Udenuki (Sword-knot)

A round cord in Chinese style (kara-uchi-no-himo), a little over 1 foot long: it is put through two holes in the tsuba and round the wrist to prevent the sword from dropping to the ground if it slips from the hand. Sometimes this cord is fastened to the tsuka-gashira (the head of the sword-hilt) instead of to the tsuba.

Garbutt adds: Collectors of tsuba will remember the various speculations of a few years ago as to the use of the two circular drilled holes, usually one rather smaller than the other, sometimes found in tsuba.