Lesson 301 - The Making of Hashi (Chopsticks)

The Tan Tans will be sharing with you how you can make your own Hashi (chopsticks).

You need the following:

1. Hinoki (Cypress) Wood sticks from Owase

2. Craving Knife

3. Mini Saw

4. Sandpaper

5. Art Burner (not too sure if it is the correct name for it)

6. Bee Wax

Step 1: Measure the length of your personel chopsticks using the following methods.

i. Put your thumb at right angle to your index finger.

ii. Measure the distance from your thumb to index finger

iii. Take that distance and mutiply by 1.5

Step 2: Mark the length onto the wooden stick and saw the required length using the mini-saw.

Step 3: Mark the center of the edge of the chopsticks (look at the tip and draw a cross end to end) and start craving using the craving knife.

Note that you need to take shallow cuts with the knife and not too deeply. The Tan Tans spent 2 hrs on this step...... sooOOOooo tiring.

Step 4: After you have finished creating the desired shape of your chopsticks, sand them with a sandpaper till it becomes smooth.

Step 5: Decoration time. Use the Art burner or and start decorating your chopsticks.

Step 6: Apply lots of bee wax onto your new chopsticks.

Step 7: Appreciate your creation!

Step 8: Collect all the shaved wood into a tea bag and use it for your hotbath later. Hinoki has a nice smell!

This is a video of how cool hinoki can be.