I simply meant to point out that there are no scales on the re hilt as suggested by Ian, it is done in Asian style round sectional Bamboo with rat tail tang and peened over a washer at its end sure, which is more Asian in style.
But, I have seen this on some of the tourist ones of 1960s and 70s age to, some have a washer and peened tang end, there are many of these floating the markets of the uk that were bring backs from the 60s and 70s, some very well made and can be taken for older ones, others not so well made and are obvious tourist market pieces, they often can be seen at auctions here to, even as African tribal swords as I have seen recently in one auction.
Other than the rivets, the peened tang with washer is certainly how the hilts are finished originally having had a couple of the originals myself over the years.
But it can not speak so it can not tell its origin storey or age, so all is speculation and guesswork as I see it including my own ideas on it just as it is with many other Asian ethnographic weapons that are quirky pieces that do not conform to traditional patterns, or re hilts like this one, it is what makes collecting interesting for me meeting new and unusual pieces that are not boring old run of the mill.
Also, and no offence meant at all here, Bamboo may be an Asian plant but it can be bought in most western countries very easily and in many types today, garden centres have even got Tonkin cane and solid iron bamboo these days as well as rattan in natural dried raw state, split rattan to for chair seat restoration etc.
As far as the lamination that can be seen in the blade my friends tourist one has the same, they were likely made by traditional methods even in the 60s and 70s so for me that says nothing about it being an old blade with re hilt done and then put into a tourist scabbard, which would make it a marriage of different parts perhaps possibly made to deceive.
What I personally think you have here which is only my own observation obviously is a well done re hilt on a 1960s 70s early tourist sword from the region that is one of the better ones with better blade, likely earlier than many of the lesser ones from later 70s, where it was done who knows ?? but it is not a marriage of parts, the hilt being the only newer part, the scabbard and blade being original, tourist or not.
