Tall rim keyaki serving tray

This carved keyaki tray was the first after taking a long hiatus from woodturning.  The wood came from a really nice cut-off that I found in Shin-ki-ba (新木場); an area in Tokyo that has historically been an epicenter for lumberyards.  I really love keyaki.  The color, the texture and flow of the grain all make it a really pleasing wood.  It’s also relatively hard, yet still easy to cut and carve.

Natural Urushi Lacquer Finish

This tray is part of a small batch of bowls and trays that have been finished with natural urushi lacquer.

Urushi is a finish that comes from the sap of urushi trees.  Urushi sap contains a chemical compound called urushiol; the same chemical that gives poison ivy it’s bad reputation.  In a liquid state urushi lacquer can cause severe reactions in people allergic to urushiol.  However once fully cured, the urushiol becomes inert and safe to handle.

Once applied to the wood’s surface, urushi requires a humid environment to properly cure.  We place our urushi ware in a muro; a temperature and humidity controlled box.  After a few days the urushi dries and becomes safe to handle.

Urushi is strong against acids, alkali, alcohol, and has a high temperature resistance.  These strengths have made urushi lacquer a traditional finish for daily use on soup bowls, spoons, cups, etc. in Japan and China for hundreds of years.