Scogg Posted February 14 Report Posted February 14 I am excited to announce the release of a document I have been working on: Type 95 Military Sword Variations. It is now available in the download section for anyone who would like to access it. I am pinning this thread in place of the Type 95 Worksheet, of which can be found here: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/29722-type-95-gunto-worksheet/#comments My hope is that this monograph helps dispel some of the long standing rumors surrounding these swords and assists collectors in identifying the examples in their own collections. This work is purely educational and is intended to consolidate information from several sources into one comprehensive reference. I would like to acknowledge the late Nick Komiya for the huge amount of documents he shared on the warrelics forum over the years; without his contributions to the study of Japanese Militaria, this document simply could not exist. I'd also like to extend a special thanks to the following Nihonto Message Board members, who either directly, or indirectly through discussions over the years, greatly aided my understanding of this type of Japanese sword. I am forever grateful. @Kiipu @Bruce Pennington @Conway S @John C @drb 1643 Tom Foster, @robinalexander @BANGBANGSAN @Shamsy @Stegel @PNSSHOGUN @rebcannonshooter @Grimmdarkspire @matthewbrice @vajo @Brian . Please see the aknowledgements section in the download, and I hope not to have forgotten anyone... This is Edition #1, and I intend to update the download annually as new revelations arise and as serial number range changes are observed. It is formatted imperfectly, but to the best of my ability with programs at hand (I am an enthusiast and collector, not an experienced writer). Please feel free to let me know if you notice any typos or inconsistencies, and I will address them promptly. Feel free to use this topic to post information or questions about Type 95 Gunto. I hope you find the monograph helpful. Happy Valentine’s Day! -Sam 2 7 2 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted February 14 Report Posted February 14 It's a fabulous document, Sam. Thank you for doing this. I've already had the need to reference it, in a discussion about a guy's 95 on another forum! It's right in there with my Fuller and Dawson references. 1 1 Quote
ChrisW Posted February 14 Report Posted February 14 Amazing document Sam! Very comprehensive and informative. Next type for you? Showato at large. 2 Quote
Scogg Posted February 14 Author Report Posted February 14 Showato at large is definitely beyond my ability , although guys like Bruce and Mal have a lot of downloads about gunto that are really well put together. I hope to stay on-top of Type 95 observation, archiving, and collecting. Update editions and maybe do a companion piece someday. During all the research, I’ve learned a lot about the type 32 gunto too. I’ve considered tracking them as well. -Sam 1 Quote
drb 1643 Posted February 14 Report Posted February 14 Incredible reference material! I’m extremely appreciative of your efforts! Tom 2 Quote
vajo Posted February 15 Report Posted February 15 Sam congratulation to this work. I will read it complete the next days and I'm sure it is an upcoming standard workbook about Type 95 Well done Sam. 2 Quote
Brian Posted February 15 Report Posted February 15 It is nothing but superb, and is going to be monumental to the study of these swords. Our thanks go out to Sam for this. I can see people wandering sword shows with this on their phones to compare features. 2 Quote
Scogg Posted February 15 Author Report Posted February 15 Thank you all for the kind words. I hope the document is useful to collectors and prospective sword buyers. For those interested in further study, I encourage you to explore the bibliography section. It includes several invaluable sources, and the real credit belongs to the authors and contributors whose research and forum discussions made this possible. I put this together for everyone, but also so I could personally more easily digest material from such a large variety of sources. Some hands on study has helped a lot too. I look forward to continuing my study and collection, and updating the document as I learn more. I hope it meets the high standards of this forum and those collectors and scholars before me. Thanks again everyone! I'm excited to have it out there. All the best, -Sam 2 1 Quote
