Scogg

@Rawa why would you make another account? Please explain what this is about, because it is not clear. -Sam

Unfortunately, the craftsmen I contacted did not have the answer for us. He did mention that during his time training in Japan, he did not remember ever hearing about the start of shirasaya. Mystery continues, -Sam

Could be a hō-ō, perhaps? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenghuang

That’s amazing Dee! You should be very proud, and excited to enjoy the sword in person. Thank you so much for the update, it’s not every day we get good news like that All the best, -Sam

Hello, P... To oversimplify it: The age of Nihonto is determined by its general shape and form. When a sword has been shortened and the profile has been altered by buffing or sanding; the original shape and form has been lost. Therefore, we cannot imagine it's original shape and form from your photos. So the best you'll get on an age estimation is an educated guess. If that is not satisfying to you, that's really nobody else's fault. You will need to take it to an expert in-person who can identify more information from the steel itself. This is true for many nihonto, because photographs cannot capture all the subtleties. Hard to say if it's real or fake. The ruined kissaki makes it anyone's guess from the pictures provided; and is reminiscent of kissaki found on some fakes. Personally, I would take Ray's input to heart. -Sam

Very cool, Mark. While I cannot help you with the translation, I think you might be interested to know that this particular Type 95 is well documented. A researcher named Donald Barnes From Australia, who has since passed away, published a serial number list of Type 95s that appeared in the Newsletter of the Japanese Sword Society of Australia in the 1990s. Donald Barnes also was one of the contributors to the Type 95 chapters in both the Fuller and Gregory and Dawson books. Your sword appears on his list. @Kiipu might be interested to see this one. Very cool to see a sword resurface from Donald Barnes list, IMO. @Markdd, what is the serial number on the scabbard? Thank you for sharing, -Sam

I sent an inquiry to someone I think will have this answer to this. A good question! I’ll update if he gets back to me. -Sam

@Lordd_Humungous, I see that we're in the same neck of the woods I would love to have you as a part of our Pacific Northwest Token Kai (sword club). If you'd like to join, PM me your email; and if not no worries. There's no obligation, fees, or expectations - I will just add you to my email list, and keep you up to date with local events. We hope to host our first Token Kai meeting this fall or winter. While the club focus is on traditionally made Nihonto and similar items; I have an individual interest in Military Swords of Japan, and have a small collection of military swords. I'd be happy to bring some along to a meeting, so you can handle some genuine items. Also, there's a BIG militaria show this August 23rd-24th at the Hillsboro Wingspan Event Center: https://gunshowtrader.com/gun-shows/portland-gun-show-oac/ . If you are able to attend, let me know, and I'll bring along a 95 to show off All the best, -Sam

Hi Jackson, Unfortunately I don't know about the painting process, but some of the original colors can be seen on the following links: http://ohmura-study.net/957.html http://ohmura-study.net/792.html The kult of athena remakes of the 95 are already meant to mimic the original color scheme, as far as I know; albeit they're pretty shiny and new looking. If your goal is to make it look more "original", then maybe the best course of action would be applying 'ware and tear' and patina. But if you ever decide to part with it, make sure you disclose it's a remake with those alterations. Best of luck, -Sam

Dan, I think the main issue is that we're all going in circles. As Curran mentioned, some people have been involved in this hobby for decades. So while you say people aren’t open to new ideas, this particular idea really isn’t new at all. I also don’t think it’s fair or helpful to accuse Tsuba sellers of being part of some kind of casting conspiracy. The kind of reference you're hoping for simply doesn’t exist. You can’t reliably date a Tsuba just by looking at pictures. If I post an example of hand forging, you might point to any small flaw and say it’s proof of casting. If you post an example that does show casting, we can’t date it with certainty. So after 20 pages of discussion, where does that leave us? I’m not sure where I’m going with this. You're clearly committed to your search, and maybe there are ways to gather real data to support your ideas. But I doubt you’ll find that information hiding online; it would probably take actual hands-on research and analysis like others have mentioned. Even though I’ve had my share of frustrations with this topic, I do admire your passion... -Sam

Hi @jdawg221, Moving your post to the wanted to buy section. Best of luck in your search, -Sam

Thank you so much Thomas! Very cool. You’ve been a huge help. I owe you big time. -Sam edit, just saw your request. Stay tuned

