Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

airin wrote:

My teacher said that a shakuhachi will darken with age.  So does that mean my Mujitsu chinese root end shakuhachi will look more like my older 1.8 over time?  What if I liked that warm honey colour, can a pale bamboo flute like my 1.6 be stained or otherwise finished?

Airin,
Bamboo tends to darken with age depending on species and environment. So, they may darken in different shades. It is difficult to stain bamboo with common stains due to the density of its waxy outer cellulose fibers. However, stain penetrates easily if the skin is sanded off. Often, urushi stained bamboo is noticeable at the root end of shakuhachi where it has been sanded first. I have heard of some chemical treatments to stain through bamboo skin though.

airin wrote:

And while I'm on the topic of finishes, one final question I had is about the urushi in the bore of the flute,  what are the benefits of having urushi in the bore as I noticed that some jinashi shakuhachi have urushi in the bore and some don't. Can urushi be added to the bore of a jinashi flute after it has been played a while?

Urushi in the bore can influence the tone slightly. It seems to give it a little more punch. Some makers pour water through raw bamboo bores as a test to simulate the tone difference of added urushi. It can also help protect against mold.

Ken

airin wrote:

They took out the section for 'Ask a Pro' now maybe they need to add the 'Dumb Beginner's Questions'.  <joke>  Well here's my query.  I have a 30 year old Japanese made 1.8 that is a beautiful honey colour.  I also have a new Earth Flute from Perry Yung that has a brown stain like finish, also very warm and attractive.

Hi Arin, Thanks, I like this type of finish too! The dye is water-based applied in a hot bath. I hand rub it into the bamboo skin with #0000 steel wool to give it the aged look.

So what has colour got to do with the look and durability of a shakuhachi?  My teacher said that a shakuhachi will darken with age.  So does that mean my Mujitsu chinese root end shakuhachi will look more like my older 1.8 over time?  What if I liked that warm honey colour, can a pale bamboo flute like my 1.6 be stained or otherwise finished?

You may be able to "smoke" your bamboo to darken it. But, since it's already made into a flute, you should consider it carefully. I finished these repairs last week. The top on is a Gyokusui modern 1.8 with a Ibushi "smoked". Flutes made with Ibishi bamboo are quite beautiful but can sometimes smell like a BBQ sandwich. The smaller one is an Edo period 1.6 (according to the owner). That's a dark patina from age.

And while I'm on the topic of finishes, one final question I had is about the urushi in the bore of the flute,  what are the benefits of having urushi in the bore as I noticed that some jinashi shakuhachi have urushi in the bore and some don't. Can urushi be added to the bore of a jinashi flute after it has been played a while?

thanks,
Erin

It's as Ken says. In addition, the sound will change slightly if more layers of urushi is added.
best, Perry

Last edited by Yungflutes (2009-03-14 21:55:45)

This answers a question I had about my new 2.0 from perry. I have noticed more markings appearing on the flute. At first, it was mostly on the back, now it is moving up the whole flute. I like it. It is slowly becoming more and more spotted. I guess you could say.

Last edited by purehappiness (2009-03-18 11:36:40)