Type 95 Gunto Worksheet

[Scogg]

@drb 1643, amazing! 

 

Thank you so much! Now I only need the one more example to complete my photo needs. Wooden handle with bohi. 

 

If I see one for sale anywhere, I will let you know. 
 

Thank you again! You’ve been a huge help.

-Sam 

[drb 1643]

Thank you Sam, I’m definitely interested in acquiring this model!

Tom

[Scogg]

I was given this tsuka over the weekend. Just the tsuka and fuchi, no blade. I disassembled the barrel nuts and removed the wood insert.

 

I thought I’d share here. It is not recommended to disassemble type 95 swords, so I figured this might be an interesting image for those of you who have wondered how it looks. 

This specific example has the four cannonball stamp, Nagoya 名 stamp, and Gifu 岐 stamp. 

-Sam

 

 

[Kiipu]

Is the aluminium handle a one piece casting or two pieces joined together?

 

Secondly, is the wood liner one piece or two pieces glued together?

 

And finally, what is your shoe size!

[Scogg]

Hi @Kiipu,

 

To my eyes, the wood insert appears to be one solid piece. Although, some splitting and scratching on the mune side gives me pause, and makes me second guess that judgement.

 

The aluminum tsuka also appears to be one solid piece, with the only casting seams visible on the interior. If there is a tell-tale way to determine if it’s been cast as one, or joined, please let me know and I will check. 
 

I’d be happy to mail it to you if you’d like to check it out in-hand. 
 
-Sam 

Edit: Wood insert is a two piece construction

 

Edited December 12, 2025 by Scogg

[Kiipu]

I have always wondered just how they cast these.  Back in the 1980s, I took a class in Industrial Arts (AKA shop class).  One of the things we learned was making a mold out of sand and then pouring molten aluminum into it.  I think these were a step up from that though.  Just the quantity alone that were needed would require a different method.

 

Pretty sure one of the Australians will know the answer though.

 

FYI, the spare parts hilt is not drilled or has a cutout for the release.

@Stegel

[John C]

I think the wood insert is definitely a 2 piece construction. It's just a lot easier to make that way. This seems to have seams that are offset, which is what I would expect.

 

John C.

[Scogg]

Good eye John! Thank you. I’ve been sitting here with a flashlight trying to get good photos. The seam is very hard to spot from the outside, but where you note, and on the inside, it is clearly a two piece construction 

 

 

[Scogg]

Spotted on Facebook this week.  
 

This pattern1 copper hilt Type 95 once appeared on an Australian list from Donald Barnes over 20 years ago; and is also listed in Jim Dawsons Cyclopedia. In all sources, the 501 number forward the habaki is noted. 
 

What makes this one extra interesting, is that it’s the highest serial number pattern1 that I have on file. Obviously, there are probably higher serial numbers out there, but this is the latest that I've ever personally seen and cataloged. Pretty cool to see it surface again. 
 

Sharing is caring!

Seasons greetings, 

-Sam 

 

 

Copper tsuka pattern 1 Type 95. 

Serial number matching saya 6561 , with 501 forward the habaki:

(Not my photos)

[Nazar]

 

I just couldn't unsee this shininess, so I have to share it. Also curious about crossed flags on habaki. Is this fake?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Scogg]

Hi @Nazar, very shiny!

Yes, unfortunately this is a fake. The biggest tell aside from the brass tsuka; is the bohi terminating early. Also the stamps are oversized and incorrect. Among other incorrect fetures. 

I have personally never seen a genuine Type 95 with anything carved on the habaki.
If one does exist, it would have been done after manufacture. 
All the best,
-Sam

 

[Brian]

The flags are an immediate give-away. The flags are a red flag? 

[John C]

And for some reason, the tsuba on these fakes do not have the flat mimi around the middle; they are peaked. You would think that would be easy to do.

 

John C.

[Nazar]

Thank you! I found this sword on the local Ukrainian website of an expert organization that provides expertise on historical edged weapons, including Japanese swords. Run through the Japanese blade section. The first thing that caught my eye is too many swords called gendaito. In the case of showato I held in my hands they first call it gendaito, then indicate that it's not traditionally made. Shin-gunto in kai-gunto saya called kai-gunto. And so on. And then I came across this shiny thing. Decided that I couldn't sleep well unless I post it here:-) 

 

And yea, those flags were indeed red flags:-)

[Brian]

Technically, they can get away with calling any of them Gendaito, since that just means they were made in the Gendai period. It's us collectors that decided that Gendaito are traditionally made. So they can get away with it. One of the tricks to watch out for.

