# Japanese Natural Stone Sealer



## Mint427 (Feb 11, 2012)

Greetings! Would appreciate any advice on what sealer I should use on my Jnat stones? I tried to find cashew lacquer without success. Thanks!!


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## heirkb (Feb 11, 2012)

Willing to drive to Portland? I can give you the info of a guy that has some, but can't ship it, because it's illegal to ship.


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## mainaman (Feb 11, 2012)

you can use shellac the wax free version, or any water resistant sealant.


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## Mint427 (Feb 11, 2012)

Absolutely. I get down there every couple of months. I really appreciate the offer!


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 11, 2012)

I got it here, but they seem to be sold out right now. 
http://www.namikawa-ltd.co.jp/cgi-bin/list_e.cgi

This place seems to have it.
http://ryujinswords.com/saya.htm


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## mainaman (Feb 11, 2012)

Chef Niloc said:


> I got it here, but they seem to be sold out right now.
> http://www.namikawa-ltd.co.jp/cgi-bin/list_e.cgi
> 
> This place seems to have it.
> http://ryujinswords.com/saya.htm


I got my first can of cashew from Namikawa, but after the changes with the postal services from abroad to US, one can't get flame-able items via mail, so Namikawa do not stock anymore.
The second vendor explained to me they do not ship in US because they have to meet fire hazard regulations and it was too much of a trouble to be worth it.
The only place I know of that ships cashew and have a variety of colors is this
http://www.hyper-cafe.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=11
I have gotten several cans of it already, it is great stuff to finish wood not only for sealing stones.
I have also tried Urushi, and it works great , it is also not flame-able so one can get it in the mail from Japan.


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 11, 2012)

Western lacquer thinner works, but does anyone know what "the right" thinner to use is?


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## Dave Martell (Feb 11, 2012)

I think this is the stuff....


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## mainaman (Feb 11, 2012)

Chef Niloc said:


> Western lacquer thinner works, but does anyone know what "the right" thinner to use is?


I can't remember what they thinner was that is good for cashew, I use mineral spirits and it works just fine, acetone also works. When I use mineral spirits the lacquer tends to form gel-like structure after a few months in a jar. In the original can with no thinning the lacquer can last for more than a year.


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## heirkb (Feb 12, 2012)

I think that the Hyper Cafe site recommends turpentine IIRC. They are out of the clear lacquer, though, and their stock is not always very consistent.


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## mainaman (Feb 12, 2012)

heirkb said:


> I think that the Hyper Cafe site recommends turpentine IIRC. They are out of the clear lacquer, though, and their stock is not always very consistent.


I have tried turpentine it requires a lot of drying time and it does not smell very nice. Turpentine is used to thin Urushi, and to dry it properly one needs 25 C and high humidity, I think full polymerization happens after 2 weeks or something like that.


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 12, 2012)

Most laquiers are soluble in a variety of solvents, but there is always one that works best. Might be some kind of alcohol? 
turpentine is defiantly a likely candidate, they do make a odorless one.


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 12, 2012)

O they also make a fast drying turpentine think the stuff is called terpanoid, I remember it from art class. Smells like citrus, artist grade stuff so it drys clean.


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## Mint427 (Feb 12, 2012)

Dave: do you have this product or a source for it? Or, what would you recommend that I purchase from a local hardware store? I got the "deer in the headlights" look from the paint guy when I told him what I wanted the sealer for


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## Dave Martell (Feb 12, 2012)

Mint427 said:


> Dave: do you have this product or a source for it? Or, what would you recommend that I purchase from a local hardware store? I got the "deer in the headlights" look from the paint guy when I told him what I wanted the sealer for




I have no idea where to score this stuff outside of Japan. It's not a product that they'll ship either so....


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## rulesnut (Feb 12, 2012)

shellac flakes and denatured alcohol.


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## Eamon Burke (Feb 12, 2012)

Why is Cashew Lacquer so restricted?


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## mainaman (Feb 13, 2012)

BurkeCutlery said:


> Why is Cashew Lacquer so restricted?


It is flamable.


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## Chef Niloc (Feb 13, 2012)

mainaman said:


> It is flamable.



I get flamable stuff in the mail all the time. Can't they just put a warning sticker on it? I just go some phenol formaldehyde glue the other day in the mail.


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## mainaman (Feb 13, 2012)

Chef Niloc said:


> I get flamable stuff in the mail all the time. Can't they just put a warning sticker on it? I just go some phenol formaldehyde glue the other day in the mail.


You can ship flamable and not declare, but if they check the package randomly as I think they do, it is a felony, that is what the guy told me.
I wonder how does hyper-cafe ship those cans then? They come in regular priority mail box.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 13, 2012)

I am fairly certain that I have ordered flammable/hazardous materials online as well (oil painting mediums and solvents). My understanding is that they cannot be shipped via air (therefore, overseas shipments would be a problem in most cases), but can be shipped via ground/truck. So maybe slower and more expensive, but still possible/legal (at least within the US).


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## wsfarrell (Feb 13, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> I am fairly certain that I have ordered flammable/hazardous materials online as well (oil painting mediums and solvents). My understanding is that they cannot be shipped via air (therefore, overseas shipments would be a problem in most cases), but can be shipped via ground/truck. So maybe slower and more expensive, but still possible/legal (at least within the US).



This is true. I just bought a $4 can of spray paint and paid $8 for shipping, since the only way they would ship it is by FedEx truck.


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## Andrew H (Feb 13, 2012)

That sounds plausible, Johnny. I bought a refill of butane gas for a propane torch off Amazon and it came ground.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Feb 13, 2012)

Still doesn't help the OP much if the only reliable source is in Japan.


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## Schtoo (Feb 14, 2012)

http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/use/restriction/index_en.html

From Japan Post.

Of course, there are ways of getting 'dangerous' goods to overseas locations, but you don't want to know how much it'll cost, how long it'll take or the volume of stuff you need to buy to make it even remotely viable.

(Hint; There's a reason the oily stuff I send is mentioned as "non-edible VEGETABLE oil"...)

Stu.


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## Justin0505 (Mar 21, 2012)

So far the only alternative Ive heard mentioned is shellac. Is this the best option? What about something like epoxy or resin? Aside from being waterproof, what properties are desired? 

Anyone with non-cashew lacquer experience that would care to share their process?


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## mainaman (Mar 21, 2012)

Justin0505 said:


> So far the only alternative Ive heard mentioned is shellac. Is this the best option? What about something like epoxy or resin? Aside from being waterproof, what properties are desired?
> 
> Anyone with non-cashew lacquer experience that would care to share their process?


you can get cashew, the link was posted in the thread.


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## Justin0505 (Mar 21, 2012)

mainaman said:


> you can get cashew, the link was posted in the thread.



Yes, and its over $80 not counting thinner or s&h fees and at least 2 weeks for it to get over an ocean. 
I just have 1 stone that Im thinking of sealing right now and its just a synthetic aoto so almost doubling its cost with fancy, rare lacquer doesnt make much sense to me if there is a cheaper, more available alternative that will do the same thing.


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## mainaman (Mar 21, 2012)

Justin0505 said:


> Yes, and its over $80 not counting thinner or s&h fees and at least 2 weeks for it to get over an ocean.
> I just have 1 stone that Im thinking of sealing right now and its just a synthetic aoto so almost doubling its cost with fancy, rare lacquer doesnt make much sense to me if there is a cheaper, more available alternative that will do the same thing.


Shellac works just great on naturals, on synthetics I do not know, you need something viscous to avoid sealant penetration into the stone.


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