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Makeup of a katana

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:15 am
by JOHN THURSTON
Hi:

Sadly, I could not get the proper photos posted here so you will have to look at the photos on the follow up post.

I. Fuchi-Collar on hilt
2. habaki-metal collar on top of scabbard
3. Kashira-sword buttcapp or pommel
4. Ito-hilt wrapping
5. Koiguchi-mouth of scabbard
6. Kojiri-top of scabbard
7. Kurikatra knob with hole to attach sageo (cord)
8, Mekugi-hilt peg
9. Sageo-Crod to attch Saya to Sash
10 Same-Rayskin covering Tsuka (Hilt)
11. Saya-scabbard
12. Seppa-washers on sword hilt on ewither siede of Tsuba
13. Shitodome-metal fitting on inside of kurikata
14. Tsuba-handguard.
15. Tsuka-underbody of sword hilt, best made of poplar.

List Two:

1. Bushi-Temper Line in point
2. Ha-blade edge
3. Hada -grain in steel, sometimes polished out
4. Ha-machi tempered pateern along blade edge (not seen on many good sai gunto (machine made)swords)
5. Hamon-temper line (usually blueish on "Ha"
6. Hi-blood groove-not present on all katana
7. Kissaki-point.
8 Mai-signatue on nakage, if any
9 Menuki-hilt ornaments
10. Mekugi ana-peg hole
11. Mune-back of blade, usually softer of=n the Rockwell scale if properly done than "Ha"
12. Mune-machi-Notch if/where tang is slightly smaller than Nakago (tang)
13. Nakago-tang-best if full tang, ok if slightly smaller that blade.
14. Shinogi-blade rigde where blood groove is used
15. Shinogi-ji Flat of blade between Mune and Shinogi
16. Yasuri me-file marks on Nakago ---polished out on Blade.
17 Yokota-line dividing Kasaki from rest of blade. Only shows on decent blades.


I understand , of course, that this is not a post/thread that will engender resposes, but, when I post the maintenance matters, if you did not receive an instruction book with your Katana-then you may wish to print both out for your files.