Grimmdarkspire Posted February 16 Report Posted February 16 On 2/14/2026 at 9:14 AM, Scogg said: Sam, Thank you for the time, effort, and discipline you invested in bringing this together. For years, I have carried the quiet ambition of creating a reference manual like this—something substantial that could serve others, preserve knowledge, and elevate the hobby we all value. You did not simply assemble a guide; you accomplished something I had long hoped to see realized. What you have produced is thoughtful, meaningful, and enduring. It will move the standard forward and benefit more people than you likely realize. Well done, my friend. I am excited to announce the release of a document I have been working on: Type 95 Military Sword Variations. It is now available in the download section for anyone who would like to access it. My hope is that this monograph helps dispel some of the long standing rumors surrounding these swords and assists collectors in identifying the examples in their own collections. This work is purely educational and is intended to consolidate information from several sources into one comprehensive reference. I would like to acknowledge the late Nick Komiya for the huge amount of documents he shared on the warrelics forum over the years; without his contributions to the study of Japanese Militaria, this document simply could not exist. I'd also like to extend a special thanks to the following Nihonto Message Board members, who either directly, or indirectly through discussions over the years, greatly aided my understanding of this type of Japanese sword. I am forever grateful. @Kiipu @Bruce Pennington @Conway S @John C @drb 1643 @robinalexander @BANGBANGSAN @Shamsy @Stegel @PNSSHOGUN @rebcannonshooter @Grimmdarkspire @vajo @Brian . Please see the aknowledgements section in the download, and I hope not to have forgotten anyone... This is Edition #1, and I intend to update the download annually as new revelations arise and as serial number range changes are observed. It is formatted imperfectly, but to the best of my ability with programs at hand (I am an enthusiast and collector, not an experienced writer). Please feel free to let me know if you notice any typos or inconsistencies, and I will address them promptly. I hope you find it helpful. Happy Valentine’s Day! -Sam 1 1 Quote
mcp Posted February 19 Report Posted February 19 I have been reading conversations about Type 95 Shin Gunto on the Nihonto Message Board for about two weeks, trying to educate myself enough so I can tell what I have. My father was in the 97th Infantry in World War II, and after service in the European Theatre was sent to Japan for the expected invasion. By October 1945 he was in Matsuyama, bunking in what had been the Matsuyama Army Hospital. The task of the 97th was to disarm the Japanese. Dad rarely spoke about his experiences in the Army. Among other things, he was present at the liberation of a concentration camp in Germany; I can't say I'd want to keep reliving that, either. He died in 1975, and many years later I met a number of men who had been in his company, some of them had been his squadmates both in Germany and Japan. One of them wrote a memoir about his time in the Army, so there were a lot of bits and pieces I could pick up from there. One of the passages from Stan's book, from the time they were in Matsuyama: Our first job was to disarm about 300,000 Japanese soldiers. As they turned in their equipment, we stockpiled mountains of army clothing, swords, gasoline, rifles, etc. Since the 97th was occupying over 9,000 square miles, we soon had huge amounts of war material under our control. From one of those "mountains" of swords, Dad pulled out the Type 95 that's here in my office. It has turned out to be a lot more difficult to determine what I have because it's really not standard. It's authentic, but not standard. My biggest problem has been the marks on the fuchi. I'm going to try to attach a few photographs, in hopes that someone might be able to steer me in the right direction. I think what I have is a transitional piece manufactured in mid-1941, but "think" is the operative word there. Most of these are very large files, mainly because I wanted to be able to zoom in as far as possible. Many thanks for any thoughts anyone might have. It has been a very interesting journey so far, and I have come to truly respect the depth of knowledge and generosity of sharing that knowledge among yourselves. You have a wonderful community of people! Marilyn C 2 Quote
Scogg Posted February 19 Author Report Posted February 19 Hi Marilyn, welcome to the forum! Your sword looks to be in great condition, and thank you for sharing your family story with us. It’s very interesting to hear and aligns well with what we know about the end of the war and disarmament. Your sword is a very nice example of the Japanese Type 95 Military Sword. Yours is the Variation #4 (or pattern 3 in some sources); basically meaning it has aluminum handle and round steel tsuba. Your sword has the Tokyo First Army Arsenal inspection stamp (東) , and a more mysterious stamp that’s a Sakura flower with a line inside, we sometimes call this the “Sakura Ichi” stamp, and its origins remain mysterious. It might be associated with Kōbe/Kanbe Shōten workshop, because the stamp is similar, but it’s not known for certain. The concentric circles or 4 stacked cannonball stamp is for Kokura Army Arsenal who administered the Type 95 program. Because of the mystery surrounding the Sakura Ichi stamp, it’s a little tough to date, but according to my records and its serial number I would date it around summer 1942. It’s not a transitional model necessarily. But it’s one of the several variations amongst an ever evolving sword type that was made concurrently across multiple contractors and arsenals. So you see a bit of variety. It’s absolutely genuine like you say. No reason for concern: but the fact that yours has an extra 東 stamp on the opposite side of the ferrule is unusual and interesting. All the best, -Sam 2 1 Quote
