Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Windom · 2008-01-13 11:36:46

I've read what I could find on this forum about shakuhachi finishing, but this question doesn't seem to have been addressed: what constitutes an adequate protective finish for a shakuhachi? What's typical for non-jiari instruments?

I desire reasonable stability against sweat, breath, dirty fingers, mildew, rotting, and cracking from uneven moisture absorption; how far does simple routine maintenance (like sticking that cloth up and down the flute after playing) get me in the long run? Beyond that, what's the order of importance for different parts of the flute in terms of applying protective chemicals? There's endgrain in the top and bottom end and on the utaguchi surface, and there's the ikigaeshi, and the hole walls, and then there's the bore with its prominent node walls making things difficult. (In light of my current knowledge it's beyond me at this point to seal an entire bore, and I did gather that it's not necessarily sealed even in commercial instruments.)

FWIW, I'll be using either shellac or leftover IKEA furniture oil, both of which I'm currently trying out on split culms.

edosan · 2008-01-13 13:44:39

I just put *camellia (or walnut--more easily obtained in the US) oil on the outside of my flutes 3 or 4 times a year. Apply a few drops, rub the oil
in well with the hands to warm it up well, let the flute sit for a while, then wipe off any excess oil.

For the vast majority of shakuhachi I've seen, there is no 'finish', with the occasional exception of some with some urushi on the exterior.

The natural surface of bamboo is extremely tough and resilient.

eB

*There is a US-based seller of camellia oil on eBay that I bought some from. Very reasonably priced, and an excellent product. If you search for 'Camellia Oil', many sellers will come, with many price points. Great for protecting steel hand tools and blades as well. Email me off-forum if you want the seller I used. Camellia oil does not become rancid, as do most oils.

Last edited by edosan (2008-01-13 16:06:04)

Windom · 2008-01-13 14:52:07

I know that the natural skin is fine; it's the places where there isn't any skin that I'm worried about.

rpowers · 2008-01-13 15:43:16

edosan wrote:
For the vast majority of shakuhachi I've seen, there is no 'finish', with the occasional exception of some with some ji on the exterior.

Surely you mean urushi; external ji would just be sloppy work, not a finish.

edosan · 2008-01-13 16:03:04

Surely I did mean urushi--sorry.

eB

Tairaku 太楽 · 2008-01-13 16:04:59

rpowers wrote:
edosan wrote:
For the vast majority of shakuhachi I've seen, there is no 'finish', with the occasional exception of some with some ji on the exterior.
Surely you mean urushi; external ji would just be sloppy work, not a finish.

Some shakuhachi, dating back to the Edo period, have urushi coatings. Ji however IS sometimes used on the exterior of the flute as well, to fill in gaps or cracks, usually around the root.

edosan · 2008-01-13 16:05:31

Windom wrote:
I know that the natural skin is fine; it's the places where there isn't any skin that I'm worried about.

Perry Yung uses, in addition to urushi, commercial lacquers for the bores of some of his jinashis. John Neptune and Monty Levenson
have been known to use epoxy paint, carefully swabbed into the bore. Monty would tell you the brand he uses if you emailed him.

edosan · 2008-01-13 16:08:08

Tairaku wrote:
Some shakuhachi, dating back to the Edo period, have urushi coatings. Ji however IS sometimes used on the exterior of the flute as well, to fill in gaps or cracks, usually around the root.

Chikuzen's number one 1.8 for years was a very old smoked piece of boo that had the entire 'root' fashioned of ji.

Tairaku 太楽 · 2008-01-13 16:34:04

Is that the one Peter Ross has now? That was a nice flute. I also saw a 1.8 by Yokoyama Ranpo with a grafted root end of PLASTIC!

amokrun · 2008-01-13 16:37:57

edosan wrote:
Tairaku wrote:
Some shakuhachi, dating back to the Edo period, have urushi coatings. Ji however IS sometimes used on the exterior of the flute as well, to fill in gaps or cracks, usually around the root.
Chikuzen's number one 1.8 for years was a very old smoked piece of boo that had the entire 'root' fashioned of ji.

Now to wait until someone makes the entire flute out of ji. That should be a challenge.

edosan · 2008-01-13 19:21:31

Tairaku wrote:
Is that the one Peter Ross has now?

Not sure, but it might be, according to the description on shakuhachiyuu, but the links to the images are dead right now, so I can't tell for sure.

Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

#1 2008-01-13 11:36:46

How much finishing is enough?

#2 2008-01-13 13:44:39

Re: How much finishing is enough?

#3 2008-01-13 14:52:07

Re: How much finishing is enough?

#4 2008-01-13 15:43:16

Re: How much finishing is enough?

edosan wrote:

#5 2008-01-13 16:03:04

Re: How much finishing is enough?

#6 2008-01-13 16:04:59

Re: How much finishing is enough?

rpowers wrote:

edosan wrote:

#7 2008-01-13 16:05:31

Re: How much finishing is enough?

Windom wrote:

#8 2008-01-13 16:08:08

Re: How much finishing is enough?

Tairaku wrote:

#9 2008-01-13 16:34:04

Re: How much finishing is enough?

#10 2008-01-13 16:37:57

Re: How much finishing is enough?

edosan wrote:

Tairaku wrote:

#11 2008-01-13 19:21:31

Re: How much finishing is enough?

Tairaku wrote:

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