Japanese Sashimonoshi Video

[ken hatch]

Indeed, blind dovetails are an absolute indication of a craftsman's commitment to quality, even without recognition. But don't forget that Mr. Suda is a designated "Living National Treasure," that receives a stipend from the government making it possible for him to make what he wants, the way he wants, without waiting for orders, and without fear of not being able to sell it. And because of the fame of his position, he can charge much more than market rate for his products and people will buy them simply because he made them. I don't mean to minimize his skills to any degree, just to point out that he is in a unique situation few craftsmen enjoy.
Tangly,

The video was made for the town of Kanraku in Gunma Prefecture. This is serious countryside. It was also made with NHK's (Nihon Hoso Kyoku = Japan National Broadcasting) cooperation, which means NHK at least filmed and edited it. Probably more. This explains the extremely high quality of the video, but why would NHK do this for a little backwater town? Japan's population is at a tipping point, with people living longer, and women bearing fewer children. Young people are leaving the countryside to attend school, work, and live in the more vibrant urban centers, leaving many country towns occupied only by old folks. Some towns have been abandoned entirely. There have been may taxpayer-funded efforts intended to keep young people, and attract new residents to such towns. One strategy is to make the idea of living in countryside more attractive. Another is to stimulate tourism to such areas. I understand that these sort of videos have proven effective for this purpose.

I suspect that NHK's production of this video is also consistent with the Government's interest in promoting/justifying the Living National Treasure system.

Stanley,

Good video and interesting insight,

ken

[Simon MacGowen]

Thanks for the share, one that is inspiring and one that motivates a woodworker to do or seek to do high quality work, by hand or by machine or a combo of the two.

Simon

[Jim Koepke]

A fine piece of inspirational work, thanks.

jtk

[Christopher Charles]

I also enjoyed the video, both his craft and the designs. The scale is also remarkable. Almost model scale, which is attractive for a hand tool only approach.

Was a welcome, calm respite. Thank you Stan.

[Patrick Chase]

Thanks, Stanley. That's a terrific video.

[Phil Mueller]

Thank you Stanley. I couldn't quite catch the name of the lacquer he uses. Could you add any info on that?
Amazing and beautiful work.

[peter Joseph]

I was wondering the same thing. It sounds like "Udeshi" lacquer but is more likely Urishi lacquer. I think.
Great video and insights Stanley.

[steven c newman]

I enjoyed this video...and I also like watching Ishitani's videos.

[David Wong]

Thank you Stanley. I couldn't quite catch the name of the lacquer he uses. Could you add any info on that?
Amazing and beautiful work.

White urushi lacquer

[Stanley Covington]

Thank you Stanley. I couldn't quite catch the name of the lacquer he uses. Could you add any info on that?
Amazing and beautiful work.

Its called "fukiurushi" 拭き漆 meaning "wiped lacquer." I think the Japanese term "Urushi" meaning lacquer is more understood in western countries now, to differentiate natural lacquer from the hydrocarbon-based lacquer sold in the West, which was developed in imitation of natural Chinese and Japanese urushi.

The raw urushi sap is refined, and then mineral pigments are added to make the red, green, black etc tones of lacquer. The fukiurushi finishing process uses the refined urushi product before pigments are added.

Application is easy. Wipe on wipe off. Repeat. The humidity has to be right for the urushi to harden properly. Too dry and it fails.

Most people are very allergic to wet urushi, with rash and itching being the minimum reaction, and death being the extreme. My wife cannot tolerate even the smell of uncured urushi, so I never use it at home, and have always resisted using it for public spaces in hotel projects unless the panel can be removed and repaired remotely.

The children of urushi craftsmen put a bit of the raw stuff in their kid's baths to help them develop a resistance to it.

Urushi is very resistant to water degradation. It loves water. Such lacquerware has been found floating whole and undegraded sealed in Chinese tombs for thousands of years. Fukiurushi, however, is not as complete a skin as typical lacquerware employs. It doesn't like sunlight. It can be polished with W/D sandpaper and polishing compounds just like automotive lacquer.

Fukurushi is much easier to apply and cure than the more serious forms of urushi finishes and the dust is easier to deal with.

