Preparation of the Base and Sabitogi Polishing,Tawame: A New Form of Kyoto Lacquerware

To harden the wood base in order to increase the strength, kiurushi unrefined lacquer is soaked into the unfinished wood. When the lacquer has dried and the shape solidified, hemp cloth is applied to the wood body. This is called nuno kise (dressing in cloth). Next, a mixture of lacquer, polishing powder, and base powder is applied to the base with a flat tool in a process called jitsuke. The base powder is grit and the polishing powder is a clay-like mud. Both are soils that are harvested in the mountains of the Yamashina district of Kyoto. Next, a mixture called sabi, comprised of polishing powder, lacquer, and water, is applied
and allowed to dry. This process is repeated several times and finally the surface is finished with a polishing stone and water.