BAMBOO ON THE RISE

[Bazza]

Interesting article sent to me by a friend:

https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/Japanese-bamboo-art/index.html

 

BaZza.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

I have one aikuchi with a rather battered " Baleen " binding . I have always been skeptical about whether this wrapping is really baleen or another material . There is a whale skeleton on display at the Melbourne museum and as part of that display there is a large piece of baleen which is like a fusion of strands of coarse hair  . It doesn't look much like the baleen on these so called baleen bindings . The fineness of some of the bamboo work in this article makes me wonder , if what we are calling baleen ,  is really shaved down bamboo .

Ian Brooks

[Bugyotsuji]

To me it looks like elephant hair, Ian.

[1kinko]

The base of the baleen can be cut into strands any thickness you want. If you have spare pieces you could burn it. If it’s baleen it will smell like burned hair, if it’s bamboo it will smell like wood.