CHINA IN YOUR HANDS

Repair cracked or broken ceramics with the ancient craft of kintsugi – a decorative technique using urushi (lacquer), rice glue and metal powder

1 Make a humid box by placing a cup of water or a wet cloth in either a cardboard or plastic box. This is to help the urushi set. The ideal setting temperature is 20-25°C, with a humidity of 80%.

2 Thoroughly clean the damaged areas and the entire piece (using bleach if necessary). Lightly scratch any sharp glazed edges with sandpaper to help the urushi to stick. Do not sand the actual broken edges.

3 Thoroughly mix together the epoxy from both base and hardener tubes for about 1 minute. Apply the glue onto the broken areas of your pieces, making sure that joints are compressed tightly together during gluing. Hold the parts together for 5-10 minutes. Remove the excess glue using acetone. A cutter or craft knife can be used to remove larger excesses and any hardened glue.