Collecting Urushi Sap
This refers to the process of scraping off lacquer during the lacquer manufacturing process.
Urushi tappers generally begin scraping when the trees are 10 to 15 years old and have a diameter of about 10cm. Urushi sap is a type of resin secreted from urushi sap grooves in the bark. Urushi sap (raw lacquer) exuded from urushi trees has had moisture and impurities removed, and is refined by mixing with chemicals. This is called refined lacquer or baked lacquer, and is used in various types of paints.
Urushi liquid contains urushiol, the oxidase laccase, and gum, and urushiol combines with oxygen in the air through laccase to turn into a black resin. The higher the urushi content, the better the quality of the urushi, and Japanese urushi is superior to foreign urushi.
Urushi tapping procedure:
1. Harvesting the lacquer: Before the lacquer can be scraped off, it must be harvested. To harvest lacquer, you need special tools and equipment, as well as sap-containing trees of the Anacardiaceae family.
2. Preparation of scraping tools: Prepare special tools and equipment for scraping off the lacquer. Generally, knives and scrapers specially designed for scraping off the lacquer are used.
3. Scraping off the lacquer: The lacquer that has hardened with sap is scraped off. The sap is carefully scraped off using special tools. When scraping off the lacquer, workers must wear protective equipment (gloves, safety glasses, etc.).
4. Collection and Processing: The scraped lacquer is properly collected and processed for further processing and manufacturing.
5. Cleaning the workplace: After finishing the urushi tapping, clean the workplace thoroughly and store the tools and equipment used properly.
Tapping urushi is a task that requires specialized skills and knowledge, and must be done carefully to avoid damaging the trees, especially when collecting the sap. In addition, as the urushi itself can be irritating to the skin, it is important that workers wear appropriate protective equipment.
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