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THE KATANA FROM BLADE TO SCABBARD 1

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KEY
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1. kissaki: fan-shaped cutting tip; point

2. boshi: wave-pattern of the tip 3
3. mune: blunt, back edge of the blade
4. hasaki: cutting edge
5. hamon: wave pattern 4
6. shinogi-suji: the ridge running the length of the blade 21
7. ji: area between the ha and the shinogi 22
8. shinogi-ji: flat surface between the shinogi and
the mune
9. ha: tempered edge of the blade 23
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10. munemachi: notch dividing the tang and the mune
11. hamachi: notch dividing the tang and the ha 24
12. mekugi-ana: peg-hole 7
13. nakago yasuri-me: tang file-mark pattern
14. mei: signature 8
15. nakago: tang
16. nakago-jiri: butt of the tang
17. fuchi: metal sleeve at the end of the hilt
18. tsuka-maki: wrappings on the hilt
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19. same, ‘sharkskin’; actually the skin of a giant ray
20. menuki: decorative metal fitting placed under the
hilt wrappings 25
21. tsuba: sword guard
22. habaki: metal collar around the blade, just below
the guard
23. kogai/kozuka: skewer/small knife
24. kurigata, ‘chestnut-shape’: cord knob of scabbard
25. sageo: cord that passes through the kurigata
26. saya: scabbard
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27. koi-kuchi, ‘carp mouth’: metal fitting at the end of
the scabbard

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