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Copper Handle


barnejp

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Greg, Chinese copies use yellow brass on the handles instead of the "red" pure copper that was used on original 95's. The scabbard must have a brass plug in the bottom, the copies most often have a steel drag like the other variants. Look for matching LOW numbers on the blade and scabbard throat. Neil.

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Hi, $3000 is about right for a COPPER HANDLE 95 that meets ALL the criteria listed in the previous posts. BUT the first thing you should buy, is JIM DAWSON's book, Swords Of Imperial Japan 1868-1945. Then you would have answers to ALL your questions. You could make BIG mistakes without the KNOWLEDGE! Neil.

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Hi Bruce, I am glad you could confirm the lack of scabbard number. In your research have you found out why? With out being cynical, could they have been removed by  previous owners whose numbers did not match, or an arsenal repair in WW2, or infact just made like this? 

I am sure it doesn't detract from the piece, but would be nice to know the story behind it. Neil.

post-3858-0-05014200-1483916025_thumb.jpg

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Hi Bruce, I am glad you could confirm the lack of scabbard number. In your research have you found out why? With out being cynical, could they have been removed by previous owners whose numbers did not match, or an arsenal repair in WW2, or infact just made like this?

I am sure it doesn't detract from the piece, but would be nice to know the story behind it. Neil.

Neil, I honestly don't have enough experience with the copper-handle gunto to say, and I've never read about an answer to why. I have read about the repair ops with Type 32's where it was common at the repair facility to file the ser# off the drag and restamp (I own one and the file marks are clearly visible), but have never heard that this was done to early 95's. Mine does not look like it was filed or modified. All I could say about it would be speculation.

 

One possibility is that as the copper-handled 95's were the first of their kind, maybe the practice of stamping the saya wasn't standardized. I sort of doubt this, though, because they had been stamping matching numbers on type 32's for some time leading up to the 95.

 

Another possibility is that the coppers were in the war the whole time. Maybe damage and/or loss brought in replacement throat pieces that were unstamped.

 

I once saw a chart someone had drawn up of the known copper-handled guntos he had seen and if I understood it rightly, probably 2/3 of them had no number on the saya. So, another mystery!

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There are two real ones for sale right now. One on Ebay and the other on the Pre98 website..  Both are nice but slightly overpriced IMHO.

Both have numbered saya's. 

 

You might find one cheaper with a non-numbered saya but, there will always be questions.  

 

I don't have the $$ to pay close to 4k for just one NCO so I probably will never own one.

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Hello Everyone,

 

I've been searching the Canadian market for a copper handle NCO sword.

I received a reply. The seller has only the copper handle and said they will send photos.

What should I be watching out for?

 

Cheers,

Greg

Don't buy just the handle !   what's the point ???

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