This video has no audio. This is the second application of sabi to the bowl. It has been in the dryer for 3 or 4 days and is ready for more lacquer/jinoko.
Materials in kintsugi, jinoko and tonoko
There are 2 types of powdered, clay type materials used in kintsugi.
Jinoko is a powder and is a rougher grain. Tonoko is a mass and is a finer grain.
Tonoko has to be smashed to be used. The material itself is a finer mesh than jinoko although it looks like it is rougher since it comes in rock-like masses.
You use tonoko for making a mix called abura tonoko which is used for polishing graded metals. Graded metals are the rougher grades that start at #1 and go to #15. You don’t use tonoko for polishing the fine gold powder. You also use tonoko for making a mix called sabi which is used to do restoration work. It is mixed with water first and then lacquer.
There are many ‘recipes’ for sabi. I don’t use any types of set proportions but I have seen 2/tonoko to 1/water to 1/lacquer.
You use jinoko to make your sabi stiffer if you like. That is, if you are doing restoration work you can add jinoko to the mix and since it is rougher it will be a stronger mix although it will also be rougher since jinoko is rougher than tonoko.
Blistered glaze kintsugi repair
Here is a series of photos of bowls I am repairing. The problem is the glaze blistered in the wood firing.
The photo above shows the first application of jinoko and lacquer in order to help build a smoother surface.
The photo above shows the bowl with jinoko and lacquer after the blistered glaze has been sanded off.
The photo above shows jinoko and lacquer mix on the bowl.
The photo above shows one of the bowls before I did anything to it.
In order to get a defined line to sand you can draw a line that marks your outer edge of the sanding surface.
After this marking and before applying the jinoko and lacquer you need to sand the blisters down to make a smooth surface. It doesn’t have to be completly smooth as lacquer adheres better to a dimpled surface.
Kintsugi, polishing.
I sometimes get questions about polishing gold and why I don’t use an agate stone polisher.
Here are some photos of pieces with either powdered or numbered gold that has been polished or not with an agate tool.
The photo above shows #3 grind gold that has been ‘hardened'(see link https://zac.wnz.mybluehost.me/website_a640e8d6/?page_id=225 , steps 1-4) Using an agate tool does do some smoothing. You can get a better finish if you use polishing stones. After using agate I suggest finishing it with the regular powders and lacquers outlined here, https://zac.wnz.mybluehost.me/website_a640e8d6/?page_id=225 from about step 5.
The photo at the bottom of this series shows the same piece after it has been smoothed some.
The photo above shows keshifun, fine powdered gold, with a small spot polished with agate. This is one way to finish keshi if you feel it is necessary. It is possible to ‘tamp’ it down with agate. It changes the nature of the appearance of the gold and makes it more ‘gold’ like. I prefer for keshifun to have the unpolished finish which is why I don’t use agate.
The photo above shows the bottom of a very old Imari piece that is finished with keshifun and then parts of it have been polished and others not. I prefer the more subdued look of the unpolished gold.
The photo above is the same bowl as in the first photo after it has had a small area polished with agate.
The photo above shows #3 grind gold that has been ‘hardened'(see link https://zac.wnz.mybluehost.me/website_a640e8d6/?page_id=225 , steps 1-4) with the entire line polised using agate. The cup is an antique that someone glued back together with a modern epoxy and I have done the best I can to smooth that and apply lacquer and gold over it but some of the epoxy is still visible. Using an agate tool does do some smoothing but it is not easy to see in the photos. You can get a better finish if you use polishing stones. After using agate I suggest finishing it with the regular powders and lacquers outlined here, https://zac.wnz.mybluehost.me/website_a640e8d6/?page_id=225 from about step 5.
Here is a video showing polishing of fine gold powder.
Blistered glaze repair kintsugi
There is no audio on this video. It shows the first step in using kintsugi techniques to repair blistered glaze. Sanding the glaze down to as smooth as you can get it is important. This bowl will be finished with either lacquer or a metal finish.
Current project, kintsugi pre gold
I am about to apply gold to this guinomi. This photo shows the red lacquer application.
Kintsugi, repairing blistered glaze
This video has no audio. It shows the first application of lacquer to a ceramic bowl that had bad blistering because of placement in a wood fueled kiln. I first used a grinder to knock off the blistered glaze and make the surface somewhat smooth. I will finish the piece with a gold or silver finish using kintsugi techniques.
Kintsugi, blistered glaze repair
This is another project I am doing. It is a wood fired bowl that has blistered glaze on the side that was facing the flame flow. I have the blistered areas partially filled with lacquer and sanded. The next step will be another application of glaze to even out the uneven surface.
Current projects
Here is a cup I am working on right now. It was broken when it got to me. I am about to finish the sanding of the middle layer and filling some of the hairline cracks. There haven’t been any problems with this cup, it went back together easily and fit well.
Kintsugi workshop video, Step 3, keshifun, cleaning of gold powder
Here is the last step in kintsugi keshifun.