Dark Suzuribako

Japanese Writing Box

January 2009

Explanation

The lid is a simple lift-off lid, and the closed box is about 9.5 inches wide, 10.5 inches long, and 2 inches tall. It's all held together with glue and pegs, and the joinery at the corners is traditional overlap joinery. The organizer grid lifts out.

Materials

The box and organizers are made entirely of poplar wood, dark stained with a bizarre concoction that uses vinegar that has had a steel wool pad soaked in it. First, I pre-treated the wood with tea, then I brushed on this liquid. The clear vinegar/iron solution reacts with the tannins in the wood and turns dark gray. Sounds weird, but it works great.

The entire box is finished with a satin finish water-based polyurethane.