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| The Beauty and History of Japanese Shakudō Jewelry Posted: 03 Apr 2011 05:11 AM PDT This Guest Post is by Lisa Shoreland who was born and raised in Japan.
Shakudō is a Japanese term for a low gold content alloy used in certain types of jewelry and ornamentation. The somewhat esoteric technique has a long and colorful history, and knowing it is sure to raise our appreciation for the delicate process and its breathtakingly beautiful products. Origins of Japanese Shakudō Traditionally, the Japanese employed the shakudō to decorate katana (longsword) fittings. These included tsuba (the guard at the end of the grip) and kozuka (the grip of a small knife). The alloy formed a base for inlays and accompanying patinas for which Japanese decorative katana are so celebrated. As the samurai class grew obsolete in the 19th century, visitors from the West showed interest in shakudō and carried its influence across the seas. Although many westerners believed never to have encountered shakudō before, recent evidence points to its use by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and even Romans. The art likely started in said regions and traveled east to Japan over time. Post-Samurai Shakudō The fall of the samurai didn't shake shakudō artisans, however, and the art continued to flourish both in the West and East. It is today most often used in the technique of mokume-gane, a layering process that creates a mixed-metal laminate. This technique, too, owes its claim to fame to the samurai; it came about in the process of forging swords and other weaponry for the warrior class in the 17th century. The term shakudō today has become somewhat generalized to indicate any Japanese damascened ornament or jewelry. Such decorative objects are often referred to as Amita damascene, after a 20th century manufacturer.
The Colors of Shakudō The traditional shakudō alloy contains only trace amounts of gold—typically 4%, but ranging from 2 all the way to 25%—with the rest being mostly copper. It is treated with a chemical solution to achieve its trademark blue or purplish hue, although some manufacturers pride themselves on a chocolaty, earthen finish. Japanese artists were (and remain today) known sticklers for colors. This, in fact, ties directly to how the hues of shakudō were initially achieved by the Japanese. Artisans tired of gold, copper, and silver hues and began experimenting for broader ranges of color. They found that surface chemical treatment of copper and copper alloys with a low content of gold produced blue- and purple-black. The kanji characters spelling shakudō literally translate to "red copper," but the art has often been referred to as "black gold," "crow's gold," or "crow's copper," owing to a crow's purple-black plumage. Shakudō Jewelry Despite its martial origins, shakudō should not be treated roughly by its wearer! Remove any shakudō jewelry before cleansing, exercising, and applying ointments or lotions, since chemicals can eventually remove the piece's protective coating. To clean the piece itself, one should employ a soft cloth with no abrasive cleansers. Bio: Lisa Shoreland is currently a resident blogger at Go College, where recently she's been researching student loan application tips as well as student loan default recovery. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing, practicing martial arts, and taking weekend trips. Other Japanese Inspirations and Tutorials
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| How to make an easy extruded Sculpey bracelet tutorial Posted: 02 Apr 2011 04:00 PM PDT This project sure looks like a lot of fun to make and wear. Syndee Holt's extruded bracelet tutorial makes use of Sculpey clay which you hand color. The extruded or rolls of clay are then wrapped around a soda can before drying. The seam is hidden with the wire work.  This is a basic bracelet but all sorts of creative embellishments can be added to make it distinctive. Wire wrapping, adding dangles - the possibilities are endless! More bracelet tutorial posts:
For more tutorials check out my Jewelry Making Tips Liked what you read? Don't miss a post! Subscribe via RSS OR Via Email* It's FREE!*Click on the link in the confirmation email to activate subscription Be a Fan!
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