tutorial · Japanese
This video demonstrates the intermediate polishing and final lacquer application steps in a beginner's lacquerware course. It is useful for practitioners who have completed ground coats and are preparing for the final mirror finish.
A walkthrough written from 松江藩御抱え塗師12代目 小島ゆり’s video ↗. The recording is the authoritative demonstration; this page is a working guide to it.
Watch the source ↗Raw urushi (ki-urushi) causes serious delayed skin reactions; handle with care. Read Safety First before working with raw urushi.
Tools shown
Materials
Conditions
The method
Each heading links back to the moment in the source video where it begins.
One video is one workshop's account, not a complete method. 3 of 3 steps here are not fully settled by this source — it leaves out what a correct result looks like, or how the step fails. Those are marked in place below.
Apply kikumo to a cloth and polish the coated surface in circular motions with firm pressure. Continue until dullness and abrasion marks are removed. Once the gloss emerges and abrasion marks disappear, stop polishing with kikumo.
When it is rightGloss is pronounced and abrasion marks are gone.
Not settled by this video The source does not show what going wrong looks like here.
First, remove the oil from the cream using alcohol. Next, apply a small quantity of ki-urushi to a palette. Finally, dip a scrap of cloth or a ball of cotton wool, rolled up, into the ki-urushi.
Not settled by this video The source shows this step without saying what a good result looks like, or how it fails.
Using a cloth or cotton ball, work the lacquer into the coated surface with circular motions. After the entire area has been treated, remove the surplus lacquer with a scrap of cloth. Finally, allow the lacquer to harden for one day in a high-humidity location.
Not settled by this video The source shows this step without saying what a good result looks like, or how it fails.
Terminology in this video
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