Type 95 Gunto Worksheet

[Kiipu]

This is a miscellaneous thread for Type 95 Military Swords (九五式軍刀 kyūjūgo-shiki guntō).  A place to post bits and pieces related just to Type 95s.

 

This is the highest serial number from Suya, 155374東. This is the only Suya that I know of that has no blade fuller.

https://collectorsmilitaria.com/a_rare_wwii_japanese_nco_sword_with_no_groove_061812.htm

 

Suya = Suya Shop Co., Ltd.  株式會社壽屋商店  KK Suya Shōten

[Kiipu]

This Iijima Type 95, serial 156372東, is the highest serial number reported in the Kokura/Tōkyō 1st  Arsenal serial number range.  Unlike the one posted above, it shows no changes from previous Iijima made Type 95s.

http://www.guntoartswords.com/010956.html

 

Iijima = Iijima Sword Workshop  飯島刀劍製作所  Iijima Tōken Seisaku-jo

[BANGBANGSAN]

Suya Type 95, serial 155108 東  no blade fuller

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

[BANGBANGSAN]

Suya Type 95, serial 154826 東  no blade fuller

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Suya Type 95, serial 154529 東  no blade fuller

 

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Suya Type 95, serial 154800 東  no blade fuller

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Nagoya wood handle Type 95 serial 201920 関 ,with blade fuller

[BANGBANGSAN]

Nagoya wood handle Type 95 serial 201750 関 ,with blade fuller.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

This is a miscellaneous thread for Type 95 Military Swords (九五式軍刀 kyūjūgo-shiki guntō).  A place to post bits and pieces related just to Type 95s.

 

This is the highest serial number from Suya, 155374東. This is the only Suya that I know of that has no blade fuller.

https://collectorsmilitaria.com/a_rare_wwii_japanese_nco_sword_with_no_groove_061812.htm

 

Suya = Suya Shop Co., Ltd.  株式會社壽屋商店  KK Suya Shōten

There are few more.

[Kiipu]

Now that is a lot of Suya bits and pieces!

[Kiipu]

九五式軍刀仮制式制定の件

Authorizing provisional standard for Model 95 saber

Go to https://www.jacar.go.jp/english/index.html.

Cut and paste in search box: C01001386400

And enjoy!

[Kiipu]

Does anybody own a Mizuno made Type 95?  If so, what is the blade serial number and inspection mark?

[Bruce Pennington]

I was going to speculate that the un-fullered blades came toward the end of the war. I read somewhere that since they were under pressure to crank out more blades (they went from an average of 2,400 blades per month to 5,000 in '44, to 6,000, then 8,000, to 10,000 in August of '45), the fuller was dropped to save time.

 

BUT, seeing the fullered "late-war" wooden handled blades makes me wonder about that theory.

 

[IJASWORDS]

Does this add to  the conversation ?  Number 161752. 

[Bruce Pennington]

My only odd-ball 95 is a Nagoya side-latch with a crooked nakago. I'm not sure if it was damaged and repaired or if it was just really poorly made. In my opinion, the Nagoya arsenal had a looser quality standard than the Tokyo arsenal.

 

It's also has the odd multi-green paint on the saya that we've tentatively determined to be period paint, not post-war.

[Kiipu]

The Heijō Factory of Jinsen Army Arsenal (仁川陸軍造兵廠平城製造所) also made Type 95 Military Swords (九五式軍刀) in 1945.  The Heijō Factory was located in Pyongyang, Korea. These swords do not have arsenal symbols but they do have the Heijo inspection mark ヘ stamped in several locations.  Production was scheduled to begin in April 1945 with 100 swords, May with 400 swords, June with 1000 swords, and 1500 swords per month thereafter.

 

These swords were initially serialized with just five digits with an unknown marking preceding the serial number.  On most of the swords observed, this unknown marking is overstamped with a 3.  Apparently production began before the assignment of the 300,000 serial number range by Army Ordnance Administration Headquarters (陸軍兵器行政本部).  The serial numbers recorded to date are 00562, 301000,  301304, 301710, 301754, 301911. Serial number 301911 began as 301011 but the second 0 was overstamped with a 9.

 

For additional information, see pages 200-205 of Jim Dawson's book, Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868–1945, cyclopedia edition, 2007.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Kiipu

[BANGBANGSAN]

Here is the photo of one of my late war 95.

I have two of these late war wood handle blades,both with no ser# on,but the 関 insepection mark.Both had 3 digit ser# on the scabbard throat . I noticed the Numbers stamp on the opposite side.

