The Wonderous Smell Of Urushi....

[SincerelySpicy]

You know...it seems that there are so many different scents associated with making pens. Camphor from celluloid, burnt plastic from acrylic, and sulfur from ebonite... While the smell of camphor can be good, the other two are generally unpleasant odors that most people prefer to be without.

 

Yet I have experienced--rather, I continue to experience--quite possibly the most interesting barrage of smells ever. Urushi. Most people dont realize that urushi has a very distinctive odor because it very much disappears after curing. However wet lacquer, simply put, stinks.

 

It's not just one odor however. At the most pleasant, some formulations can smell somewhat like burnt caramel---with overtones of Limburger. At the worst, it can carry the pungent odor of rotten trash--with the high notes of dead fish heads. Mixed with ebonite, the odor transforms into that of some makes of particularly pungent sopressata or sometimes even the underside of a wet dog gone half a year without a bath.

 

However, whatever the nuance of the smell, there's always that distinctive background aroma that can always be associated with wet urushi a scent familiar to most--stinky feet. Sometimes I wonder why I endure this olfactory barrage, but then I remember that the beauty of lacquer is worth it.

 

Today, I was sitting at my table as usual, carefully painting a layer of the golden brown fluid onto the cap of a pen. The scent of the substance slowly wafts around me and I catch whiffs of it with each breath. While deeply concentrating on the task at hand, a thought enters my mind--that...doesn't...smell that bad....

 

 

 

Yes I'm weird.

 

 

Ern.

Edited September 14, 2010 by SJM1123

[Soot]

A serious case of wet urushi overdose? If this is what floats your boat, then so be it.

[SDB777]

Although I haven't had the pleasure of smelling the item you just decided... I'd have to say there are many pleasant and many not so pleasant smell associated with turning blanks.

 

My worst to date would be Zebrawood. I can still recall the smell of drilling out the blank and my amazement of looking around for something that a dog would have dropped after a heavy meal of rotten meat, or maybe a bad popcorn fart from grandpa. The look on my wifes face pretty much summed it up, you'd thought I was torturing her! Sometimes, I still think I can smell that awful piece of wood out in the garage(my shop)...even though I gave all the remaining blanks away to anyone that would take them.

 

My favorite to date would be Tasmanian Sassafrass. What a really nice smelling piece of wood! Before that, it would have been Tulipwood.

 

 

So, your not wierd! You just know what you like to smell, and it probably has a lot to do with the blank you pick up first when going out to the shop to make another masterpiece!

 

 

 

 

Scott (grandpa could make an odor) B

[Tberry010]

This may the first chuckle I have had in this forum and it is the best of the day so far. :roflmho: :roflmho:

[Kaspar]

... Sometimes I wonder why I endure this olfactory barrage, but then I remember that the beauty of lacquer is worth it.

 

Today, I was sitting at my table as usual, carefully painting a layer of the golden brown fluid onto the cap of a pen. The scent of the substance slowly wafts around me and I catch whiffs of it with each breath. While deeply concentrating on the task at hand, a thought enters my mind--that...doesn't...smell that bad....

 

 

 

Yes I'm weird.

 

 

Ern.

 

Making a virtue of necessity. Good plan.