Mokume Gane - A Comprehensive Study

161 Pages·2000·36.747 MB·English

by  Steve Midgett

MOKUME GANE

A Comprehensive Study

Steve Midgett
Acknowledgements

There are a number of people who I would like to thank for their help in mak-
ing this book possible. Thanks first, to Jim Binnion and Bob Coogan for the
in-depth articles they wrote sharing the knowledge of their firing techniques.
I am also grateful for the technical and historical information provided by
Hiroko Sato and Eugene Michael Pijanowski. Others who have been most
generous with their knowledge and information, include Jerry Gould, Ian
Ferguson, Nicole DesChamps, and Alistair McCallum. A special thank you to
all the mokume artists who contributed photos for this project. It is only
through the use of these fine photographs that the techniques described here-
in can fully be appreciated. I would also like to acknowledge several people
who generously shared technical and historical information which has
allowed me to piece together the story of mokume gane, among them, Brian
Chaix, Wayne Victor Meeten, Caleb Conelly, and Tim McCrieght. I wish to
thank the people who helped me put the book together; Michele Souma, and
proofreader Chris Weston. I can not stop without saying a big thank you, to
my stellar assistant, Melinda Siri, who puts up with my creative process on a
daily basis. Last, but not least, I want to thank the many people who bought
my first book and video, as well as my many students who encouraged me to
write a second book; to them, I am most grateful.
Opposite: "Shield Series " Pin/Pendant by Steve Midgett. - Platinum, shakudo, 22K gold and tourmaline.
This book is dedicated to my children,
Aaron, Jacob, and Terra Rose.
Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter I: The History of Mokume Gane
Chapter II: Mokume Gane Basics
Chapter III: Metals for Mokume
Alloying Your Own Metal Chapter IV:
Metallurgical Theory for Mokume Gane Chapter V:
Tools and Equipment Chapter VI: Preparing the
Billet Chapter VII: Firing Methods
Making a Mokume Mini Kiln
Firing in the Mini Kiln
Forge Fired Mokume Gane by Robert Coogan
Electric Kiln Fired Mokume by James Binnion
Solder Bonded Mokume by Alistair McCallum
Soldered Wire Mokume Chapter
VIII: From Billet to Sheet Chapter IX:
Patterning Chapter X:Finishing
Techniques The Gallery Project
Demonstrations Afterword
Troubleshooting Guide
Metals Characteristics Chart
Bibliography Resources
Index Firing Log
Introduction

I wrote my first book, Mokume Gane In The Small Shop, to provide individual
metalsmiths, students, and jewelers with a means of creating top-quality
mokume with limited equipment and resources. This book is different in several
important ways. It still covers the "low tech" method, which I have been using
and teaching others to use for the past decade, and all of this information has
been updated to give the reader a complete understanding of my process. In
addition, I am very pleased to have contributions to this book written by some of
the most revered mokume artists in the world, presenting their own different
approaches to the technique. James Binnion has contributed some fabulous
information born of years of experience with kiln fired mokume, while Robert
Coogan relates his technique of gas, forge firing mokume and working it from
the perspective of a knife maker. You may notice in this book, that some of the
information is seemingly contradictory. One artist may suggest a certain part of
the process that another shuns, and yet both have success with their techniques.
My advice to you, is to take what you can from all of the contributors in this
book and use what seems most appropriate, based on your own experiences with
metal and the tools you have available to you. Scattered throughout the book are
photos of work and quotes from some of the finest metalsmiths and designers
working with this technique today. So whether you're a jewelry student, design-
er, manufacturer, bladesmith, or a collector of this unique style of metalwork,
this book has something for you. Enjoy!
'Work always from the heart. Love the hammer, let every
blow gently knead the metal... listen to the metal and do
not make it cry. Love the metal, and it will love you
back.