Stan

[Mike Holbrook]

Stanley,

In recent years my woodworking has taken a turn away from delicate work placing more emphasis on "rougher" work and older techniques. I am interested in splitting wood, working green wood, axes, adzes, drawknives, travishers, spokeshaves......I am wondering if there is some school of Japanese woodworking that offers techniques for a person so inclined? I saw a few tools hanging on the wall in the video that got my curiosity up. I like starting with a log.....

[Sam Murdoch]

Its called "fukiurushi" 拭き漆 meaning "wiped lacquer." I think the Japanese term "Urushi" meaning lacquer is more understood in western countries now, to differentiate natural lacquer from the hydrocarbon-based lacquer sold in the West, which was developed in imitation of natural Chinese and Japanese urushi.

The raw urushi sap is refined, and then mineral pigments are added to make the red, green, black etc tones of lacquer. The fukiurushi finishing process uses the refined urushi product before pigments are added.

Application is easy. Wipe on wipe off. Repeat. The humidity has to be right for the urushi to harden properly. Too dry and it fails.

Most people are very allergic to wet urushi, with rash and itching being the minimum reaction, and death being the extreme. My wife cannot tolerate even the smell of uncured urushi, so I never use it at home, and have always resisted using it for public spaces in hotel projects unless the panel can be removed and repaired remotely.

The children of urushi craftsmen put a bit of the raw stuff in their kid's baths to help them develop a resistance to it.

Urushi is very resistant to water degradation. It loves water. Such lacquerware has been found floating whole and undegraded sealed in Chinese tombs for thousands of years. Fukiurushi, however, is not as complete a skin as typical lacquerware employs. It doesn't like sunlight. It can be polished with W/D sandpaper and polishing compounds just like automotive lacquer.

Fukurushi is much easier to apply and cure than the more serious forms of urushi finishes and the dust is easier to deal with.

Stan

This was interesting. I just lacquered my kid today - after I gave the baby some peanut butter drops.

Happy to read your shares Mr. C.

[Stanley Covington]

Stanley,

In recent years my woodworking has taken a turn away from delicate work placing more emphasis on "rougher" work and older techniques. I am interested in splitting wood, working green wood, axes, adzes, drawknives, travishers, spokeshaves......I am wondering if there is some school of Japanese woodworking that offers techniques for a person so inclined? I saw a few tools hanging on the wall in the video that got my curiosity up. I like starting with a log.....

There are lots of traditional crafts in Japan that use rougher techniques. Green wood is not traditionally used for structures, although boards and timbers were split out of logs when green. Japan has no tradition of chairs, so this kind of green work is not common.

Not sure what answer you are looking for.

[Mike Holbrook]

Stan,
Thanks for the favor of your reply. I know there is a very old woodworking tradition in Japan. I have seen videos of what appear to be Japanese guys hand hewing logs in bare feet...I realize the bare foot guy may not be a mainstream Japanese woodworker. I am wondering, how neander can I go? I doubt guys, even 100-200 years ago, worked with kiln dried wood bought at the local home store. I am working on: stools, benches, simpler chair designs that use some combination of wet and "dry" wood. Schwarz has an article on Roman Workbenches, staked chairs & benches made from combinations of wet & dry wood... Schwarz and Will Myers (the Moravian Workbench guy) just did a Lost Art Press video on making a Roubo bench using a "green" red oak top. They both suggest there is no need to wait the years it may take for a 5-6" thick red oak slab to dry before getting started.

I just had a new porch added to the home I hope to be living in soon. I believe the wood used to "timber frame" the porch was not kiln dried. I am working on a "live edge" 8' x 18"x 2" maple table top for a bar table. I have no idea when it was cut. I think it was cut using an Alaskan Mill. I had to take down a good size red oak and I have been splitting a few logs. It is surprising how accurately wood can be split from relatively straight grained wood.

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Stanley. Love the wipe on wipe off idea. Did a little searching and there are a few Urushi products available, but as you said, it comes with plenty of caution. This from one source:

"urushi lacquer is known to be allergic similar to poison ivy. Although a protective substance is added to the low allergy type urushi, it doesn't avoid allergy 100%. Please take necessary precautions when handling any urushi lacquers! We are unable to assume any liability for adverse reactions to urushi"