John C Posted February 20 Report Posted February 20 @Scogg Sam: Possibly for your next update, a variation 9 (?) with what looks like the jinsen mark and the extraodinary inspection mark. But it falls just outside your listed serial number range. Could be useful if updating the range (300,107 to 301,799 on page 58). https://www.ebay.com/itm/306773941651? John C. 1 Quote
Scogg Posted February 20 Author Report Posted February 20 Hi John, Thank you for the link. Yes that appears to be a Variation 9 Jinsen sword, with the wooden scabbard and chape. Very interesting one with that extraordinary mark; and you’re correct it pushes the range higher! It’s always satisfying to extend those known ranges - it feels like making a little discovery. Much appreciated, this is a good one for the archive, and will definitely include on my next update -Sam Quote
mcp Posted February 20 Report Posted February 20 Thanks, Sam! I have gone a lot of places on the internet trying to learn things, and it has been educational. I've had several chats with AI, which I trust just far enough to find interesting and note any other sources that are mentioned. (It's a little like using Wikipedia for research in genealogy, usually about places; I have some trust in their sources, not necessarily in how they've put things together.) One of the sources for the Type 95, which I'm fairly certain I found by reading posts at this message board, was "Changes of a Hilt" (http://ohmura-study.net/792.html). When I started studying the hilt study, it was disorienting to realize there are (at least) two different schools of thought on the various types/patterns. So, I thought, I'm already confused, let's make a table and do some comparison. I know very little about this subject, but it seems obvious to me that no matter when a sword was made, the manufacturers were very likely to use up whatever parts they had before to use whatever parts they still had in stock, especially during the war when materials were running low. So it stands to reason that there were going to be a certain number of swords that do not fit strict parameters. Using the layout of the Ohmura study, Dad's sword seems to fall in the cracks between Initial Type (aluminum handle, copper ferrule, brass guard) and the Middle Type (aluminum handle, iron ferrule, iron guard). It sounds to me as if this manufacturer had a few copper ferrules still in the bin, and they decided to use them up before opening up the new bin filled with iron ferrules. As you say, you see a little variety. Makes perfect sense, really. I have not made a study of the menuki (not even by my limited standards), but I am curious about one thing. This hilt has asymmetrical menuki (which are, incidentally, in really good condition). I've seen a lot of sites, mainly from looking at Type 95 swords for sale, where there are photographs of both sides of the hilt and, on both sides, the menuki are closer to the guard than to the end of the hilt. Is this an accurate observation, were the photographs wrong, or am I just all mixed up? I didn't realize, for the longest time, that there was an additional inspection stamp on the reverse of the ferrule. It is pretty cool, but it made me laugh when I finally looked closely enough to ascertain it really was a stamp and not just an odd divot in the metal. (They are astonishingly small.) Now I envision a harried inspector hurrying along at his job, absent-mindedly stamping on the wrong side of the sword, and then thinking, "Oh, whatever. I'll put another one on the correct side, and everything will be fine. No one will ever notice." I'm sure that's wildly wrong, but I did think that extra stamp was a very interesting find. Stuff happens, yes? I've attached a photo of that stray inspection stamp, in case you are interested. Marilyn P.S. AI is positive that first mark is a Sakura-Ichi. I'd seen that on the forum, and I'm sure that's where the AI cherry-picked the name. Quote
