Many kinds of material admit of being lacquered. On metal, in particular, very pleasing results have been obtained. But the favourite material is wood, and the best kinds of wood for the purpose are the hinoki (Chamcecyparis obtusa) and kiri (Paulownia imperialis). The woods of the Crypiomeria japonica (sugi) and Planera japonica (keyaki) are those best adapted to general purposes, such as common bowls, trays, etc. The Japanese constantly employ lacquer utensils to hold boiling soups, alcoholic drinks, and even burning cigar-ash. But so strong is the substance that it suffers little if any damage from such apparently rough treatment.
The process of lacquering is complicated and tedious. To begin with, the surface of the wood is covered with triturated hemp and glue, and then the first coating of lacquer is applied, only to be itself covered with the very finest hempen cloth. Numerous coatings of various qualities of lacquer are laid on this foundation. A careful drying intervenes between each coating, and a partial rubbing off with a whetstone follows each drying. A powder formed of calcined deer's horn serves in most cases to give the final polish. But all this process, of which we have merely indicated the bare outlines, is itself but preparatory if the object is to produce one of those beautiful gold-lacquered boxes which the word "lacquer" generally calls up in the mind of the European collector. In this case, writes one of the authorities quoted below:
"A thin species of paper, prepared with sizing made of glue and alum, is used. On this paper the design required to be transmitted to the lacquered article is drawn. On the reverse of this paper, the outline is lightly traced in lacquer previously roasted over live charcoal to prevent its drying—with a very fine brush made of rat's hair. This paper is then laid on the article to be lacquered, and is rubbed with a spatula made of hinoki or whalebone, where the lacquer has been applied, and on removing the paper the design is observed lightly traced in lacquer. "To make it perfectly plain, this is rubbed over very lightly
