Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

If it is petroleum grease, that would probably not be a good thing, although it's not likely to do much harm. Often a tight center joint is greased/lubricated to facilitate getting it apart, and a leaky joint is greased to stifle the leaks. The lube of choice in Japan is usually hair pomade (available at most barber shops).

If you're pretty sure it's petroleum grease (it could be Vaseline, which would be the least harmful of all that type) and you want to remove it, wipe all surfaces several times with a soft cloth or paper towel, then wipe again with rubbing alcohol, which won't affect the bamboo or urushi/lacquer finish.

After cleaning, make sure you determine whether the joint actually needs some sort of lubricant.

Last edited by edosan (2008-08-08 12:44:30)