Holy Mazoly,
I just read the query about where to buy mokume gane sheets.
Do people really sell mokume gane sheets? Already made up as a raw
material? I didn’t know that. That’s maybe because I’m very
out-of-it in so many ways. I made some of that stuff about 40 years
ago and I didn’t know much about it, just what I’d read in a book
about Japanese swords. I didn’t know anybody who knew about it
either. I was silly enough to think I was the only person in North
America who’d ever heard of it. Ain’t youth grand? Anyway, by blind
good luck some of it worked out pretty well and I made several
pieces of jewelry out of it. I remember I made a tie clip for my dad
- that’s how long ago it was - folks wore ties. I never made any
more of it again because it was too chancy for me and my meagre
equipment and skills. I see that some very accomplished people are
making things out of mokume gane pretty routinely now - but I always
figured they made up their own raw material, as I suppose the best
of them do. I stand in awe of their skills. But then I thought, why
shouldn’t some clever industrial-minded person have decided to make
and sell the stuff by the yard. It seems a bit like taking the deep
art out of the craft, but so much else comes ready-made today - why
fight the tide?
After some more thought I decided I don’t want to get any - even if
it is out there. I mean, where’s the challenge? Anyway, how do
people order it? Like plywood? Let’s see now, how about a 4’ x 8’
sheet, 9-ply, silver, copper, gold, (no brass please), good 2 sides,
marine grade, 1/4" thick (I’ll roll it out to about 120 square feet)
That’s enough to get me through a few days production of high-end
mokume gane i-pod cases.
Not one word about garden slugs in this post except an apology for
starting that whole digression a few days back.
Marty in Victoria where the first cruise ships of the season are
beginning to drift over the horizon. Now, as examples of weird
design, they are really a study.