Namiki Emperor Black Laquer Urushi no 50

Namiki Emperor Black Laquer Urushi n. 50

Urushi is a lacquer derived from a natural resin from a tree bearing the same name, and is applied on the surfaces of the objects, in our case the pens.
The peculiarity of Japanese lacquer, unlike other forms of traditional handicrafts, is that it has a totally autochthonous origin without being imported from abroad.

The Urushi differs substantially from the other lacquers by the way it dries. In fact, it does not follow a drying process, but requires exposure to specific temperatures and humidity (ie between 10 to 20 degrees centigrade and between 70 and 90 percent humidity). Under these conditions, significant components of urushiol and lacquer undergo a chemical transformation that produces a "curtain", that is, the lacquer layer.
Once cured, the lacquer creates a durable and brilliant sheath with a great adhesive strength.

The technique used for the Namiki Black Laquer 50 is the "Roiro Urushi".

The Japanese Urushi lacquer is the most precious lacquer in the whole East.
For this series of pens, Pilot Namiki has used the "Roiro Urushi Shiage" polishing technique, which consists of rubbing a piece of raw lacquer repeatedly, with final polishing with a special carbon.

The "Roiro Urushi Shiage" lacquering technique is considered the most difficult since the process takes a long time.
After a couple of weeks, when the lacquer is dry, it turns out to be harder than the glass.

Namiki Emperor size dimension:
Lenght closed: 17,2 cm
Lenght opened with cap: 21,9 cm.
Diameter of barrel:17 mm.
Diameter cap: 20 mm.

Technique: Roiro Urushi
Pen nib: size no. 50 (18K)
Artisan name: Kokkokai