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Shingen tsuba are a group of tsuba with four distinct forms that were named Shingen, based on the sixteenth century warrior Takeda Shingen who is said to have favored the designs due of their strength and their lightness. The first form is called a “Mukade” (or centipede) form, and is made of iron with a centipede inlaid in brass or copper wire. The second is similar to the picture linked with this commentary. It has a brass center with a thin iron core and a core of woven wires around that, around the outside of the tsuba is a rim that is usually decorated in some way. The third type of Shingen tsuba is made of solid iron which has holes in it at regular intervals though which are woven braided or twisted wires of copper and brass. The fourth type in this style is called the chrysanthemoid form, and is made up of chiseled openwork laced or woven with brass and copper wires (Gunsaulus 1923:45).
Shibuichi is a metal alloy that was invented and used exclusively by the Japanese. It generally consists of an alloy consisting of one quarter silver and the other three quarters copper, though this formula is by no means exact, and other metals such as lead, tin, and zinc are also included sometimes. When first cast shibuichi is generally unremarkable, but when treated with the correct solution is can assume a number of “charming shades of gray” which make it unique among alloys used in art work (Gunsaulus 1923:35-36, Rucker 1924:xxiii-xxiv).
(Commentary by Rob Nalewajk)