HEAVILY molested NCO type 32

[Bridges]

Title says it all. Do y’all think it’s worth restoring? My father in law is a carpenter so I can fix the handle and strip the paint off the scabbard. Blade appears to be, well, alright. The crappy paint probably preserved the scabbard.  I’m willing to bid on it, I foresee this sword selling for 120. Is it worth it?

[Geraint]

Dear Noah.

 

For my money the short answer is no.  However it's your money we are talking about so here's the thing.  Let's say you get it for $120 and then put a whole lot of time and effort into it, and let's say you are really good and the blade has not been attacked by an angle grinder.  If you do a really good job you are going to end up with a heavily restored version of this type which nobody much is going to want to buy.

 

This one's gone.

 

All the best.

[Brian]

No. Very much not.
 

[Bridges]

@Brian @GeraintThats what I was afraid of…thanks

[Bruce Pennington]

Noah,

Have you read the Type 95 Black Saya thread?

 

If I bought this, I'd leave it intact.  There is a reasonable chance this was painted during the war.  We've not discovered the reason, but there is growing evidence that several gunto were painted like this, and other variations, during the war.

 

Whether you buy depends on your collecting taste.

[Dave R]

The PRC Red Army issued a carbon copy of the Japanese type 32 to their cavalry as late as the 1970's,... but with a plastic grip. Your choice, but I hear faint alarm bells here.

[Bridges]

@Dave R Did the Chinese do the same thing with the type 19? I saw this piece the other day and it threw me for a turn 

[Dave R]

I don't know, but that looks like a bodge job rather than anything official.

[Bridges]

@Dave R I agree