You’re totally right, and it’s a common problem. Sometimes they can be really stuck, and especially if any adhesive was used. Hard to know without inspecting it in person. Typically the peg will be tapered, or slightly conical shaped. It should come out one way more easily, and not the other. Inspect both sides, and push on the smaller end. If all else fails, you may need to gently tap with a block of wood. Tough to say without having it in hand. I’ve struggled many times to release a tsuka from the nakago, and it’s not always an easy or simple task. Overall, the value of the bone peg pales in comparison to the information it hides; but no need to break anything if you’re careful. Best of luck, proceed gently and with caution, and remember “time is on your side” so don’t rush it. -Sam

Until we see and know more, it’s totally fine in this section. Not everyone knows if what they have is a Nihonto or not before they post. It’s the nature of the forum All good here Thomas , Best of luck in your search for answers. -Sam

Thanks Bruce! The first thing I did when I got it home was gently apply a thin layer of antique leather conditioner to the leather loop. Hoping to rehydrate and strengthen it a bit so it lasts another ~100 years. It’s a nice addition to have next to my 95’s. A nice visual aid to help tell the story of the inception of the Type 95 sword. Now I just need a copper that won’t break the bank; and maybe a Ko to keep the Otsu company. I’m sure I can think of more swords that I want too -Sam

Found this at a militaria show for a great price, and decided to add it to my collection. I know a little bit about these and have read all the ohmura material. Saya number does not match. Can anyone put a date on it based on the stamps and serial number? Otherwise mostly just show and tell! Enjoy! Neat sword. -Sam

Koshirae is made specifically for each individual blade; so the fit is tight. It would be very difficult, maybe impossible, to find a loose blade that fits a random set of koshirae properly. You might get lucky someday, but it's generally not a recommended endeavor. Best to find a blade that already has it's koshirae - if that's what you're looking for. All the best, -Sam

Yes, that’s a genuine Type 95 NCO Shin-Gunto. It’s the pattern 2 variation with a brass tsuba and aluminum tsuka. It’s pretty common that the scabbard number does not match, but it does detract from the value. A matching scabbard would be more desirable. I’d highly recommend taking the advice of@Lexvdjagt . A great opportunity to view swords and get an idea of what you like. -Sam

Hard to keep up with this thread... I highly doubt the Tsuba changed color, I think it's just different lighting conditions. Looks like the same tsuba to me. It appears that the Tsuba, fuchi and seppa have the digit 3 stamped on them, and the tsuka has 33 cut into it. These were typically assembly numbers that were stamped on the fittings to keep them together. But 3 and 33 are 30 digits apart. So, are they matching? Or are they not? I cannot tell for certain. When you ask if there are any swords or gunto that are reasonably priced, I am a little confused, because the koshirae in question is not a sword. It's just the fittings on a tsunagi (wooden blade). WW2 Gunto can be found for reasonable prices. I've seen many sell for between $750 and several thousand dollars. BUT if you're just looking for a set of fittings, then you can easily find something for under $1,000. What are you looking for, exactly? Hope this helps, -Sam

I agree with Colin. I think it's an assortment of genuine WW2 era parts that have been put together after the war; and likely outside of Japan. We have various threads in the Military Swords section that feature different Gunto and relevant fittings. With the many variations of gunto (94, 95, 98, Type 3/100/rinji, Kyu, Kai, etc?...) it's probably easier to address each sword individually rather than have a fake gunto thread that covers them all. Either way, I don't think this koshirae would belong in a "fake" discussion anyway. @Bruce Pennington thoughts? All the best, -Sam

I think this is what you’re thinking of. It’s a web archive article, so scroll down a little for the content. https://web.archive.org/web/20201022000337/https://blog.yuhindo.com/hozon-is-a-test-juyo-is-a-competition/ For more Darcy artcles, Ray Singer generously put this together on his site, see below: https://swordsofjapan.com/nihonto-library/darcy-brockbank-articles/ Hope this is what you’re looking for, -Sam

Great work @Bruno. Would love to see them all together sometime. Could be a valuable reference image

CLUB UPDATE: We've got 16 members (and counting!) in the PNW that have signed up to join the club. That's more than I anticipated, which is great! I think that's plenty of people to justify the club, and plan annual meetups. I hope to have a flier on a club members table at the SF swordshow. Hopefully to scrounge up some more local membership. After the SF show, I will be booking a meeting space, and scheduling our first meeting hopefully in the fall or winter. Stay tuned in AUGUST for meeting dates and details. Thanks again everyone, -Sam

True, and I think it could have been a valuable discussion. I guess my point was that anything worth while is a needle in a haystack now. Here I am, not helping that situation . In hindsight, I should not have interjected. I re-read this today, it’s a good write up and very interesting. https://markussesko.com/2016/01/20/cast-sword-fittings/ -Sam