Scogg Posted February 20 Author Report Posted February 20 Hi Marilyn, A lot to unpack here. Ohmura's guide is an awesome resource, and was one of my main sources when writing my Type 95 Variations Document, that can be found in the download section here on the Nihonto Message Board. There I address some of these more subtle material changes. I also make an attempt to consolidate the various identification systems (Variations / Patterns / Dawsons book types). It is A LOT to digest, which was the main goal of my document - to consolidate much of the information previously scattered across many sources... Still, quite a lot to take-in. I will start with the hilt and menuki. Your note of the Menuki is impressive; as it's a pretty subtle difference between swords. Swords made at Tokyo based manufacturers with TŌ (東) inspection stamps have a hilt that differs from those out of Nagoya with Na (名) inspections stamps; this difference between the aluminum cast hilts was established on June 24th 1939. I will attach an image below that reflects these differences. The menuki itself is there to improve ergonomic grip, and mimics the placement from traditional Japanese swords. Now your pattern/variation type with the steel tsuba with copper ferrule. I would confidently place your sword on Ohmura's list as the "middle type". Reason being, is that every single sword that I have observed and cataloged that has both the Sakura-Ichi stamp with Steel Tsuba also has a copper ferrule. Rather than using up spare parts or being a transitional pattern; it appears that this manufacturer never transitioned over to the steel ferrule like some others did. These are the kinds of subtle differences you find across contractors and arsenals. If you look at my Document, I address this "middle pattern" type as the "Variation#4" on pages 43-47, and my last images shows two examples, one with steel and the other with copper ferrule. Be cautious when using AI for information about Japanese swords. While it’s improving rapidly, it still frequently produces misleading or inaccurate details. It will pull information from almost anywhere to satisfy a prompt. Use it carefully and verify everything. I hope this helps, All the best, -Sam From my monograph in the download section: "The hilt differs between Tokyo and Nagoya made Type 95 swords. The menuki are positioned slightly differently, which results in a variation in the number and arrangement of the hilt diamond pattern. These differences are highlighted by the arrows in my images below. In the Tokyo example, there are four diamonds between the mekugi and the menuki, whereas the Nagoya example has three. The Nagoya example features an empty diamond below the menuki, which is not present on the Tokyo hilt. At the pommel end of the hilt, the knot style on the Nagoya example is also slightly different from that of the Tokyo example." 2 1 Quote
mcp Posted February 20 Report Posted February 20 Hi, Sam, Lest I forget, your advice about AI is entirely on point. (No pun intended.) They are pretty good when they are referencing, say, the National Archives, but when they start mentioning Reddit threads, well … As I said (or at least implied), I don't trust it either, but sometimes you do get a good lead to a reputable source. I asked the same questions, in slightly different form, over a couple of days, and got very different answers. It was interesting … Anyway, I was up very late last night perusing my source material, and I was fixated on one table. It was so late that I didn't want to fire up the printer to get a copy to write on, so that needed to wait until morning. Today, by the time I'd wandered through that table and had marked everything that seemed to match Dad's sword, I went back to the forum. What had I been looking at? Page 22 of your Type 95 Variations monograph. (I had documented that at the top, but things slide out of my brain these days. Did I remember that? No …) I was very interested in your personal experience of documenting swords with the same markings. (IMO, you may well say "I am not an expert," but you do have a great depth of experience which counts tremendously!) I'd already settled on Variation 4, Pattern 3. But the outlier is still the asymmetrical menuki. To my untutored eye, the wrap (at the base) and knot (at the hilt end) are the same on both sides. But the ornamentation is clearly asymmetrical. Your excellent table tells me that is a Pattern 2 characteristic. So this is just odd. I'm guessing it's just another of probably hundreds of small variations, but your insight is invaluable. I'm attaching photographs of both sides of the hilt. (With apologies for the photography; I'm nowhere near as good as you guys are.) What do you think? I should explain that I am working to document and describe old family items that we have had for many years. My son is not necessarily aware of everything, and I would like him to be reasonably well-educated on these various items. (I'm researching this sword on the heels of research for a 1944 Walther P.38 and an early-war German police bayonet. I knew very little about them, and now have written summaries on both.) My dad died over 50 years ago. I was only 22 at the time and hadn't really gotten to the stage where I would have started asking lots of questions, and I'm afraid my thoughts on this sword were very mistaken. (It's all beat-up, it was only an NCO sword, and so on.) So I'd like my son to know more than I did. Also, for good or bad, once I get really interested in something, I do tend to dive right in. Thank you again, Marilyn Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted February 20 Report Posted February 20 Buy “asymmetrical“ are you talking about the fact that one is lower on the handle on one side and higher on the handle on the other? If you are, that is how they are all made. That is perfectly normal. 1 1 Quote
