→[1] Manufacturing Handmade Gampi Washi
→[2] Silk Screen Printing on Gampi Washi paper
★[3] Manufacturing a Bamboo Fan Frame and Pasting Washi
→[4] Finishing Touches: Varnishing and Sun Drying
1) Bamboo is cut to the length of a fan, soaked into water, and split lengthwise into slivers of the width suitable for a fan. The technique takes advantage of the straight, fibrous, splitting nature of a bamboo. The inner side of nodes is scraped off, producing the smooth and pleasing touch of the handle.
2) With a special cutting tool, one end of a sliver – 10cm from the end – is equally split into 35 to 45 splints. The splitting technique is a feat of agility. A veteran craftsman can manage as many as 500～800 pieces a day.
3) This is a fan frame with splints made at 0.5mm intervals -- using the rhythm of hand movement -- by a Marugame fan craftsman, Mr. Asano. A real artisan work!
4) An “arch” stick is thrust into a hole in the handle. (The hole is drilled beforehand. The handle is scraped and shaped with a small knife.)
5) Thread is woven around the “arch” stick and splints to form a frame for a paddle. Weaving used to be done by women in old times, and children were also seen helping them. Here, with the skillful use of hands, a craftsman weaves with such fluid motion. The “arch” stick is now bent into an actual “arch”, and a fan has taken shape.
6) An arrow-shaped tool is used to fix the shape of the paddle. It looks simple, but needs years of experience to make a perfect symmetrical shape. There was, in the past, even a specialist who engaged solely in this task. You can see the elasticity of bamboo. The frame shaping is completed.
7) Now the paddle is going to be covered with washi. First, the frame is laid on a pasting board, and glue is brushed evenly on the splints.
8) As Gampi washi paper for Mizuuchiwa(Water Fan) is thinner than other fan paper, extra care is required. The glued frame is gently placed on top of a washi sheet. (Stenciled washi for Mizuuchiwa is sent from Ieda Paper-craft, Inc., Gifu.)
9) Shielding paper is placed on top to protect the surface of washi. By pressing gently with a scrubbing brush, trapped air is released and washi sheets are pasted thoroughly.
10) After carefully removing the shielding paper, the craftsman checks the surface for wrinkles and trapped air. Translucent Mizuuchiwa(Water Fan) needs special attention to detect air bubbles, which may spoil its beauty.
11) Finished fans are placed on a special wooden rack to be dried.
Later on, the paddle will be trimmed to different shapes, round or oval, depending on the type of a fan. For trimming, a special sickle is placed on top and hammered with a wooden mallet. Washi pasting is now almost complete!
End of the fan craftsman’s work. Mizuuchiwa will be sent back to the workshop at Ieda Paper-craft, Inc., Gifu, for the final varnishing.
