Japanese handle – Urushi Golden Dust [octagon] For Sale

What is urushi?
Urushi is the sap of the urushi tree, also known as the lacquer tree or the Japanese varnish tree. The sap contains resin urushiol, which becomes a very hard, shiny, durable lacquer when exposed to air and moisture.
In early Japan, people recognized urushi’s durability and beauty and began using it to coat wood, pottery, and all kinds of other objects to protect and strengthen them. Fully cured Urushi is resistant to alkali, acids, and alcohol and can withstand extreme temperatures!
Urushi lacquering is deeply connected to Japanese culture and its mastery requires a lot of training. The skills and techniques in use have been passed down for many centuries. Each layer is dried and polished before the next one is added, which makes the urushi process time-consuming and labor-intensive. This application, as well as the difficult harvesting and highly technical processing of the raw material, make traditionally lacquered items highly desirable and expensive.
Urushi is foodsafe and has been used on tableware for centuries, most famously on Japanese rice and miso bowls.