Katana fuchi kashira: Metal on both ends of the handle

kashira meaning

kashira is The head cover of the hilt, with the hilt silk cord knotted on the side of the head, Generally there are two kinds of flat bottom and round bottom. there are many beautiful gold carvings. is flat in shape, and is mostly made of copper, iron, and other metals.The fittings in the koshirare form position of the Tachi are called kabuto-gane, which are larger than those of the katana, with a small hole in the center.Kashira can be used as a reinforcement for the blade handle, able to withstand a certain amount of impact without falling apart. The blade handle is basically made of wood without any support points, so a metal is needed to fix it. From a martial arts perspective, there are also some techniques that use the hilt head to attack, but this is not a routine operation.

Fuchi meaning

The function of the fuchi is similar to that of the kashira, which can block the handle rope and clamp the wooden handle to prevent cutting. It is worth mentioning that fuchi itself is not necessarily fixed with glue or paint, and can often be taken down and played with at any time. In addition, the drying and shrinking of the wooden handle can cause the fuchi to fall off easily, which is why tsuba are used to strengthen the grip.

 

Before the Edo period, the themes of kashira and fuchi did not necessarily have to be the same, but since the Edo period it has been emphasized that kashira and fuchi must have the same theme to be called a duplicate or a set, otherwise there is the suspicion of patchwork.since kashira and fuchi are not very large and are made of metal, they require very fine craftsmanship. The first time you have to master the nature of the changes brought about by the mixture of various metals, the setup can be gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and other five metals in a certain proportion and mixed to create the desired different colors, the giant watercolor mixing a variety of different colors. The subject matter of the composition is also varied, and the top quality kashira and fuchi are not only beautifully crafted, but also creative, and have reached the level of artwork rather than just crafts.

It's worth noting that fuchi and kashira、menuki basically come in sets with tsuba, in the same material and pattern, or you can choose them to customize katana.