Help please. Japanese Gunto (Genuine ? ) with battlefield scabbard.

[katana]

Hi,
can anyone please help with a new aquisition, what I believe to be a genuine Gunto. Saya is wooden with leather cover (type 98 ?) single suspension ring. The blade seems better than average quality and has obviously been re-fitted with this latest handle.

No tsuba, seppa or habaki
Kissaki looks reasonable, there seems to be some evidence of forging....in places looks almost straight grained (Masame ?) No obvious harmon not even an oil quenched one, but the blade has many scratches and is out of polish. The blade spine (mune ?) appears to be Ihori ie inverted 'V' profile.

The tang I believe is Futsu and the tang-tip Kurijiri.

Blade tip to 'step' (just before the tang) 65cm OAL 85cms Widest point 30mm approx. 3.5 mm thick.

Plenty of pictures,....can any one confirm this is Gunto, could the blade be older ? all comments gratefully received, thank you

David

PS I've just noticed on the picture of the tang there could be (very faint) a signature ??