[Nazar]

I believe they  may get away with more than that since it's kind of a local thing: there is a happy owner and no one to dispute the expertise. It's quite educational, though. Also, it's another demonstration of how people love shiny things:-) 

[Scogg]

Maybe old news to some of you, but I found it fascinating how the tension spring for this latch was engineered.

 

I put together an infographic to show how it works. The “spring” is a small, hardened piece of metal. There’s no solder, glue, or fastener involved. Instead, it’s precisely sized and held in place by tension and geometry; and can only be removed when the fuchi is separated from the other fittings. 

 

It’s no surprise that this piece often goes missing on some examples. Another good reason not to disassemble the Type 95 Gunto. (This is from a loose tsuka and fuchi that came to me without a blade).

-Sam

 

[Scogg]

Thanks to Bruce's help, for the first time I have encountered consecutive serial numbers. These are on wooden handle pattern 6 swords, with the wooden saya that has the metal chape. 
 

300207 ヘ

300208 ヘ

Pretty cool to have the surrender paperwork with it too, showing it was taken in Korea in October 1945.
Thanks @Bruce Pennington!
-Sam

 

[Scogg]

And here is 300207

 

I think, a very long time ago, @PNSSHOGUN had asked if a consecutive number had ever been seen. This is the first i've encountered. 

[Kiipu]

On 1/4/2026 at 7:43 AM, Scogg said:

I put together an infographic to show how it works.

 

Name of Parts Depicted

柄環 hilt ferrule or hilt collar.  Ferrule being the better English term.  Sometimes incorrectly called a fuchi.

駐爪 chūsō Latch.

駐爪ばね chūsō bane Latch Spring.

駐爪鋲 chūsō byō Latch Rivet.

駐環 chū kan [That U-shaped part? Anyone got an English name for it?].

[Kiipu]

Scogg, can you post top and bottom pictures of the ferrule when time permits?  Using a magnet, what is the base made of and is it plated?  Caution, stay clear of the latch assembly as it is steel.

 

For comparison, see Stegel's infographic.

Type 95 Transitional Tsuba

[Scogg]

Thanks @Kiipu, I’ll have to edit some things in my notes for more proper terminology. 
 

Here are photos of the top and bottom of the ferrule. No stamps or numbers that I can see, and the top has a curious circular grind/scratched pattern.

 

Other than the latch assembly, the rest of the ferrule material appears to be copper, and is not magnetic. Does not appear to be plated.

 

[Kiipu]

Some changes that occurred on 05 July 1938 to the ferrule.

7. Locking catch 駐爪 and spring 駐爪ばね: Catch shape changed and connection to spring improved for optimized function.

14. Chyukan 駐環 : Diameter increased to 4.5mm from 4mm for added strength.

Short Development History of Type 95 Gunto, Post #91

[Scogg]

45 minutes ago, Kiipu said:

14. Chyukan 駐環 : Diameter increased to 4.5mm from 4mm for added strength.

Can you help me understand what the “Chyukan” is? You said the “U shaped part”, but I’m having a hard time identifying what/where this piece is.

 

Is it this recessed area, the area that holds the spring, that I’ve highlighted with red? 
 

[Kiipu]

The chū kan 駐環 is the piece that the latch is riveted to.  The chū kan is then soldered to the ferrule.  The U-shape comes from the groove that runs the length of it.  See your picture number 1 above.

[Kiipu]

4 minutes ago, Scogg said:

Is it this recessed area, the area that holds the spring, that I’ve highlighted with red?

 

Yes, that is it.

[Scogg]

Thank you so much. Mine must measure 4.5mm. I was curious what was meant by “diameter” so I measured everything I could. I hope this is the right area.

 

Much appreciated for your continued help. It means a lot. 
-Sam
 

 

[Kiipu]

Interesting, I always thought it was the width that was meant and not the height.  Your measurement clarifies that matter.  Increasing the height there would indeed strengthen the part and reduce bending.

[Kiipu]

On 12/11/2025 at 3:10 PM, Kiipu said:

FYI, the spare parts hilt is not drilled or has a cutout for the release.

 

@Mark posted this for sale back in November 2022 and the thread is now gone.  To the right is what a spare hilt looks like.