This is an oil that is mixed with either roiromigakiko or ishiko for final polishing of the metal. It is possible to use other oils but this one doesn’t gum up or heat up as much as others. You need very little so a bottle should last many years.
Kintsugi materials, mixing oil
Kintsugi materials, nashiji lacquer. Nashiji is a thick lacquer that during processing is put into a centrifuge and the result is a very thick, strong, hard lacquer. It is used for filling large grained marufun metal.
Kintsugi materials, hemp fabric
Hemp fabric can be used to strengthen large fill areas. It is embedded into the sabi mix and care must be taken so it is completely covered by sabi and the threads don’t stick out. It is best to use it in areas with some thickness as well as width. Not enough thickness will result in fibers being exposed which can’t be resolved easily without leaving a bump where the fill material will have to be used.
Kintsugi materials, roiro mikagiko
Roiro migakiko is a fine powder that is mixed with oil to polish graded metal to a final finish. It is finer and more expensive than the other polishing powder, ishiko. You use it with oil and your finger.
Metals that are ground into rounded, coarse particles are available in kintsugi. The graded, coarser metals go from #1–#15. #1 is the finest, #15 is the coarsest. In kintsugi the most common grades are from #1–#5. These metals require a completely different process to finish than the flat grinds of metal called keshifun. The techniques are more akin to makie and require ‘filling’ in or hardening the coarser grains of metal onto the surface and then polishing the surface so it is smooth and shiny. Imagine sand paper to understand what is necessary. If you imagine #2000 grit sandpaper as a #1 grade rounded coarse metal and about #240 grit sandpaper as about a #15 grade you can understand how the metal gets coarser as the #1–#15 gets bigger. It isn’t possible to polish the graded metals as is. You need to fill in between the grains of metal with lacquer to first make a smooth surface and then come back in and then sand down both the lacquer and the tops of the metal to make a very tough and durable metal finish. A properly finished surface of graded metal is very durable. The photos show #3 silver in varying states of application, from applied and ‘hardened’,(the spaces between the grains of metal are filled in with lacquer) to finish polished. The coloring that appears in the unpolished samples is from the lacquer that is used to ‘harden’ the metal to the surface.
Kintsugi materials, brushes
Brushes are essential to a good final kintsugi look. There are several types of brushes for kintsugi. Most lines a medium to fine brush will suffice. Hairline cracks require a very fine brush. All are natural fiber and handmade in Japan. They should be cleaned with vegetable oil and stored with a very thin coating of oil which needs to be removed before use.
Metals that are ground into rounded, coarse particles are available in kintsugi. The graded, coarser metals go from #1–#15. #1 is the finest, #15 is the coarsest. In kintsugi the most common grades are from #1–#5. These metals require a completely different process to finish than keshifun. The techniques are more akin to makie and require ‘filling’ in or hardening the coarser grains of metal onto the surface and then polishing the surface so it is smooth and shiny. Imagine sand paper to understand what is necessary. If you imagine #2000 grit sandpaper as a #1 grade rounded coarse metal and about #240 grit sandpaper as about a #15 grade you can understand how the metal gets coarser as the #1–#15 gets bigger. It isn’t possible to polish the graded metals as is. You need to fill in between the grains of metal with lacquer to first make a smooth surface and then come back in and then sand down both the lacquer and the tops of the metal to make a very tough and durable metal finish. A properly finished surface of graded metal is very durable. The photos show #3 silver in varying states of application, from applied and ‘hardened’,(the spaces between the grains of metal are filled in with lacquer) to finish polished. The coloring that appears in the unpolished samples is from the lacquer that is used to ‘harden’ the metal to the surface.
