Oct 7, 2026Services Overview
Gua Sha Manufacturing Glossary: B2B Terms Explained
A gua sha manufacturing glossary of the B2B terms that cause the most specification errors: edge radius, blanking, mould, casting, PVD, yield and more.
Sourcing conversations are full of terms that both sides use confidently and define differently. That gap is where most specification errors originate.
This glossary defines the terms as we use them in production, so a specification means the same thing to you and to the factory.
A - C
Austenitic stainless steel
The family of stainless steels that includes 304 and 316. Non-magnetic in the annealed state, corrosion resistant and suitable for skin contact.
Blanking
Cutting a flat tool shape from sheet or coil before edge forming and polishing.
Bevel
The angled working face on a fascia or IASTM instrument. Specified as an angle and checked against the drawing.
Colour fill
Ink or enamel worked into an engraved mark. Durable because the recess walls protect the colour.
D - G
Die
The tooling that cuts or presses a shape. In this category a custom shape needs a mould, and the mould cost is recovered across the order. It is the main reason a custom-shape minimum is so much higher than a stock shape.
Debossed
A mark pressed into the surface, as with stamping, rather than raised above it.
Edge radius
How round the contact edge is. Determines how the tool glides on skin, and it is the single most important specification in a gua sha tool.
Grey world balance
An image-processing method that neutralises colour casts in product photography. Appears in photo workflow documentation rather than in manufacturing.
I - M
IASTM
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilisation. The therapy category that fascia knives and scrapers belong to.
Laser engraving
A focused beam alters or removes a thin surface layer, leaving a permanent tonal mark. The most detailed marking method we use.
Mill certificate
Documentation stating the steel grade and heat number. The primary evidence for what a metal tool is made from.
MOQ
Minimum order quantity. In this category it is set by setup steps rather than by a single rule, so the number moves with specification.
P - R
PVD
Physical vapour deposition. A vacuum-applied coating that produces gold, rose gold and black finishes on steel.
Radius gauge
The instrument used to check an edge radius against the specified dimension.
Raking light
Light directed across a surface at a shallow angle. Used for inspection because it reveals fine marks that flat light hides.
S - Z
Satin finish
A directional grain produced by brushing. Reflects softly and hides handling marks better than a mirror finish.
Slate
The content model used by the CMS. In practice it defines which content blocks a page can contain.
Stringent inspection
Term avoided here. Inspection is defined by its check points and its acceptance rule, not by an adjective.
Mould
The tooling made to cut a custom shape. A stock shape is cut on moulds we already own; a custom shape needs its own, which carries a cost and sets the 1,000 to 3,000 piece minimum.
Yield
The usable proportion of a material batch. Low yield means more scrap per finished piece, which affects cost.
Dimensioned drawing
The technical input a custom shape is cut from: overall length, width, thickness, edge radius and any critical angles. A CAD file, a dimensioned drawing or a physical sample will do. An AI-generated image or sketch alone will not, because it carries no technical parameters and no tolerance can be stated against it.
Using This Glossary
When a supplier uses one of these terms, confirm the definition in writing. The terms that cause the most trouble are the ones both sides assume they agree on.
In practice, four specifications settle most misunderstandings: grade, edge radius, finish and marking method.
Working With Us
Alison Gua Sha Factory defines each of these terms in the project specification, so the drawing, the sample and the production batch are all measured against the same meaning.
Ask us to define any term before production. Resolving a definition costs an email; resolving it after a batch costs a batch.
guashafactory@gmail.com | +86 133 3260 7156 | No. 88 Zhengkeng Street, Changan Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong, China
Frequently Asked Questions
What is edge radius and why does it matter?
It is the measure of how round the contact edge is, and it determines how the tool glides on skin. It is the most important specification in a gua sha tool.
What does MOQ actually mean in this category?
It is the minimum quantity for a given specification. The number moves with setup steps such as tooling, marking and packaging.
What is the difference between a stock shape and a custom shape?
A stock shape is cut on moulds we already own. A custom shape, whether it is a new contour or a changed dimension, needs its own mould.
What does yield mean?
The usable proportion of a material batch. Low yield produces more scrap per finished piece, which affects cost.
What is a mill certificate?
Documentation stating the steel grade and heat number, and the primary evidence for what a metal tool is made from.
Why do you avoid adjectives like stringent in a specification?
Because a specification should be defined by its check points and acceptance rule rather than by an adjective that can be read differently by each side.
Which specifications cause the most misunderstanding?
Grade, edge radius, finish and marking method. Defining those four in writing prevents most specification errors.
Can you define a term we are unsure about?
Yes. Ask before production. Resolving a definition costs an email; resolving it after a batch costs a batch.
