Manu Propria Fountain Pen - Kujaku

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manupropria

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Nov 2, 2014
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After the holidays I found again time to make fountain pens.
This one I have finished today. Ebonite body with an urushi finish I call "Kujaku-Nuri" peacock Feather Lacquer. It is made with many layers of lacquer and metal powders, finally gound flat and polished.

Cheers and Happy New Year

Martin
 

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magpens

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Feb 2, 2011
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Absolutley MAGNIFICENT pens !!! I would love to read a more detailed description of how you make them and finish them. How long does one pen take from beginning to end ? Making that kind of pen seems way beyond me at this stage but I am very interested in how you do it.
 
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manupropria

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Nov 2, 2014
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Location
Bern, Switzerland
Kujaku-Nuri iliterally "Peacock Lacquer".

The first working step is to apply the foundations and 5 thinly brushed intermediate layers of black urushi "nakanuri". Every layer has to dry for 24 hours in the "furô" under constant temperature of 25°C and humidity of 80%.

With a wooden spartula drops of pigmented black urushi is applied. After drying 24 hours, a thin layer of transparent urushi is applied and sprinkled with copper powder. After drying a sealing layer of transparent urushi is applied. Then black urushi is applied and sprinkled with gold powder. After drying a transparent layer is applied. After drying two layers of black "nakanuri" is brushed on. Then the surface is ground and polished. Two thin layers of transparent urushi are applied and after drying finely ground. Then the surface is pre-polished "dôzuri" with rapeseed oil and "tonoko" a fine clay powder.

After carefully cleaned from the oil, the final polishing process "roiro shiage" started with "uwazuri", rubbing transparent high quality "kijiomi urushi" onto the surface and wiping completely off again with paper and dried in the "furô" for 24 hours. This process is repeated 5 times. Then the lacquer is polished with rapeseed oil and a polishing powder "migako" and the finger tips. After the parts have been cleaned carefully again "kijomi urushi" is rubbed in and wiped off. After 24 hours again polished with rapeseed oil and "migako". Then "kijiomi urushi" is rubbed on a last time and after 24 hours the lacquer is polished hard with migako and soft deer skin or the palms of the hands to achieve the beautiful deep gloss that only can be achieved on urushi. Urushi is becoming clearer and more translucent over the years and the sparkling play of the metal powders will appear even stronger. After a couple of weeks the urushi is well dried and reaches the hardness of glass.
Production time is one month.
 

magpens

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Feb 2, 2011
Messages
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Location
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Wow !! Thank you very much for the detailed description of the process ... helps to know that in order to really appreciate the beauty of the finished product. Not that I'll ever be attempting to do it myself. Thanks again.
 
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