Bristle Making 1Kegumi
(designing shapes)

"Kegumi", meaning the designing the shapes of bristles, is a technique passed down from Miyauchi Tokuou. This process is the most important part of our brush making. We arrange various kinds of hair board and design brush shapes.

Bristle Making 2mixing

Repeat stretching and folding, and mix hair evenly.

Bristle Making 3Sarai

Next process is "sarai". Remove unsuitable hair.

Bristle Making 4Shintate

Put the hair in a cylinder called "koma" and decide the thickness of the brush.

Bristle Making 4After Shintate

Dry them for a day or two after sharpening tips.

Bristle Making 5Uwagekake

Wrap outer layer with another hair, which give good water colors permeation. (We don't wrap small brushes like Menso.)

Bristle Making 6Itokake

Fasten heel hair of bristles with thread.

Bristle Making 7Chanduke

Put Chan glue at heels. Chan is made from pine resin and tallow. This process protects hair from loosening.

Bristle Making 8Yakijime

Burn at heels using electric-iron and fasten quickly.

Bristle Making 9After Yakijime

Bristle is ready now.

Related Links