Hilt alongside his blade typology. Oakeshott pommel types are enumerated with capital letters A–Z, with subtypes indicated by numerals. The grip is the handle of the sword. It was usually of wood or metal, and often covered with shagreen (untanned tough leather or shark skin). Shark skin proved to be the most durable in temperate climates but deteriorated in hot climates, and consequently rubber became popular in the latter half of the 19th century. Alternatively, many sword types opt for ray skin instead, referred to in katana construction as the "same". Whatever material covered the grip, it was usually both glued
Nappa leather was first 'coined' by Emanuel Manasse in 1875 while working for the Sawyer Tanning Company in Napa, California. Nappa tannage in the "strict sense", but a term no longer used in this framework, refers to a tannage consisting of alum salts with vegetable tanning agents. Napa leather is defined in Merriam-Webster's dictionary. Nappa leather Nappa leather is a leather, typically dyed, made from goat-, cow-, calf-, lamb- or other skin by tanning. It is noted for its soft hand. It is a generic term in the leather field and has no distinct test for characterization. Because of this ambiguity, the