Replies

1. 
   PDReynolds | Feb 15, 2001 06:35am | #1

   *
   Hi Matthew- I don't know about international shipping, but I've certainly ordered finishing products through the mail within Canada. I've never had a problem with getting flammable stuff sent. My suggestion would be to check out Lee Valley's site(www.leevalley.com). If it doesn't give info about international shipping, then email and ask. I'm pretty sure it would be no problem. Hey- what sort of wood is popular/available in Japan?
   Paul.

1. 
   Matt_Emery | Feb 26, 2001 04:08pm | #2

   *Paul,Thanks for the note. I have contacted LeeValley and they will ship to Japan. Many Thanks. The Wood dealers here in Tokyo seem to have access to just about any kind of wood available and probably a few that shouldn't be. The popular ones include Japanese Cyprus and White Oak.. Traditional furniture is generally made of Paulownia, Cryptomeria, Zelkova, Chestnut and Cyprus.. Many beautiful timbers are available here, but all come at an amazingly high price...

1. 
   gpwestmoreland | Feb 27, 2001 07:42am | #3

   *Matthew, Since you live in Japan, maybe you can help me with some advice. I have a small collection of Japanese military bayonets and swords that my father-in-law brought back from Japan after WWII. They have been stored in a cabinet for years, and I would like to build a display case or frame for a wall display. I would like to use a species of wood in keeping with Japanese tradition for this type weapons, and would appreciate suggestions for which type wood. Thanks for any help on this. GP

1. 
   Matt_Emery | Feb 27, 2001 03:45pm | #4

   *PG,Japanese were never very big on displaying personal possessions. Swords were virtually always kept in a long slender box with two drawers to house the blades and perhaps some small compartments for honing tools. The usual choice of wood was Paulownia (I think chosen for stability). I believe this is now also grown in the US for export to Japan. For visual appearance, Zelkova was often the choice for such things as drawer fronts. It is a medium hardwood member of the elm family which is very resistant to expansion, contraction and warping..If those blades are a pair, they are likely very special.Cheers,

1. 
   Sgian_Dubh | Feb 27, 2001 04:59pm | #5

   *If you can get hold of the basic ingredients, boiled linseed oil or pure tung oil, an (alkyd) varnish and mineral (white) spirits you might consider experimenting and formulating your own danish oil, teak oil, tung oil finish, okene, tung oil varnish, etc.. Other dilutants than mineral spirits can be used, e.g., naphtha- faster drying, genuine gum turpentine- slower drying. Just a thought. Sliante.

2. 
   scott_murray | Mar 23, 2001 02:33pm | #6

   *gpwestmoreland, You might think of using port oxford cedar. They use that a bit for shoji over here. I know it's pricey. Alaskan yellow cedar is very similar and a bit cheaper.

3. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Mar 23, 2001 02:46pm | #7

   *tekton,You do mean Port Orford Cedar, don't you?

4. 
   scott_murray | Apr 05, 2001 12:56pm | #8

   *Danford,You're right. Thanks for catching that.the rev