Fake Type 95 Nco Swords

[Bruce Pennington]

Your right, it's a common fake.

[A Dunne]

3 hours ago, The Blacksmith said:

Well to be honest Adrian, I think it is a fake. There are a couple of things that just don't seem right about it, and it is not one that I would want, unless it was bought as a copy. The seeming flaws with it you will find in this thread, but the kissaki and the en of the hi are the obvious ones to start with. The new paint job on the scabbard, and the new sword knot do not help it either. For my money, I'd be pleased you missed this one.

I'll be very interested to hear what other, far more knowledgable folks here think.

It's a fake for sure, it's exactly the same sword as Marcin posted earlier. I thought I was putting up something new until I read back a few posts.

A nice feature on Liveauctioneers would be the ability to blacklist places. I wouldn't buy anything off Kavanaghs now, as I know they either can't tell a newly manufactured replica from the real thing or they're purposely trying to move fake goods. Either way, that thing would be seized by customs here. 

Is it worth even messaging these places, telling them they have a replica/fake?

[Bruce Pennington]

I try.  Some listen, others don't.

[The Blacksmith]

That's the same with Ebay, I see something that isn't right, I will write and let the seller know what and why.  Most sellers have absolutely no idea about socket bayonets, and they mostly look the same to the inexperienced, which I totally understand.

Some sellers write and thank me and alter the listing accordingly.or pull the whole listing.. Others simply ignore it, and me, and continue with their wrong description and listing and full well knowing that the item is wrong. There are a couple of items for sale at present that I mentioned to a seller a couple of months back, no reply and the listings are still, and incorrectly, up. Both are fakes, replicas, copies call them what you will, but being sold as genuine. Fortunately, nobody has been fooled........yet.

[A Dunne]

5 hours ago, The Blacksmith said:

That's the same with Ebay, I see something that isn't right, I will write and let the seller know what and why.  Most sellers have absolutely no idea about socket bayonets, and they mostly look the same to the inexperienced, which I totally understand.

Some sellers write and thank me and alter the listing accordingly.or pull the whole listing.. Others simply ignore it, and me, and continue with their wrong description and listing and full well knowing that the item is wrong. There are a couple of items for sale at present that I mentioned to a seller a couple of months back, no reply and the listings are still, and incorrectly, up. Both are fakes, replicas, copies call them what you will, but being sold as genuine. Fortunately, nobody has been fooled........yet.

I'm not sure what to call them, and didn't want to annoy anyone with the wrong term. As far as I'm concerned, if someone is trying to pass it off as the real deal, it's a fake.

[The Blacksmith]

@A Dunne I quite agree with you on that !  I do not have a problem with copies, I do have a couple in my collection, but they were known to be copies when I bought them, and they were priced accordingly. So copies for me are fine in their place, so long as they are sold and bought as much.  

[John C]

I'll chime in with my two cents as I too contact folks selling obvious reproductions. In my experience, 9 out of 10 ignore the information or disagree with it, even those who write in the description "we know nothing about swords." Ironically, they will ocassionally point to another auction fake as proof that theirs is real!

I've given up somewhat on telling folks. But I too make the distinction between reproduction and fake, with a fake being a reproduction someone is passing off as real.

John C.

[John C]

I wonder if this was the inspiration for putting serial numbers on the habaki seen on many of the fakes.

From Ohmura's website

John C.

[Scogg]

Cross posting Trystan’s thread here, for future reference.

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

7 hours ago, John C said:

I wonder if this was the inspiration for putting serial numbers on the habaki seen on many of the fakes.

From Ohmura's website

John C.

 

Possibly.  The North China Railway swords also used stamped numbers on their habaki.  I don't know anything about legit Chinese swords, but It must have been a Chinese practice.

[A Dunne]

On 7/27/2026 at 12:38 AM, Scogg said:

Cross posting Trystan’s thread here, for future reference.

 

 

I did not need to see that just as I'm eyeing up a late-war Type 95, or is it a Type 2026!?

[John C]

40 minutes ago, A Dunne said:

I did not need to see that just as I'm eyeing up a late-war Type 95, or is it a Type 2026!?

Adrian:

Even though the reproductions are getting better, they aren't perfect. And the hardest thing to replicate authentically is patina. The various metals tarnish at different rates and in different colors. Just post anything you have questions about and I'm sure we can figure it out.

John C.

[A Dunne]

 

 

Is it too clean? Not much patina to go on.

[Conway]

Adrian, 

 

Looks legit to me. I saw the auction pics too. Did you get confirmation they can ship international? 

 

PS - There’s discussion whether this variant of sword should be classified as an “NCO sword/ Type 95."

[A Dunne]

They're the same pics as on HiBid, but they were saving as .webp files, so I screenshot them. It might not do much for the image quality, but they're not the highest-resolution pictures to begin with.

[Marcin]

12 hours ago, Conway said:

Adrian, 

 

Looks legit to me. I saw the auction pics too. Did you get confirmation they can ship international? 

 

PS - There’s discussion whether this variant of sword should be classified as an “NCO sword/ Type 95."

Does it have serial number? Even bad pineapple had it.

[Scogg]

These late war Ito wrapped examples do not have serial numbers on the blades. Some have been observed with 3 or 4 digit numbers on the nakago. 
 

