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Advice on Removing the screw of a heavily pitted type 95 Sword


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I purchased this sword online, my father did a little bit of knife making and polishing back in his earlier days (all by hand) and said he would like to find a wwii sword that is really beat up and attempt to clean it up. It took me a while to find him one to work on. I ended up with a type 95 that was very heavily pitted.I tried to removed the screw on the sword but due to it being stripped, I wasnt having any luck on it. Anyone else ran into this problem and have any ideas? I am well aware that you don't normally want to mess with these swords, he really wanted to try cleaning a beat up one up so i found him a beat up one. I don't think blades get in much worse condition than this, unless its broken.

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Kenny,

I don't know the method your father intends to use for the job, but if the tsuba/tsuka are actually in his way to do it, and you want them off, I use a tool like the one posted below to hold the nut. Then it's important to have a screw driver with a blade tip the same size as the slot. Too small a blade just causes more damage, and obviosly too big won't fit in the slot.

 

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Oh, nice. Thank you. I think He just wanted to remove the tsuka from it as he thought it would be easier to work with. He always did this kind of work by hand. He is 70 now and retired and figures this project is atleast a 60 hour one but ha cannot do alot of things he used to do, due to health reasons but he feels like he is able to do so something like this and it will give him something to work on for a month or two. Its probably pretty tough to find swords in this bad of condition but im maybe thinking of putting up an ad on here and see if there are any other WWII like this one that can be had for a lower price. I paid 325.00 for this one. I am not really sure if thats a good price or not but it will be something for him to keep him occupied. 

 

Kenny,
I don't know the method your father intends to use for the job, but if the tsuba/tsuka are actually in his way to do it, and you want them off, I use a tool like the one posted below to hold the nut. Then it's important to have a screw driver with a blade tip the same size as the slot. Too small a blade just causes more damage, and obviosly too big won't fit in the slot.

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Kenny,

I'll PM you and we can talk about a beat-up kyu gunto. It's got serious pitting on the kissaki (blade tip) and some dark stain on the blade. I was hoping someone who bought it would know how to "fill" the pitting with some sort of steel and re-buff the surface. I have an NCO Type 95 that looks like it was actually field-repaired that way.

The handle is missing the wire-wrap and it's got a post-war copper spacer in place of seppa.

 

It's not nihonto, but was made in the 1900-1925 range where they were making western-styled sabers out of single steel, and artificialy applying a hamon to the edge.

 

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I'm not the kinda guy that likes to remove anything sword related. Let it age gracefully, knowing that it is still original. Doing any repair job will not add any value, in fact probably reduce value. Oil it, preserve it, don't ruin it. Stuffing up a piece of history, makes me sick. 

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I'm not the kinda guy that likes to remove anything sword related. Let it age gracefully, knowing that it is still original. Doing any repair job will not add any value, in fact probably reduce value. Oil it, preserve it, don't ruin it. Stuffing up a piece of history, makes me sick.

 

I hear your heart on this Neil. Sometimes, though, that piece of history is a person. I would honor this man with all my swords if it would enrich his life just a little bit. This blade is spending it's last legs to make someone's life just a bit better. If it could speak, it would say "I'll go, send me."

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Mac, great project for your Father. I would use a couple of drops of "Kroil" oil on each side of the stubborn screw/nut and let it sit for a couple of days, keeping the screw wet during that time. Then dry the screw/nut, then take a small jeweler's file with a serrated edge and carefully clean up the screw slot. If you can do the same with the two slots on the nut, do it, it will make the removal process much easier. Make sure your Dad has a nice set of gunsmiths screw drivers and keep the slots dry when your are trying to get the screw loose. The snap ring pliers could help, especially if there is a second pair of hands holding the pliers [ :) ].

That blade looks like a real challenge for your Dad.

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If you plan on going ahead with the removal of the handle, just be aware that the mekugi screws were generally all center punched to flare the ends and lock the thread to prevent the nut loosening from the bolt. This is because no spring washers of any kind are used.

 

Use 'good' not worn tools which are a good fit into the slot of the bolt and the nut.

You could try with a pair of circlip pliers as bruce has suggested, or try and get a screwdriver bit from your local hardware.

The set i've shown is a cheap set i bought for only $9, but with brass it will do the job.

 

Your bolt and nut set are punched as i've highlighted.

 

As i looked after my 'ol man' in his later years, i can fully understand the need to keep him occupied and his interest going.

Good luck with what is essentially a restoration attempt, i have never done one, but other members here certainly have. post-1868-0-20160000-1583207141_thumb.jpg  post-1868-0-62893500-1583207161_thumb.jpg

 

Here's essentially what you'll be dealing with:

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Never tried it myself, but I always heard that when you put a type 95 sword back together after taken the tsuba and tsuka of, you can’t put it firmly back together again. They tend to jiggle a bit afterwards. 
For me that has always been a reason not to mess with them, but do correct me if I’m wrong.

 

Denis

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