Japanese Sword Parts, 45 words "pronounced"
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Boshi -The hardening pattern in the point. ~
Fuchi -A mounting on the front end of
hilt. Together with Kashira holds the hilt together. ~
Ha -The hardened cutting edge of the
blade. ~
Habaki -A wedge-shaped mounting that
holds the blade fast in th escabbard. ~
Hamachi -Notch on the cutting edge
side of the blade at the point where the Tang starts. ~
Hamon -The hardening pattern on the
blade. ~
Hasaki -The edge of the blade. ~
Ji -See Jigane. ~
Jigane -Blade surface betwen Hamon and
Shinogi. ~
Kashira -A mounting on the back end of
hilt. Together with fuchi hold the hilt together. ~
Kissaki -The poin of the blade. ~
Kogai -A spike carried sometimes as
part of Katana-Koshirae. ~
Koiguchi -The mouth of the scabbard. ~
Kojiri -The bottom end of the
scabbard, also the mounting on the end of the scabbard. ~
Koshinogi -Continuation of ridge line
in Kissaki. ~
Koshirae -The 'equipment' of a sword
i.e. all things except the blade. ~
Kosuga -A small knife carried
sometimes as part of Katana-Koshirae. ~
Kuchigane -A metal mounting at the
mouth of the scabbard. ~
Kurikata -A ring on the side of the
scabbard for attaching Sageo. ~
Mekugi -The Peg that holds the blade
and hilt together. Often made of bamboo. ~
Mekugi-ana -The hole for Mekugi in the
blade. ~
Menuki -A pair of mountings under the
hilt-wrapping. Mostly decorative, but also improves grip.~
Mitsukado -The point where Koshinogi,
Shinogi and Yokote meet. ~
Monouchi -The area of 20-30 cm nearest
Kissaki. The main cutting area of the blade. ~
Mune -Back of the blade. ~
Munemachi -Notch on the back of the
blade where the Tang starts. ~
Nakago -The Tang of the sword. ~
Nakago jiri -The end of the Tang. ~
Nakagomei -Signature and other inscriptions on the Tang. ~
Sageo -A cord attached to the
scabbard. ~
Samekawa -The belly-skin of a shark or
a ray under the wrapping on the hilt. ~
Saya -The scabbard, usually of
magnolia wood. ~
Seppa -Small washers between Habaki
and Tsuba, and Tsuba and Fuchi.
Shinogi Ridge along the lenght of the blade. ~
Shinogiji -Blade surface between
Shinogi and Mune. ~
Shirasaya -A plain storage scabbard. ~
Toshin -Naked blade. ~
Tsuba -The handguard. ~
Tsuka -The hilt. ~
Tsukamaki -The wrapping on the hilt. ~
Yakiba -See Ha. ~
Yasurime -The decorative filemarks on
the Tang. ~
Yokote -Transverse ridge between the blade and the point. ~
Katana History
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