Including 2 of mine, I saw total 3 blade with no ser# on.But the other one also has no ser#  on the scabbard throat .

[Kiipu]

Type 95 guntō blades will have a final inspection mark applied either before or after the serial number.  This final inspection mark indicates that the blade passed inspection. Below is a list of the known inspection marks encountered on Type 95 blades.

 

東 = Supervisory Section of Tōkyō Arsenal (1932-1940) & Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal (1940-1945).

名 = Supervisory Section of Nagoya Army Arsenal.

関 = Seki Supervisory Unit of Nagoya Army Arsenal.

ヘ = Heijō Factory of Jinsen Arsenal.

[BANGBANGSAN]

Type 95 guntō blades will have a final inspection mark applied either before or after the serial number.  This final inspection mark indicates that the blade passed inspection. Below is a list of the known inspection marks encountered on Type 95 blades.

 

東 = Supervisory Section of Tōkyō Arsenal (1932-1940) & Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal (1940-1945).

名 = Supervisory Section of Nagoya Army Arsenal.

関 = Seki Supervisory Unit of Nagoya Army Arsenal.

ヘ = Heijō Factory of Jinsen Arsenal.

Thanks for the sheet.Looks like the low ser# number on the sheet of 関 should update to None -.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Type 95 guntō blades will have a final inspection mark applied either before or after the serial number.  This final inspection mark indicates that the blade passed inspection. Below is a list of the known inspection marks encountered on Type 95 blades.

 

東 = Supervisory Section of Tōkyō Arsenal (1932-1940) & Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal (1940-1945).

名 = Supervisory Section of Nagoya Army Arsenal.

関 = Seki Supervisory Unit of Nagoya Army Arsenal.

ヘ = Heijō Factory of Jinsen Arsenal.

Thomas,

Your name has dissapeared from your post tagline. Might want to fix that.

 

Great chart! Is that a compilation from Fuller's chart? Or is it something you've compliled yourself? If so, how did you get the data?

[BANGBANGSAN]

Thomas,

Your name has dissapeared from your post tagline. Might want to fix that.

 

Great chart! Is that a compilation from Fuller's chart? Or is it something you've compliled yourself? If so, how did you get the data?

Bruce

Thomas wrote his name by Japanese katakana（片仮名）  トーマス  

[Bruce Pennington]

Ok, cute. While technically within requirement, it still kinda defeats the purpose for a name. A rookie to the hobby won't get it, and will have no idea how to adress someone doing that. I simply thought is was a tagline like some people put below their names.

 

I'm not a legalist by nature, but I enjoy this hobby and the connection to real people that it gives me.

[Kiipu]

Thomas wrote his name by Japanese katakana（片仮名）  トーマス  

 

Guilty as charged!  Katakana for Thomas.

[Kiipu]

Does anybody own a Mizuno made Type 95?  If so, what is the blade serial number and inspection mark?

 

I think I found the Mizuno company logo and inspection stamp but still have no serial number.  Does anyone know the complete name for this company? 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/5999-arsenal-stamps/page-11?do=findComment&comment=219263

 

Mizuno stopped Type 95 production in 1942 because of some quality control issues.

http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/f216/short-development-history-type-95-gunto-676112-post1753234/#post1753234

[IJASWORDS]

I have noticed that there is variations of the drag on the wood handle pattern 5 NCO sword. Why is this? Were they made in different factories ? 

[Yoshimichi]

Dear NMB members:

 

I just picked this sword up at a local gun show about three weeks ago. I cannot make out the arsenal or inspection stamp next to the serial number. Any thoughts? Is the serial number incorrectly stamped upside down? Is the iron fuchi common on this sword? Any input is appreciated. It came with what looks like an English or U.S. cavalry saber scabbard.

 

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

[Kiipu]

Looks like a deeply struck Na inspection mark. Carefully look at the fuchi and see if you can see any arsenal or company logos.  Don't fret as it looks like yours is iron and it can be hit or miss in that case. 

名 = na

[Shamsy]

It's a nagoya inspection stamp, Bill.

 

The serial numbers are fine. They can be either orientation, depending on the arsenal that made the blade.

 

The saya is from another sword as you guessed. Not got the right suspension rings.

[PNSSHOGUN]

There was an example of a rarely seen leather saya cover with second hanger in one of the F&G books but this looks different, the example has the second hanger as an integral part of the leather cover.