Sword Glossary |
Boshi (tempered area of point) |
Yakote |
Ko-shinogi (point ridge line) |
Kissaki (point) |
Mune (back edge) |
Ha (edge) |
Yakiba (tempered edge) |
Hamon (temper line) |
Shinogi (ridge line) |
Hi (groove) |
Jigane (lower blade surface) |
Shinogi-ji (upper blade surface) |
Ha-machi (edge notch) |
Habaki (blade sleeve) |
Horimono (engraved decoration) |
Mune-machi (back edge notch) |
Mei (signature) |
Mekugi-ana (peg hole) |
Yasuri-me (file marks) |
Nakago-jiri (end of tang) |
Saya (scabbard) |
Kojiri (scabbard tip) |
Saguri (catch hook) |
Kurikata (knob) |
Kozuka (accessory knife) |
Sageo (cord) |
Koiguchi (scabbard mouth) |
Mekugi (bamboo peg) |
Ito (hilt binding) |
Same' (ray skin) |
Menuki (hilt ornament) |
Kashira (buttcap) |
Seppa (washers) |
Fuchi (ferrule) |
Tsuba (guard) |
Mimi (rim) |
Nakago-ana (hole to let tang pass through) |
Mei (signature) |
Kozuka hitsu-ana (hole to let kozuka pass through) |
Kogai hitsu-ana (hole to let kogai pass through) |
Sekigane (fillers) |
Sukashi (cut out decoration) |
Tsuka (hilt) |
Zogan (inlayed metel decoration) |
Bori (surface carving) |
Kissaki Broken (not through the boshi) -non fatal flaw |
Kissaki Broken (through the boshi) -fatal flaw |
Chip (not through hamon) non fatal flaw |
Chip (through hamon) -fatal flaw |
Nioi giri (hamon runs off the blade) -fatal flaw |
Hagire (crack) -fatal flaw |
Shiinae (wrinkles due to straightened bend) -non fatal flaw |
Ware (split in layers of steel) -non fatal flaw |
Fukure (carbon pockets) -non fatal flaw |
Ji-are (raised irregular area) -non fatal flaw |
Karasuguchi (crack in the boshi) -fatal flaw |
Sword Flaws |
A |
Sori (sword curvature) is determined by measuring the point of greatest distance of the
mune from line A |
Hatawrai (sword length) is determined by measuring in a straight line from the tip of the
kissaki to the mune-machi. |
Types of
sori: Tori-sori................................evenly curved Saki-sori.........curved more near the kissaki Koshi-sori..........curved more near the tsuka Mu-sori.........no curvature (common in tanto) |
Measuring Sword Length and Curvature |
Sword Classification: Blade under one shaku: with tsuba..........................Tanto without tsuba...................Aikuchi Blade more than one but less than two shaku in length: ..................................Wakizashi Blade longer than two shaku: mounted edge up..............Katana mounted edge down............Tachi |
Parts of The Japanese Sword |
Types of Blades |
Hira Zukuri |
Kogarasu-maru Zukuri |
ken |
Moroha Zukuri |
Shobu Zukuri |
Unokubi Zukuri |
Shinogi Zukuri |
Blade Lamination Methods |
Shigane ----soft steel |
Kawagane -----medium steel |
Hagane ----hard steel |
A B
C D
E
F G
H
I |
A----Maru B----Makuri C----Kobuse D----Gomai E----Hansanmai |
Sword Periods 900 AD and older..........................................................Ancient 901-1596 .......................................................Koto (Old sword) 1597-1800 .................................................Shinto (New sword) 1801-1868 ................................Shin-shinto (New-new sword) 1869-1945 ............................Gendaito (contemporary sword) 1953 to the present time.....Shinsakuto (Newly made sword) NOTE!----------Sword making prohibition from1945 to 1953. |
F----Orikaeshi Sanmai G----Shihozume H----Soshu Kitae I-----Wariha Tetsu |