Painting brushes for urushi (Japanese lacquer) are usually made of human hair, but Kanshitsu-bake is made of horsehair.
Kanshitu-bake is used when urushi is applied directly on groundwork or wood, because the hair will be damaged if a painting brush of human hair is used for it.
I applied ki-urushi on the wooden part then I put a linen cloth with glue (glutinous rice paste cooked) and urushi. After that I applied red colored urushi on it.
When a brush becomes hard to use, such as when it becomes shorter, the part is cut off and a new one is cut out. Since it can be used for many years, I covered it with a cloth and applied urushi to make it easier to use.
Probably it can be used without any problem as it was bought, but it is not particularly troublesome for me as it is a quick and easy process to do while working with pieces in the same process at the same time.
I cut the overlapping part of the cloth to flatten it.
Its bristles are hardened, so they are loosened by gently tapping them with a hammer while dipping them in water.
It is difficult to loosen a brush of human hair, but kanshitsu-bake is quick.
I first tried to order one from Seikichi Izumi for a brand called Hiroshige, but I couldn't get in touch with him, so I bought another brand one elsewhere. A few months later, I received an email from Seikichi Izumi saying that the previous generation had passed away and the 10th generation succeed to the name. He will resume making brushes around March-April 2025.
Brushes for urushi - Torakichi Izumi (the 10th generation of Seikichi Izumi) Official website
2025.03.19