Technique Series 001 Urasuki (Video Ver.)

【Screen Size】1200p×1200px 【Playback Time】1 min. 36 sec.

There are several processes involved in bamboo crafts, the basic of which is "Making Bamboo Sticks".
Experience is the key to this technique, so much so that it is said, "3 years of Higo-taking".

This time, I focused on the "Urasuki" technique.

”Urasuki" is one of the techniques of Higo-taking, a technique of shaving the inside of bamboo to even out the thickness, using a blade such as a "Sukisen" or a "Bamboo Knife".
The video shows how "Urasuki" is done using a blade called "Sukisen," which can adjust thickness by 1/100㎜.

”Urasuki" using Sukisen is an indispensable process for making delicate Higo,in the video, it is finished to a thickness of 0.4-0.5㎜.
There is also a trick to clearing the Fushiura, and the finish can be clearly seen when the Higo is viewed from the side.
If the thickness of Fushiura is uneven, it will not be rounded and will break,but the evenly thick hinges form a beautiful circle when they are rounded.

＊Below are the basic techniques until Bamboo Stick is completed, but the presence or absence of processes, the number of repetitions, and the order will vary depending on the work.
≪How Bamboo Stick is made≫
1. Bamboo harvesting: Cut bamboos from the mountains, remove branches, and bundle them.
2. To make the surface shiny and firm: After removing the oil, wipe off any oil that has seeped out and let dry.
3. Polishing: The outer skin of the bamboo is thinly shaved with a blade so that the dye can penetrate easily.
4. Cutting: Cut to the required length with a saw.
5. Fushikuri：Fushi protrusion is shaved with a blade to reduce snagging and improve appearance.
6. Split the bamboo (Half-split・Rough split・Small split)
7. Peeling bamboo (Rough peeling ・Thin peeling)
8. Width matching (Width trimming)
9. Chamfering: Remove the corners of the Higo to improve its feel and appearance.
10. Matching the thickness（Urasuki）