Questionable Type 95?

[ribendao]

I have a couple of type 95s in my collection but this one has always given me a little heartburn.  I think there is a possibility it might be a fake. The reasons I believe this are listed below:

1. The paint on the handle is like 95% still there, which seems to be very rare/unusual
2. The paint seems to be a strange shade of reddish brown that I haven't really seen before. 

3. Even though the majority of the paint is in there, the Menuki seems damaged/ worn.

4. The blade just seems to be in much  better/newer shape than my other type 95s.

 

Would love to hear what you all think?

[vajo]

Your pictures are to small to see anything. Make shots from the stamps. Fuchi und Blade. The No. on the blade looks good from the far.

[ribendao]

Sorry about the poor pictures. I took them a while ago and the sword is at home while I am currently in the office.
The fuchi is all iron and have looked very carefully but have seen no stamps. The only stamp I have seen is next to the serial number and I believe it is this Kanji 東.

I will try to get better pictures when I get home tonight. 

[vajo]

Overall i don't think it is a fake sword. The no. looks good and i think is see a stamp on the blade.

[ribendao]

Great! My biggest question is how would the menuki get this worn look while the rest of the handle and paint seems to be in such good shape?   Seems counterintuitive to me. 

[ChrisW]

It would be where one would naturally grip the cast tsuka is my guess. Also it appears to have paint damage on the highest points, which makes logical sense; they take the knocks first.

[16k]

I think it is real, but I think the tsuba and fuchi have been repainted. Now, it might look different in hand, but the color of the tsuka doesn’t seem shocking.

[ribendao]

Thanks again for all the info. I feel more confident in the sword now.

[BANGBANGSAN]

2 hours ago, ribendao said:

Sorry about the poor pictures. I took them a while ago and the sword is at home while I am currently in the office.
The fuchi is all iron and have looked very carefully but have seen no stamps. The only stamp I have seen is next to the serial number and I believe it is this Kanji 東.

I will try to get better pictures when I get home tonight. 

Looks legit to me, that Kanji should be 名

[ribendao]

Ah you are right. I looked closer and it is 名.

[Shamsy]

Absolutely 100% real, no doubt at all.

 

5 hours ago, ribendao said:

1. The paint on the handle is like 95% still there, which seems to be very rare/unusual
2. The paint seems to be a strange shade of reddish brown that I haven't really seen before. 

3. Even though the majority of the paint is in there, the Menuki seems damaged/ worn.

4. The blade just seems to be in much  better/newer shape than my other type 95s.

 

A lot of these later swords have great paint retention. 

 

Paint shades and colours vary, no issue.

 

Menuki often are, it's the edges, the way the sword is held, the fact they are raised and (pure conjecture) perhaps the type of paint used.

 

You got a really nice example.  Congratulations, don't consider condition a bad thing!

 

I don't think it's repainted at all.

[Dave R]

"Menuki often are, it's the edges, the way the sword is held, the fact they are raised and (pure conjecture) perhaps the type of paint used."

 

 I think you have a point with the type of paint used. It's like lacquer and textile dyes, some  colours perform differently to others.