BANGBANGSAN

Alison I think my friend's Type 32 #6623 is a better replica. Yours is a lot easier to tell it's a replica. Bruce This is NOT PLA version of Type 32.

Alison Your Type 32 looks like a replica. One of my friends got a 4 digit Type 32, it is a little different than the others, shorter blade,lighter in weight, hanger ring in different position,and the blood grove is no the same way. But you can tell from the detail compared to yours, not the same quality, and the style of numbers is different even If his also a replica.

John This Zohei-To doesn't look like it has 94's higher grade fitting, it more like 98 with solid tsuba.

The scabbard looks like was repainted.

Brain Got it!I will not use the quote button as a reply button next time.

it's original WW2 Type 95 NCO sword

Very nice sword!

It says 島津氏佩刀-Sword weared by Shimatsu,or Shimatsu's sword.

Bruce I mean I only saw one Type 30 bayonet has Toyokawa mark, there are many Bayonet with Jinsen and Mukden arsenal mark out there.

Sorry Bruce, this is the only one type 30 I ever saw has this mark.As far as I know, many subcontractor make Type 30 bayonet, they are all big company owned factory , no small shops make scabbard or bayonet blade.

Here is Toyokawa Navy Arsenal stamp on Type 30 bayonet. 豊川海軍工廠Toyokawa-mark.pdf

Neil Can you post a photo for that?Thanks!

I mean Lida style Tsuba don't need larger cross Seppa, it's made into Tsuba already.

Neil Very cool Lida latches. I heard the metal loop on the Tsuba is for tassel? Not sure how it works.Also, I noticed the bigger Seppa(cross-like)of is made on the Lida Tsuba, So, unlike most Tsuba, it only needs 2 or 3 smaller Seppa.

Beware of Fake Mei Mantetsu from China

There is one on eBay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-WW2-Japanese-Sword-Gunto-Kai-Gunto-Locking-Mechanism-208/264755455944?hash=item3da4a7a7c8:g:~aAAAOSw7xZePtFH

Many Type 3/Rinji with the better blade has this kind of scabbard, I saw a few Type 98 with custom ordered scabbard like this before.

It looks legit

It seems 壽屋 飯島 神戶 all make mount and blade of Type 95 sword, maybe final assemble in Tokyo first arsenal? You should check this topic of Type 95 start by Nick Komiya https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/short-development-history-type-95-gunto-676112/ Shamsy,Stegel, Bruce Pennington, Kiipu are all in there.

Mark This Arsenal mark with "一" should be the same one with "K", both from 神户商店 Kobe shop, the owner's name is 神户一幸 Kobe Ikkou .He first uses the first letter "K" from his family name, then changes to first kanji "一" from his last name later.

Yes, that's why I have that thought"I assume unless the Navy officer works inland headquarters, the other officer service on the ship or naval base at the port will not bring their old family blade with them, they might carry a stainless blade instead, and sure no Mon need it." Your two examples could be very possible carried by the officer worked in headquarters inland far from port.

I think most of the Army Gunto with Mon has either Mumei or Older blade, because the newer Showa blade is not from the Samurai family, not considering their family heroism? Navy has a wet environment (on the sea or port both)that easies to get the blade rust, and that's the reason they develop stainless steel blade. I assume unless the Navy officer works inland headquarters, the other officer service on the ship or naval base at the port will not bring their old family blade with them, they might carry a stainless blade instead, and sure no Mon need it. Is that make sense?

Thomas Chinese cavalry was using captured Japanese Type 32 and the cavalry in Xinjiang province were using Russian Shashka saber until the 1960s, PLA decided to make their cavalry sword based on Type 32 with some improvement.At the time China can't make a decent blade fit the PLA's requirement, Russia has better industry and experiences to make the cavalry sword, so the PLA orders the blade from Russia, then Chrome and make other parts assemble them together at 3521 Arsenal in Nan Jing. Since PLA only has 3 cavalry troop (Xin Jiang, Gan Su, and Inner Mongolia) in the '60s, only a few thousand Type 65 were complete. Around 1985，PLA disarmament about one million troops, PLA kept only around 1000-1200 cavalry and divide them into two-unit, one in Gan Su, and one in Inner Mongolia. Most of the retired Type 65 sword was export to North America around the late 80's-early 90's with other weapons from China. Type 65 is the First and Last cavalry sword of PLA, and it's still in service. Many Chinese collectors want to own one of these sword but can't get the original army issued one in China, so some sword company in China start to make replicas for the market, they are not trying to make Type 32 replica. This sword is greatly improved over the Japanese 1932 sword. It is improved in the following ways: It is longer and more massive. The blade is heat treated in a better fashion. The atresia (not sure what that is/those are) are improved to avoid breakage during aggressive sheathing. The hanging ring is replaces with two hanging rings permitting shoulder carry. The handle texture is improved for a better grip. In addition, this sword is more imposing in appearance that the Japanese 32 sword. The Chinese cavalry troops found this sword to be more useful in horseback attacks typically involving hacking and slicing at the enemy than the Japanese sword which was designed more for purpose of stabbing and detail cutting (maybe a reference to ritual disembowelment). But I think the overall quality is not as good as Japanese Type 32.