Sealing with Washi Paper

[musicman980]

Washi, kozo, mulberry, rice paper, whatever you want to call it. I haven't hardly seen any examples of it, the most notable was Alex Gilmore's work that uses mulberry paper with Japanese writing on it. After contacting him he explained a little bit of the process, and the paper was only $4.75 so I figured why not. This is what working with mulberry paper is like.

So I have a new okudo that needs sealing, and these are shots of it with and without the dampened "Usu Kuchi Light" 100% kozo (mulberry) 21g paper. It was described as "very absorbent and translucent; good for layering and chine colle." This is certainly not lightweight paper, but it almost disappears when wet. *The okudo already has 1 coat of spar urethane in these photos*

I decided not to use it in the end, because the air bubbles were too difficult to get out without fraying the wet mulberry paper. Sliding the bubbles out to the edge tears the paper apart if you rub it more than about three times. I settled for four coats of spar urethane instead.


A little piece of the paper, can you see it?



Without paper, then with a full size piece wrapping around to a smaller side of the stone.



Air bubbles are difficult to get out without damaging the paper.

 

[M1k3]

I wonder if using something like a small rolling pin or similar while applying the paper would work?

 

[musicman980]

That might work to squeeze out the bubbles instead of sliding them out, but the saw marks in the stone might pose some issues. I don't have any other stones to try it out on...

 

[M1k3]

That might work to squeeze out the bubbles instead of sliding them out, but the saw marks in the stone might pose some issues. I don't have any other stones to try it out on...

Maybe a paint roller? The fibers should be soft enough to push the paper into the saw marks? Just might be sticky? Maybe wrap in plastic wrap or something?

 

[musicman980]

Ah yeah, roll it vertically so it pushes them out of the saw mark openings on the top and bottom. Man a medium weight foam roller would be ideal.

 

[Knife2meatu]

Wearing un-textured nitrile gloves helps me immensely with rubbing out air bubbles in this kind of situation; difficult to find a more delicate tool than a fingertip, and the smooth nitrile doesn't catch on fibers or introduce air between finger prints.

I've never manipulated this sort of paper, however.