Is that what it takes?
Almost forgot. The other day the news people did a short piece on sumi ink - the black ink stick used for brush painting here in Japan? It's kind of incredible, the process for making it.
First, they started by talking to the oldster who provides the pine splinters. Basically, he reduces pine trees to splinters about a finger wide, with plenty of sap in them.
Next, we have the oldster who actually makes the ink. He takes the splinters, and in a long hallway, burns handfuls in little boxes on each side. Close the small door while the wood burns, and when you've burned enough, open the large door above it. Then very gently knock the collected soot off the walls (with a pusher somewhat like those you might use to scrape snow off your window, but a longer handle). He seemed to think about a half-inch of soot on the walls was right. He did comment that you need plenty of sap to get good soot.
Third, you take that bucket of soot (don't sneeze! It'll blow away) and put some in a mortar. Add a splash of glue. Take a pestle and mix thoroughly. Pick up the blob of black, and work with your fingers. Also, you can work it on a metal sheet some.
When it gets to the right consistency, put the long blob into a mold. Fasten the top on, and press firmly. The news people asked about using a machine for this, and he said it doesn't do it right, you have to press with your hands.
Let dry a while. Knock the mold apart, and take out the ink stick. Careful, it's still soft.
The next step is three months of drying over a gentle heat. Yes, three months, and you turn it regularly.
And the result is a little black stick that people grind with water on a stone to make ink.
Egads, but that's a labor-intensive process. Of course, he says that only hand-made ink really has the right feel, but . . . they never did tell us how much a stick of ink costs. I certainly appreciate it more after seeing that, though. I wonder if there are young people looking to take up the work?
And just think, it all starts with a burning stick of pine.
First, they started by talking to the oldster who provides the pine splinters. Basically, he reduces pine trees to splinters about a finger wide, with plenty of sap in them.
Next, we have the oldster who actually makes the ink. He takes the splinters, and in a long hallway, burns handfuls in little boxes on each side. Close the small door while the wood burns, and when you've burned enough, open the large door above it. Then very gently knock the collected soot off the walls (with a pusher somewhat like those you might use to scrape snow off your window, but a longer handle). He seemed to think about a half-inch of soot on the walls was right. He did comment that you need plenty of sap to get good soot.
Third, you take that bucket of soot (don't sneeze! It'll blow away) and put some in a mortar. Add a splash of glue. Take a pestle and mix thoroughly. Pick up the blob of black, and work with your fingers. Also, you can work it on a metal sheet some.
When it gets to the right consistency, put the long blob into a mold. Fasten the top on, and press firmly. The news people asked about using a machine for this, and he said it doesn't do it right, you have to press with your hands.
Let dry a while. Knock the mold apart, and take out the ink stick. Careful, it's still soft.
The next step is three months of drying over a gentle heat. Yes, three months, and you turn it regularly.
And the result is a little black stick that people grind with water on a stone to make ink.
Egads, but that's a labor-intensive process. Of course, he says that only hand-made ink really has the right feel, but . . . they never did tell us how much a stick of ink costs. I certainly appreciate it more after seeing that, though. I wonder if there are young people looking to take up the work?
And just think, it all starts with a burning stick of pine.