鍔 (鐔) Tsuba glossary
 
当金 Ategane 
A metal plug placed inthe Kozuka or Kogai-ana. Also refered to as Ume ( 埋 )
 
縮緬 Chirimen 
AA crape paper finish.
 
土手耳 Dote-mimi  
A rounded raised rim.
 
覆輪 Fukurin     
An outer rim cover on a tsuba, usually in Shakado, Gold or some other soft 
 
metal.
 
形 (型) Gata (Kata)     
This means Shape, Maru Gata is Round Shape.
 
平 Hira         
The Surface of the Tsuba.
 
櫃穴 Hitsu (-bitsu ) -ana         
Hole in the guard to accomodate the Kozuka and Koagai. Looking form the front, the Kozuka hole is on the left side and the Kogai hole is on the right.
 
地金 (心鉄) Jigane (Shingane)      
The basic metal or base metal of a tsuba.
 
地透 Ji Sukashi        
An open work method in which most of the iron of the flat body is removed to create the outline of a shape or shapes..
 
影絵透 Kage-Sukashi        
Negative silhouette used in the Ji-Sukashi method.
 
管耳 Kan-mimi
Thicker rounder raised rims. ( note; Thicker and rounder than Dote-mimi )
 
角耳 Kaku-mimi        
A squared rim.
 
鎌倉 Kamakura ( tsuba )         
Thin Katchushi type sword guards dating from the late Muromachi period. The scenic motifs are created by shallow relief carving.
 
毛彫 Kebori           
Line carving of consisten depth and and width.
 
笄櫃 Kôgai-bitsu      
The hole for the Kôgai at the right of the tsuba.
 
小肉角耳 Koniku-kakumimi       
A slightly rounded square rim.
 
小柄櫃 Kôzuka-bitsu     
The hole for a Kôzuka on the left side.
 
小透 Kô Sukashi           
Small open work design. Kô literally means small.
 
丸耳 Maru-mimi   
A rounded rim.
 
銘 Mei     
The tsuba smith's signature carved into the surface of the guard, usually beside the nakago-ana.
 
耳 Mimi        
The Rim of the Tsuba
 
木瓜 Mokkô        
Lobed shapped.
 
文透 Mon-Sukashi          
An openwork method mainly used in Ko-Tosho and Ko-Katchushi sword gaurds. Shapes are pierced in negative silhouette into the flat body of the guard. The image is defined by the removal of the iron from the base.
 
紫寂 Murasaki Sabi        
The patina of iron that has a grey-purplish colour.
 
撫丸 Nademaru     
Oval shapped
 
撫木瓜型 Nade Mokkô Gata         
Lobed shapped on an oval base
 
中心穴 Nakago-ana          
The hole in the center of the guard that passes over the tang of the sword.
 
応仁 Onin ( tsuba )          
A sword guard on which the base plate is decorated with dot and line brass inlay.
 
お多福 Otafuku          
Diamond Shapped
 
留守 Rusumoyo          
Part of a design that is missing and left to the imagination.
 
責金 Sekigane         
A filler of Copper or Lead to to make the fit between the Tsuba and the Nakago snug.
 
切羽 Seppa          
Washers that are used for packing and can also decorate the front and back of the tsuba .
 
切羽台 Seppa Dai       
A flat base around the tang hole which seats the Seppa ( washers ). Seppa are set on both sides of the tsuba.
 
赤銅 Shakudo   
An alloy comprising of Gold and copper. Polished, it is a rich black with a wonderful lustre.
 
仕入物 Shiiremono
lterally means "received commodity" and stands for mass produced items with a "brand name", In Tosogu it generally refers to tsuba and fittings made just after the Meiji Restoration ( 1867/68 ) and sold to tourists on the docks at Yokohama and Edo. These fittings are mostly low end but there are some better examples found.
 
白金師 Shiroganeshi
A smith working in gold, silver or soft metal alloys.
 
据紋(象嵌) Suemon  ( suemon-zôgan )
High relief brass inlay.
 
透鍔 Sukashi tsuba
Iron sword guards with openwork. There are two types. Mon-Sukashi and Ji-Sukashi.
 
鏨跡 Tagane Ato
Literally 'punch marks'. These refer to the punch marks left around the tsuba's Nakago ana to help facilitate at tighter fit of the tsuba on the sword.
 
鉄骨 Tekkotsu
Mixtures of iron of different qualities produce distinct texture variations that are visible to the rims of the guards. There are three main variations are fine, granular and linear.
 
鍔 (鐔) Tsuba
Japanese Sword Guard
 
槌目地 Tsuchime Ji
Hammer marks on the surface of a tsuba. A surface that has a hammered appearance.
 
打返耳 Uchikaeshi-mimi
A bevelled raised rim. One of the typical features of Ko-Katchushi guards.
 
腕貫穴 Udenuki ana    
Two small holes at the bottom of a tsuba to pass a cord through.
 
埋 Ume        
See Ategane above
 
焼手 Yakite         
A method of finishing iron sword guards. A guard is heated to high temperature and then allowed to cool gradually. This method reveals the iron bones ( Tekkotsu ). Note: Yakite is also known as Yakinamashi 焼き鈍し.
 
山銅 Yamagane        
Unrefined Copper. This copper was made in times when the refining process was not as good as it is now. Other impurities are mixed in. The colur is deeper than modern Copper.
 
陽透 Yô Sukashi       
Positive silhouette used in the Ji-Sukashi method.
 
象嵌 Zôgan        
Inlay. Mostly brass or copper.
 
 
Reference：
http://www.jssus.org/nkp/kanji_for_tsuba.html
 
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