The same velvet loom part goes by different names from one mill to the next. A technician says “carbon”, a buyer writes “rapier”, a catalogue lists a “gripper”, and a fitter used to Günne looms says “shuttle”. An order placed under the wrong name can bring back the wrong part or a long exchange of emails. This article explains the weft insertion terms that get mixed up most often, with their Turkish equivalents and the codes in our catalogue, so that buyers in export markets and mills in Türkiye are talking about the same thing.
Are carbon, rapier and rapier bar the same thing?
Mostly, yes. The long, slim part that carries the weft through the shed is the rapier; in Turkish it is called şiş. On velvet looms the rapier body is carbon, so on the shop floor it is often just called carbon or carbon rapier, and some catalogues list it as a carbon rapier bar or carbon fibre rapier.
One point to watch: “carbon” can mean the bare body or the complete rapier with its head. Always state which one you need. In our catalogue the bare bodies are the VDW carbon rapier male (K4) and female (K5); the complete versions with heads are K2 and K3.
Rapier head, gripper and “başlık”
The part at the tip of the rapier that holds the weft and meets the opposite head in the middle of the shed is the rapier head. Some catalogues call it a gripper or gripper head. In Turkish it is şiş kafası, and some suppliers write rapier başlığı.
The male head brings the weft in and the female head takes it over in the middle. Our rapier heads fit Van de Wiele VMM, MPS and VME looms. In our catalogue the VDW rapier head male is K6 and the female is K7.
Field note: a customer asking for a “gripper” and one asking for a “head” are usually after the same part. Once the photo arrives, the naming question settles itself.
Terms table
| Name you may hear | Other names | Turkish | Catalogue code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon rapier | Rapier, rapier bar, carbon | Karbon şiş | K1–K5 |
| Rapier head | Gripper, gripper head | Şiş kafası, rapier başlığı | K6, K7 |
| Shuttle (Günne) | — | Mekik | K25, K26 |
| Shuttle connection plate | Head connection plate | Mekik bağlantı sacı | K17, K18 |
| Rapier block | Guide block | Şiş takozu | K10, K11 |
| Rapier rear block | Rear block | Şiş arka takozu | K8, K9, K12, K14 |
| Guide | Track, slide | Yuva | K15, K16 |
| Drive wheel | Rapier wheel | Tahrik çarkı | K19, K20, K24 |
Why “shuttle” causes confusion
In traditional weaving the shuttle is a separate carrier for the weft yarn. On rapier looms, however, some fitters and catalogues also call the rapier head a shuttle. Our catalogue lists the Günne shuttle male and female under that name, while on the Van de Wiele side we list the part at the rapier tip as a rapier head. Since what “shuttle” refers to can vary by loom, naming the loom make and sending a photo clears this up.
Blocks, guides and wheels: the parts that carry the rapier
A rapier never works alone. Blocks and a connection hold its rear end, the body runs in guides, and the drive wheel with its pressure roller moves it back and forth. These parts also have several names, which is why the table includes an “other names” column. The plastic rapier block and the fibre type do the same job in two materials.
All weft insertion parts are listed with photos on our carbon rapier spare parts page. For a wider list of English and Turkish part names, see our velvet loom part names glossary.
What to send instead of a name
What gets the right part to you is not the name but these details:
- Loom make and model.
- A photo of the part.
- Male or female side.
- Whether you need the body only, the complete rapier with head, or a set.
With these four, it does not matter which name you use; we match the code.
For price and stock on carbon rapiers, rapier heads or grippers, send a photo of the part on WhatsApp to +90 541 951 44 10.
