List of Traditional Armaments - Terminology

Terminology

• Sword
  • saif- a sword
  • Daito-Japanese for longsword
  • Dao- Chinese for a sabre
  • Jian- Chinese for a straightsword
  • Ken- Japanese for a straightsword
  • Golok (a catch-all for several types of sword and knife)
• Blade
  • serrated blade
  • ricasso- Dull edge, blade section
  • Forte- Strong blade section
  • Foible- Weak blade section
  • Fuller - blood groove, reduce weight
  • Fluke- spike/pick mounted on back of an axehead
  • Peen - hammer head
• Hilt- sword handle
  • quillon-cross guard
  • Tsuba- plate style guard
  • Habaki-Japan style rain guard
• Scabbard-Sheath, sword case
  • Shirasaya -Japan name
• Etching
  • Engraving
    • Scrimshaw
  • Horimono-Japan style
• Equipment style
  • Daisho-samurai, long & short
  • Jintachi- Mounting