95 NCO copper handle?

[Kawazrana]

Hello, could you help me out with this one?
It's for sale and im wondering if this is an original copper handle sword.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

It is an early aluminum handled type 95, the handle is painted brown. Looks legitimate otherwise. But if it’s being advertised as a copper handled sword, it is not.

 

you can see they have repainted the saya as well.

[Kawazrana]

  On 9/14/2023 at 5:27 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

It is an early aluminum handled type 95, the handle is painted brown. Looks legitimate otherwise. But if it’s being advertised as a copper handled sword, it is not.

 

you can see they have repainted the saya as well.

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Thank you for answer, the color under the paint confused me, but it's probably just a lighting issue.

 

[Kiipu]

  On 9/14/2023 at 5:18 PM, Kawazrana said:

It's for sale and im wondering if this is an original copper handle sword.

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Sergius, this is a Chinese reproduction.  I think the handle is made of brass.  I am not sure if it is painted or dyed though?  In addition, the 東 inspection mark on the ferrule is all wrong.

@Shamsy

[John C]

Could just be camera angle, however in two pics the top loops on the Tokyo mark look to be different sizes.

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

  On 9/14/2023 at 5:43 PM, Kiipu said:

Chinese reproduction.

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DANG!!!  I obviously need to take closer looks at these.  This one is GOOD.  Up to now, they haven't been even close on the Suya and Ijima stamps, but with this one, I can see they are working on it.  I agree, now, the center "TO" stamp is caca (that's Spanish).  There are areas in the dimpling in the diamonds that are caca, too.  I had originally been bothered by the kabutogane, and color of the tsuba, but in my rush had ignored that.  Also, the color of the screw/nut combo looks totally new.  

 

They have gotten the curvature of the latch much better, and the numbering + TO on the blade is pretty darn good.  And all of that, of course, explains the new looking saya.

 

 

[robinalexander]

  On 9/14/2023 at 8:31 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

This one is GOOD.  Up to now, they haven't been even close on the Suya and Ijima stamps, but with this one, I can see they are working on it.

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I agree Bruce they are getting good but then I am one of the members that believes NMB threads provide a nice quick 'go to'  that furthers the ongoing development of fake coppers and other 95's.

 

On this particular sword... I thought the fuchi stamps were too large and too well pressed.  I would always be asking for clearer pics of those.

 

Also, isn't blade number 13982 way outside the range for coppers?

 

The saya would be a deal breaker for me even if it was genuine..... but i like the knot!

 

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

  On 9/15/2023 at 1:06 AM, robinalexander said:

13982 way outside the range for coppers?

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Yes, WAY outside the range.  That's why I was curious if the seller was advertising as a copper.

[BANGBANGSAN]

It's a Chinese repro

[The Blacksmith]

So far as I know, and maybe I am wrong here, but the copper handled katana were held only by the screw holding the sarute. They didn't, I believe, have a screw where the mekugi would normally have been, this came later with the aluminium handled katana. (?) Also the kojiri on the copper handled swords was a simple rounded type, the later western style chape was introduced with the aluminium tsuka.

I hope that I am correct here?

[Kiipu]

More or less correct; however, occasionally during a rework a second mekugi was added.

[The Blacksmith]

I did see an aluminium hilted type 95 a while back that had the screw at the mekugi point replaced with a rivet. said to be working life repair. Maybe?