Is urushi poisonous?
The tree must be tapped carefully, as in its raw form the liquid is poisonous to the touch, and even breathing in the fumes can be dangerous. But people in Japan have been working with this material for many millennia, so there has been time to refine the technique!
How do you use urushi?
Apply raw lacquer on clean, smooth wood (just basic board for practice), and wipe it off just after applying. The cure for 24-48 hours, sand with 400-600 sandpaper and repeat, and sand with a higher grit.
What is urushi pens?
Urushi lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree (Rhus vernicifera). It is harvested and refined into the lacquer used to enhance the beauty of many objects. In my case, fountain pens. Urushi is very unique because it does not act like the paints we are so used to.
How do you remove urushi?
If necessary, urushi paintings can be cleaned with almost anything that is not abrasive or harsh. Fingerprints can be removed by rubbing with a soft damp cloth and the surface needs to be dried immediately with a soft dry towel. A mild soap or alcohol can be used to remove stickier dirt.
Is urushi lacquer Food Safe?
When fully cured, 22 karat gold urushi is food safe.
Is urushi food Safe?
Is urushi lacquer durable?
Urushi has a hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale, which is the same as that of glass or a stone. Lacquerware pieces have been found that date back 7000 years and the fact that they survived shows how durable urushi is. In Japan urushi is derived from Rhus vernicifera tree.
What is Tamenuri?
Tamenuri is one of the basic techniques in urushi. Very often used on fountain pens, but also on knife handles, samurai armours, boxes, bowls and other lacquerware. It is layering a transparent (well, translucent) suki urushi over a solid (typically) colour urushi.
How hard is Urushi lacquer?
Fully hardened Urushi lacquer is very stable and strong. It is able to withstand alkali, acid, and alcohol, and also being able to resist temperatures of over 300 C – 570 F. It is also resistant to molds and mildews.
Is urushi waterproof?
Caution: Urushi lacquer is actually the sap of a tree that grows in East Asia. It is a natural substance that forms a clear, hard and waterproof surface when dried properly. Urushi contains a compound that can cause a reaction similar to poison ivy.
Can you use kintsugi for food?
Is Kintsugi Food Safe? Certainly, this is the big arguable question. Traditional kintsugi follows a repair method using natural urushi lacquer which if mixed with pure powdered gold is in fact food safe.
What kind of Kijiro do you use for tamenuri?
Kijiro is uncoloured and can be mixed with pigments. Kuro-roiro is black, but still slightly transparent. Pure kijiro (or shuai) applied in thin layers on underlying colour layers is used to achieve tamenuri finish.
What do you need to know about urushi pens?
Every urushi pen I make will come with a handmade pen sleeve for proper storage when not in use. With care your pen will last for many generations! This is a general breakdown for custom pens with an urushi finish.
What kind of lacquer do you use for tamenuri?
Kuro-roiro is black, but still slightly transparent. Pure kijiro (or shuai) applied in thin layers on underlying colour layers is used to achieve tamenuri finish. High quality raw urushi lacquer for finishing sequence – uwazuri.
Which is the best version of Tsugaru Nuri?
Kara-nuri is one of the more popular versions of Tsugaru-Nuri. A random raised pattern is applied to the pen body and can be embellished with precious metal powders or contrasting colored lacquer. A final tamenuri top coat is applied with careful sanding to reveal the underlying patterns.