It looks good to me too. If it’s not coming from China, I think you’re still safe for now. Soon here, that may no longer be the case, once the very convincing fakes weed themselves into the market. 
 

There is some debate whether these “last ditch” unserialized Jinsen swords were for NCOs or for officers. I’m of the opinion that they were made alongside the serialized jinsen NCO swords in the 300k range, but these Ito wrapped unserialized examples were instead for officers. 
 

Just theory,

-Sam

[Marcin]

6 hours ago, Scogg said:

These late war Ito wrapped examples do not have serial numbers on the blades. Some have been observed with 3 or 4 digit numbers on the nakago. 
 

It looks good to me too. If it’s not coming from China, I think you’re still safe for now. Soon here, that may no longer be the case, once the very convincing fakes weed themselves into the market. 
 

There is some debate whether these “last ditch” unserialized Jinsen swords were for NCOs or for officers. I’m of the opinion that they were made alongside the serialized jinsen NCO swords in the 300k range, but these Ito wrapped unserialized examples were instead for officers. 
 

Just theory,

-Sam

True I remembered green ito only. Ultimate last stage.

[A Dunne]

I got that sword. It'll take a while to get to me because Customs automatically detain swords here. I'll have to prove it's original for it to be released.

[Bruce Pennington]

OK!  Here's a "real piece of work" for your perusal.  Being sold by Southern Soldier Antiques on this ebay sale.

 

Surprisingly, the orientation of the numbers on the blade and saya throat are correct for a Nagoya 95.  Quite unusual!.

The bohi is started and ended in the right location - again unusual for a fake - yet it has a wave, and not straight.

These set this imitation/fake apart from all the rest.

 

HOWEVER, the barrel screw is totally wrong -standard for fakes, and of course, the stamps are crap.

 

What shocks me, @Scogg , is the drooped ito, copying that transition stage of ito design.

 

Thoughts???

 

[The Blacksmith]

worryingly, the bo hi and the kissaki are getting much better now.

[Scogg]

I am not totally convinced that this is a fake. In fact, several details make me think it is more likely an authentic sword that has been heavily altered and reworked. Very tricky one...
 

First, it would be very unusual for a fake to have a mismatched scabbard, particularly when this variation is so obscure and little-known. That just kills the value by about 50% right off the top. Also, it seems highly unlikely that a faker would specifically target such an obscure variation with the drooped ito and asymettrical ito wrap pattern. Additionally, the serial number falls within the correct range for Variation 2 Gifu swords.
 

The thick black seppa are also significant; it's my belief that they indicate a wartime rework or repair. This would explain the presence of the steel round tsuba.
 

The screw is definitely altered and messed up... Notice how the screw is flush with the imitation samegawa. On the fakes we commonly see with similar looking screw; the fastener sits raised above the surface and is very obviously a bolt-and-nut arrangement. Here, however, it appears to be some kind of barrel nut inset into the tsuka; and it definitely looks wrong... But the flathead side of the screw on the other side is correct for Variation 2 swords.
 

The stamps and tsuka certainly look very poor at first glance, but I think there is an explanation for that. The indentations in the stamps appear to be filled with the same brown paint that can also be seen on the tsuka and the ferrule (fuchi). In other words, I suspect the stamps look bad because they are filled with paint.
 

The tsuka appears to have originally been painted gold over aluminum, with the ito and fuchi later painted brown. It looks like a very sloppy and unattractive job. The scabbard also appears to have received a modern paint job.
 

Taking everything together, what I see is a fundamentally correct sword that was wartime reworked and then, at some later point, very badly adulterated. The alterations and poor cosmetic work make it look suspicious, but I don't think those characteristics necessarily mean the sword itself is a fake.

All that said, I totally see the sceptisisms and concerns that you see... I think some more opinions would be good for this one @BANGBANGSAN or @Stegel .

All the best,
-Sam

[Bruce Pennington]

I knew we could count on you, Sam! I agree with you on all your points.  After reading your explanation about the stamps, I took a closer look and sure enough it is the Gifu filled with paint.

[BANGBANGSAN]

On 9/12/2026 at 1:42 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

OK!  Here's a "real piece of work" for your perusal.  Being sold by Southern Soldier Antiques on this ebay sale.

 

Surprisingly, the orientation of the numbers on the blade and saya throat are correct for a Nagoya 95.  Quite unusual!.

The bohi is started and ended in the right location - again unusual for a fake - yet it has a wave, and not straight.

These set this imitation/fake apart from all the rest.

 

HOWEVER, the barrel screw is totally wrong -standard for fakes, and of course, the stamps are crap.

 

What shocks me, @Scogg , is the drooped ito, copying that transition stage of ito design.

 

Thoughts???

 

 

On 9/12/2026 at 1:42 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

OK!  Here's a "real piece of work" for your perusal.  Being sold by Southern Soldier Antiques on this ebay sale.

 

Surprisingly, the orientation of the numbers on the blade and saya throat are correct for a Nagoya 95.  Quite unusual!.

The bohi is started and ended in the right location - again unusual for a fake - yet it has a wave, and not straight.

These set this imitation/fake apart from all the rest.

 

HOWEVER, the barrel screw is totally wrong -standard for fakes, and of course, the stamps are crap.

 

What shocks me, @Scogg , is the drooped ito, copying that transition stage of ito design.

 

Thoughts???

 

It is not repro, but has some rework.