I'd think that a stable oil, like that from
nuts/seeds, is best, but not one extracted chemically.
For years I've been using some apricot oil that I got
in Ladakh since I know it was manually pressed out,
doesn't go rancid (or at least hasn't yet), and is
very light. It also imparts a slight but appealing
fragrance. It's easy to find but I don't know what
type of extraction process is generally used.
The kukui nut is definitely not the coconut. It's
used in Hawai'i for softening the skin as well as for
excema, acne, and other skin conditions (it's also a
very strong laxative). Since it belongs to the spurge
family, which also contains the castor plant and the
rubber tree, castor oil would probably work as a
substitute, and since Castrol motor oil is derived
from castor beans...perhaps that's what Tom was
referring to ;-).
I only oil my old shakuhahchi and only when it's
looking really dry, since it seems to me that too much
oil would deaden the resonance a bit, and the maker
removed the bamboo oils when making the
instrument...I've heard arguments both ways and would
like to hear more on the merits/demerits of using oil.
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Jan 31 2001 - 12:46:39 PST