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Ro-iro Urushi: Black Lustre Lacquer, Raw Lac Blackened with Haguro Iron Vinegar (after Rein 1889)
Japanese black lacquer is not coloured with a black pigment. The lacquer makers added iron, dissolved in vinegar, to filtered raw lac and stirred off the water: the iron turns the lac a deep, lustrous black. The same iron vinegar, haguro, was used to blacken teeth.
Result: Ro-iro-urushi, the best black lustre lacquer, 0.5 to 2 % iron.
Source: J. J. Rein, The Industries of Japan (1889), pp. 350-353. Not given: how much haguro (set by the colour). Picture drawn by Youblob.
Intermediate
4 days
Instructions
1
1
Make haguro
Make haguro
Pour vinegar (or rice beer) over iron nails or filings and keep it several days in a warm place. The liquid is haguro, iron acetate.
Materials for this step:
Iron Nails1 as required
Vinegar1 as requiredTools needed:
Glass Jars with Lids2
2
Grind and strain the raw lac
Grind and strain the raw lac
Grind good raw lac for some time in a shallow wooden tub so it flows evenly, then press it through cotton cloth. Ours: wear gloves; raw lac raises blisters on the skin.
Materials for this step:
Raw Urushi Lacquer1 as requiredTools needed:
Wooden Tub
Cotton Cloth
Nitrile Gloves3
3
Add haguro to colour
Add haguro to colour
Stir haguro into the strained lac. The amount is set by the colour; the finished lacquer holds 0.5 to 2 % iron.
Tools needed:
Shallow Wooden Lacquer Bowl (Urushi Bachi)
Wooden Paddle4
4
Stir off the water
Stir off the water
Stir it in a shallow pail or tub in the sun, or over a moderate charcoal fire, until all the water has gone.
Tools needed:
Shallow Wooden Lacquer Bowl (Urushi Bachi)Wooden Paddle
Charcoal5
5
Strain twice
Strain twice
Pass the black lacquer twice through cotton cloth. It is ready to use as black lacquer without further treatment.
Tools needed:
Cotton ClothGlass Jars with LidsNitrile GlovesMaterials
3- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
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