What is a fuchi on a katana?
The fuchi is the metal bordering piece between the swords tsuba (guard) and tsuka (handle). The fuchi finishes the starting point of the handle wrap while capping the end of the wooden tsuka.
What is a sword tsuba?
Sword Guard (Tsuba) 18th century. Japanese. A tsuba is a sword guard and part of a sword mounting. It is mounted between the sword’s blade and grip to protect the user’s hands.
What is Dragon tsuba?
A tsuba (sword guard) is a flat metal disc that forms the guard on a sword and serves to balance the sword, as well as protect the hand from sliding up the blade of the sword during use.
What is the point of menuki?
Menuki (目貫): The menuki are ornaments on the tsuka (generally under the tsuka-ito); to fit into the palm for grip and originally meant to hide the mekugi. Mekugi-ana (目釘穴): The mekugi-ana are the holes in the tsuka and nakago for the mekugi.
What are katana scabbards made of?
Saya is the term that simply refers to Japanese sword scabbard. Generally, the scabbard is made of lightweight material like wood and coated with lacquer on its exterior.
How are menuki attached?
Menuki became more decorative than in early modern times. Since it had been attached under the Tsukamaki (the handle of the Japanese sword wrapped by thread), Menuki played an essential role in making it easier to grip the sword’s handle.
Why is Ray skin used in Katana?
This is an important component of the katana located on the handle or tsuka. The wooden handle is carved flat on either side so a panel of samagawa can be placed under the handle wrap. The texture of the shark skin or commonly ray skin provides a textured surface to prevent the wrapping from slipping or becoming loose.
What is Samegawa made of?
Samegawa is also known as Same-Kawa. The Samegawa wraps around the wooden core of the tsuka (handles/hilt). The handle is made of wood. normally it is a solid core with rayskin panels from each side, but some request a full ray skin Samegawa (we can do it by request and for extra payment).
What is a katana guard called?
The tsuba (鍔, or 鐔) is usually a round (or occasionally squarish) guard at the end of the grip of bladed Japanese weapons, like the katana and its variations, tachi, wakizashi, tantō, naginata etc.
Do katanas use sheaths or scabbards?
Even back in feudal Japan, samurai warriors would carry swords like the katana in a scabbard. These scabbards were usually made of lightweight wood and painted with a lacquer coat on the outside.
What are the parts of a Japanese katana?
The Menuki – Parts of a Japanese Katana The menuki are the decorative metal ornaments the are woven under the tsuka-ito (handle wrapping). These ornaments were originally made to hide the mekugi pins that secure the tsuka to the tang of the blade. They are normally positioned forward on one side and back on the other.
What is menuki on a katana?
The Menuki can be found on traditional Katana and Wakizashi handle wraps. it fits the palm so that it would be easier to grip the sword. There are different kinds of Katana Menuki and some of these feature horses, lions, dragons and other animals.
What animals can be found on a menuki katana?
It is very common to find Dragons, Birds and the every cherished domestic animal that has the significance of living represented by Menuki. This tendency is present over the major ornamental parts mounted on the Katana.
What is a tsuka menuki?
On unique tsuka wrappings such as katate-maki or battle wrap the menuki may be woven into the centre as a decorative ornament. Some are very elaborate pieces made by talented jewellers and artisans that will compliment or become the centre piece of the katana’s overall theme.