# Urushi Lacquer



## PTJeff

Has anybody tried the Urushi Lacquer finish?

this is a fabulous looking finsih that is apparently difficult to apply.  Can't find source or process.

Any leads would be helpful.


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## Skye

Lou Metcalf here has done it. I'd say he'd be the one to ask.

It's not an easy finish.


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## DCBluesman

Tread carefully if you have any sanity left and want to keep it.  Yes, I use a urushi finish a couple of times a year.  The cost to get into it and the hoops you have to jump through are huge.  It took me about 6 months to track down the components and someone who would sell to an outsider.  The initial investment was about $500 for the basics.  To date I have had more failures than successes and the successes have not brought fame, glory or money.  There's nothing quite like an urushi finish but the investment in time, money and materials is very high.


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## Fred

Check out these urushi finished pens. Look on the left side for the pen links.

http://www.internetpens.net/page/page/1404738.htm

Also, do a Google search for "urushi finishes" and read about how long and labor intensive this technique can be.


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## jttheclockman

Wow, are those US dollars??? Some talented work.


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## chriselle

Lou speaks the truth although you can get into a basic or mid level kit for about half of what he quoted.  If you want to go "traditional" you had better pony up for a few grand for the real supplies and some good "Deshi" (apprentice) groveling.  They do offer tourist urushi classes in the well known urushi spots,,Ishikawa, Nagano, Kanagawa and Aizu-Wakamatsu. 
 Ski season is coming soon and we spend a lot of time in Nagano and it is one of my goals to get beyond the basics of urushi.

BUT, there are other very viable options if you aren't hung up on sticking to strict tradition. There is a company here called "Cashew" that offers an urushi that approximates Hon-urushi and is reasonably priced (still expensive) and sold at most hardware stores here in Japan AND no skin irritation like Hon-urushi.  You can get very involved finishes with cashew urushi and can take weeks to finish.

There is also a urethane based kit by Washin Co that is not quite the same result as Cashew or Hon but dries a lot faster and is pretty cheap at $60 bucks for a starter set.  I haven't tried this one yet.  Again, this is available at any hardware store in Japan but I guess that doesn't help you much, does it?:biggrin:


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## PTJeff

Lou
some tell me I have no sanity to start with, and i'm a glutton for punishment.  Could you pm me the "basics" so I know how much medecine to take before I start the process of learning?

Chriselle
is this the Cashew youwere speaking of?  The Urethane kit by Washin for 60 bucks does me no good unless I send you $ and you stop by the hardware store...I can't wrap my mind around what I would need a few grand for to apply this finish.  Is there any reading about the application process you could help me find?

crazy is as crazy does!


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## chriselle

Yes, that is the cashew base. 

 Remember there are a lot of smoke and mirrors with any traditional art and getting the highest deemed quality liquid urushi, powdered deer antler, the proper kind of sumi and the mouse hair brushes and so on is going to cost you...and those things aren't in any hardware store.  Even my carpenter buddies just look at me and chuckle when I mention exploring "traditional" urushi..lol.  Also, budget for a humidor unless you are willing to wait until....umm...forever.. for urishi to cure.  Curing requires humidity.    And then there's customs and HAZMAT policies..

Gammbatte my friend!:biggrin:



PTJeff said:


> Lou
> some tell me I have no sanity to start with, and i'm a glutton for punishment.  Could you pm me the "basics" so I know how much medecine to take before I start the process of learning?
> 
> Chriselle
> is this the Cashew youwere speaking of?  The Urethane kit by Washin for 60 bucks does me no good unless I send you $ and you stop by the hardware store...I can't wrap my mind around what I would need a few grand for to apply this finish.  Is there any reading about the application process you could help me find?
> 
> crazy is as crazy does!


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## marcruby

I found this site on the net.  The process is a little bit too involved for me --

http://www.urushi-kobo.com/process.html

Marc


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## PTJeff

Marc,
I saw that site too and I don't know if all 50 steps are required for a pen.


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## DCBluesman

Jeff - I can only tell you that when you have mastered a urushi finish you will know whether or not steps can be eliminated.



> Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives, the cumulative experience of many masters of craftsmanship. Quality also marks the search for an ideal after necessity has been satisfied and mere usefulness achieved.
> -William A. Foster


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## Kevin Jones

Sorry to resurrect a very old thread, but there are now problems with getting hold of cashew lacquer. According to our Japanese supplier, new shipping regulations mean that they can't export it by either sea or air. Since, as far as I can make out, they were the ultimate source for cashew lacquer in the West, this leaves a lot of folk with a big headache.  The manufacturers won't ship it either - they are adamant about that.

Still, there is one ray of sunshine. We've been trying to get things set up so that it can be made in the West under licence. It is looking optimistic, but there are a lot of hoops to jump through still. The alternative is not being able to get hold of it at all. 

Kevin


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## MatthewZS

DCBluesman said:


> Jeff - I can only tell you that when you have mastered a urushi finish you will know whether or not steps can be eliminated.



That's a very "Zen" sort of a response.


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## chriselle

Good luck with getting Cashew produced locally.  I guess I'm lucky I can just go down to my local hardware store and pick it up.  
Another product you might want to consider looking at is Washin synthetic urushi.  I use it now for build coats and then finish off with real urushi.  Washin cures faster and as hard as urushi and with none of the nasties that go along with urushi.  Doing it this way literally takes months off the process.


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