Since the Tuareg have an aversion to touching iron, the takoba's hilt, like many iron implements, is fully covered. Typically the simple but deep crossguard is of iron sheet, or iron-framed wood, covered in tooled leather, and occasionally sheathed in brass or silver; the grip is also often leather-covered but the pommel is always of metal, often brass or copper, sometimes iron or silver.[2] Alternatively the whole hilt can be covered in brass or silver sheathing.