Need sugestions for a "Urushi" finish

Jack Kerwood

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15
Location
Rome GA
I have turned a traditional Japanese rice bowl as a condo warming gift for a Northern relative who has a winter place in Florida. They have a room decorated in an Oriental motif. The bowl was turned from a very hard and dense piece of persimmon. I am looking for Ideas to mimic the traditional Japanese "Urushi" hard,glossy black finish. Food-safe is not a requirement. The bowl will have two chopsticks inlet into the rim permanently. This will render the bowl decorative only. I have enlisted the help of a friend with calligraphic skills and a gold leaf pen to decorate the bowl with Japanese characters symbolizing good luck' I am looking for ideas especially from some one who has done a similar project. I envision some type of three part process. The black undercoat then the gold leaf, and finally a clear overcoat. Jack Kerwood
 
Hi Jack, I don't have any experience with the Urushi finish, but wonder is dying the bowl first and then several coats of spary laquer would work well. That always gets a high gloss on my stoppers and that's about all I turn that gets a high gloss finish. Hopefully someone else chimes in to help out.
 
Since Urushi is essentially just a good lacquer finish, I'd just use many, many light coats of black spray lacquer, then rub it out to a smooth high gloss like I would an automotive finish. Then after the gold leaf, I'd clear coat it with more spray lacquer and again rub it out to a gloss.
 
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