good to me

This.

My buddy collects these swords and is a walking encyclopedia on them. I'll send him the pics and see what he says.

ETA: My reasoning for thinking something might be up is because of the fancy hamon on the blade. To my knowledge they didn't bother with that during the war, as evident by the link that you posted. I could be wrong, though.

ETA 2: Turns out I was wrong.

Here's what he wrote:

Yes, the stamp near the handguard indicates a mass produced wartime blade. The overall presentation corresponds to a wartime military sword, and not an older blade with wartime accouterments. It has value, but there are many repro coming out of China in the past ten years.

At one time, the Japanese employed us prisoners, and other pows, to fashion blades for nco's. I know a gentlemen who was a blacksmith, and later an infantryman who was captured. He was forced into making these blades, I recall his disdain for them, as well as his captors, any time we saw one of these at a show or sale.