- Hirotoshi Itoh

Mokume Gane Vase by Gyokumei Shindo. - Copper and kuromido.
Chapter IV: Metallurgical Theory for Mokume Gane

Chapter I The History of Mokume Gane

There are actually two histories to the development of mokume gane. The first
has its beginning in Feudal Japan, obscured by time and the secretive nature by
which knowledge of this kind has passed from master to apprentice through the
centuries. The other is the history of mokume gane in the West, beginning with
the technique's "discovery" in the late 19th century, to extensive research and
development that was carried out the 1970's and 80's. Two people stand out
clearly as essential contributors to our understanding of both of these periods in
history. They are Hiroko Sato Pijanowski and Eugene Michael Pijanowski. I
will draw heavily upon their research in this chapter and believe without their
important work, that mokume might still be to us in the West an obscure and lit-
tle understood curiosity from ancient Japan.
Mokume in Japan
In 1970, the Pijanowskis attended an exhibition of traditional
Japanese craft at a Tokyo department store. It was there that
they saw Gyokumei Shindo's large raised mokume pot,
shown in the photo opposite. It was a revelation to them,
beautifully wrought and "having a surface effect of
polished marble." Up until that time, their own working
knowledge of the technique was limited to solder
bonded laminates only. Their experience with this had
taught them that raised pieces like Shindo's were
impossible to form with soldered mokume due to the
fragility of the solder bond. They were drawn to
discover how this pot had been created and succeeded in
befriending Shindo and two contemporaries,
Masahisa Yagihara, and Norio Tamagawa. From Shindo,
they learned the origins of diffusion welded mokume. The
Pijanowskis wrote:
"Mokume Gane was invented by Denbei Shoami
(1651-
1728) who lived and worked most of his life in Akita Prefecture
Tsuba by Denbei Shoami.
Copper and Shakudo.
Photo: Pijanowski
b
in northwest Japan. He was a superb craftsman,
and was given permission to use the name Shoami
from the Shoam School, which began in Kyoto in
the late 1500s. He was supported by Satake, the
feudal lord in the Akita area at that time. Shoami
first called his new technique Guri Bori because
the pattern on his first non-ferrous mokume gane
tsuba was like guri, a Tsuishu technique in lacquer
work originating in ancient China. Tsuishu is one
of the techniques where patterns are achieved by
carving into thick layers of different colored
lacquer; when line patterns are created, it is
referred to as guri. He later named this technique
mokume (wood grain) gane (metal). Shoami's
oldest work with these patterns was in the kozuka
(sword hilt), where he used gold silver, shakudo
and copper laminates. Shoami was clearly
influenced by sword making, where he first found
that non-ferrous laminates could be joined together to create patterns
Tsuba by Takahasha Okitsugu.
19th Century . similar to lacquer work and pattern-welded steel. He adapted the principles
Probably Shibuichi and Shakudo of forge-welding to create mokume gane. Though Shoami is know as the
Pattern depicts plum blossoms floating inventor of mokume gane, this was only one facet of his work. He was also
on water. a historically important craftsman who produced excellent examples in
Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston steel, of sword furniture and sword fittings with carving and inlay.
William Sturgis Blgelow Collection
In addition to advance sword-making techniques used in Japan at that time,
Raised Vessel by Norio Tamagawa.
Copper and Kuromido. Photo: several other factors led to the development of mokume gane; among them,
Pijanowski the high level of skill, extensive knowledge of metallurgy, and the ready
availability of materials and the colored alloys already
in use by Japanese craftsmen. These factors, plus the
accumulated knowledge that had passed from master to
apprentice for generations, all contributed to make the
invention of mokume gane possible."
In fact, the art of sword making in Japan at that time
was so accomplished that it directly influenced all
forms of metalwork. The importance placed on swords
in feudal Japan and the influence of sword-makers on
Japanese art and technology is not unlike the leading
role the aerospace industry has in driving the techno-
logical advances of today. Swords were considered
highly utilitarian and highly decorative at once. The
finest artists and metalworkers of the day, worked side
by side, to create swords of great beauty and remark-