saya covering

[beakner]

Hello, I was wondering what type of skin was used on this saya? Thanks, Beakner

[Baka Gaijin]

Hi Beakner,

 

It's called Samegawa - nuri.

 

Sometimes whole sheets of same, sometimes offcuts and single nodules are fixed to the Saya.

Urushi laquer (in this case Black) is applied in several coats and then the whole is smoothed down to reveal the finish, a coating of clear urushi usually finishes the process.

 

The skin is likely to be one of the Rhinobatos family: -

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinobatos

 

 

This old catalogue may also help:

 

http://www.archive.org/stream/catalogue ... 3/mode/2up

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[beakner]

Thanks Maicolm, It looked like same...but some nodules are very large which made me wonder. Thanks for the reply...Beakner