Ancient Japanese Wood Treatment Technique (@hammersounddiy)

#shorts #woodworking #science

How burning wood can actually make it stronger

Credit: @hammersounddiy via TT

[ItsRedBanana]

Credit: @hammersounddiy via TT

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[Valentin_]

Charring the wood ironically also makes it more fire resistant, anyone who's ever tried to light a charcoal grill would know that it's really difficult without lighter fluid.

[windozesuk]

They used to do that here in the states to keep barns from rotting or get insect infestation

[JimmyCapricorn]

I built a rustic looking pantry and burned all the wood. It does prevent warping and it hardened the cabinet doors. Not to mention it looks really cool. Very useful technique.

[Siouxperman]

Stronger, termite resistant, and makes it more fire resistant too. This is an old Japanese siding technique. Japanese are a smart at almost everything!!

[mhred]

I love learning about these older techniques it's so satisfying to watch

[Lakeman]

If you char fence posts before placing them in the ground they’ll last many times longer..

[Kurtis]

This technique is way older. The Norse (Vikings) used this in ship building and early Stave churches in the 12th century.

[nauticalgaming]

These techniques have been used since we've been crafting tools. The burning seals the wood by melting the fibers underneath the char, when the wood fibers and lignin in the wood melt together due to the heat it turns the wood into essentially a hard polymer. Ancient people would reinforce the handles of their spears and scythes by charring the handle, sealing it with some form of sealant like resin or oil, and then wrapping it in leather, and then oiling the leather. Handles made this way have lasted literally a couple thousand years of weathering and can be found in many museums still today.

[danmercer]

I’ve used that technique when we were very poor. Built a cabinet in the kitchen, a bunch of different shelves and a frame for some needlework that was a present for my mother-in-law. That was 45 years ago and it came back to us when the MIL moved into a nursing home. Still in perfect shape. All you need is a little MinWax every few years.

[anthonypettit]

And spar varnish makes it water proof and slick and shinny

[louiemorales]

I used to have an antique (non-electric) steel iron; you just had to put either hot rocks or hot charcoal on top of it. The scalding heat would disburse itself evenly throughout the iron. Once the iron got hot, it had many uses. It would have been a useful tool to burn wood like this. 👍

[rots]

Termites: I'd like my wood well-done. Thank you.

[SickMetalAddict]

They do this with some guitar necks so it doesn't bend as much over time with the pressure of the strings

[rtpolx]

The Japanese skillful and innovative spirit keeps surprising me, especially these older crafts. Always so intricate.

[JT.]

Hence why wood is stronger in a fire than steel for structural purposes. It sounds counter intuitive, but as it burns the char actually insulates the inner layers and the fibers tighten.

[colerogers]

A friend of mine makes furniture. He made a set of end tables using this method and they are stunning. I made the stainless steel bases for the tabletops.

[jetzeschaafsma]

Something happened between the sanding and the finish.

[douglasroderick]

The metal heated iron in Japanese translates to Salamander. Thus!!! It goes from Salamander for wood to a kitchen in preparing a broil look to the dish. I lived in Japan for sometime. It was an honor in trying to do that technique. The burning of the wood makes it fireproof and water proof at the same time.

[bradleyj.fortner]

I do like that black finish. That's nice.