Scogg Posted February 20 Author Report Posted February 20 You're amongst peers in your desire to dive right in! That's how myself, and many of us started this hobby. It's fascinating stuff. I think you're confusing asymmetrical wrap pattern with asymmetrical menuki placement. The wrap pattern is symmetrical, while your menuki are offset. The menuki depict Sakura Flowers (cherry blossoms). The wrap pattern is just the imitation silk wrap (cast in aluminum) that creates those diamond shapes across the hilt. The menuki on all Type 95s, and most Japanese swords are offset. This is because when you hold the hilt with two hands (you can try this at home), the menuki will fill the gaps in your hands/palms and create a more secure grip. Your confusion on the matter actually helps me though... I might want to reword that section in my document on the next edition, to make it a little more clear. Hope that answers some questions, All the best, -Sam 2 1 Quote
Kiipu Posted February 20 Report Posted February 20 19 hours ago, mcp said: I didn't realize, for the longest time, that there was an additional inspection stamp on the reverse of the ferrule. This practice of having two 東 inspection stamps on opposite sides of the ferrule is well known by advanced Type 95 collectors. From memory, it was used for a short time only. Nice sword and thanks for sharing. 1 2 Quote
mcp Posted February 21 Report Posted February 21 Sam and Bruce, thank you! You both got it in one. I really did not understand what I was looking at when I was inspecting (there's an overstatement) the menuki. I'm glad I kept asking questions, and I'm very glad that you both were willing to point out my mistakes. As Sam said: 10 hours ago, Scogg said: It is A LOT to digest That's an understatement, if ever I saw one! I'm beginning to think that I have just barely enough understanding to write a simple description that is not riddled with errors and inconsistencies. That, frankly, would be a small triumph! I plan to keep that with the sword, along with the details of my father's service in both the ETO and the Occupation of Japan. It seems important to have the sword's history documented, and to keep that with the sword. About ten years ago, I spent a good deal of time researching and documenting Dad's three years in the Army. In person, by telephone, through letters and email, I met quite a few veterans who were kind enough to share their thoughts and experiences, and they helped me to gain insight I would not have had otherwise. I'm very pleased that now I can also add what I've learned recently about this Type 95. I never thought it would be unusual to know where the sword came from, which goes to show you how little I know! After thinking about it for a bit, I expect most veteran "bring-back" trophies have little to no provenance unless the swords have remained in the family. Even then, I'm not sure that would be sufficient. I know my father rarely talked about his Army service; maybe that way of thinking was more common than I realized. In any case, I'm glad I will be able to provide this information to my son, and there will be a detailed provenance for this specific sword.. Thomas, I'm still tickled with that extra inspection stamp. It's great to know that it was something that was intentionally done, at least for a time, and it wasn't some random mistake. Thank you for taking the time to tell me! I have to say, again, that I'm in awe of the extensive knowledge all of you have cultivated through the years, and your willingness to support and assist one another. Thank you so much for your help. I appreciate it very much. I have also enjoyed reading Bruce's Japanese Sword Stamps, and I found Sam's Type 95 Military Sword Variations to be invaluable. I strongly suspect that any problems I had understanding the material are all on me. Marilyn P.S. I never met a note I couldn't turn into a letter. It's a failing, I know, but I've learned to live with it. 2 1 1 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted February 21 Report Posted February 21 Marilyn, Thank you for sharing a bit of your father‘s story and the story of the sword. Many of us don’t just collect swords, it matters to us the people they served and the stories behind them when those can be told. These things to me, represent real people in real lives. Thank you for sharing some of yours again. You’re welcome to hang around here as often as you like and read the various conversations that go on. 2 Quote
Kiipu Posted February 21 Report Posted February 21 Type 95 Variation #4, Kokura-Kōbe 107164, with two 東 ferrule stamps. My First WWII Type 95 Japanese NCO Sword - Info Requested 2 Quote
Kiipu Posted February 21 Report Posted February 21 See also Suya 111536 with two 東 stamps. Fake Type 95 Nco Swords 2 Quote
weimar-police Posted February 28 Report Posted February 28 Great info here, thank you for sharing 1 Quote
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