Kintsugi requires various materials for each restoration step. If you’re thinking of purchasing a kintsugi kit, it's helpful to know which supplies run out quickly. This article shows a ranking of the most frequently replenished materials. We, Tsugu Tsugu, offer all of these as individual products, and even ship to the world, so you can restock easily.
Table of Contents
- Top 3 Replenished Kintsugi Supplies
- What to Do When You Run Out of Kintsugi Supplies
- Struggling with Your Kintsugi Process?
Top 3 Replenished Kintsugi Supplies
#3: Tonoko (Polishing Powder)
Tonoko is mixed with raw urushi and water to create sabi urushi, which fills chipped areas. Applying sabi urushi multiple times results in a smooth and refined finish.
Beginners often struggle to visually confirm whether the surface is perfectly even. However, in the fourth step, when applying black urushi, you may notice your brush catching on tiny bumps and dents.
If this happens, wait for the black urushi to dry in a urushi drying box, sand it with waterproof sandpaper, and apply another layer of sabi urushi again. Although you may be eager to complete your piece in hurry, taking the time to carefully fill in gaps will lead to a smoother, faster final result.
【Click here to go to Tonoko (Polishing Powder) page】
#2: Gold Powder
Genuine gold powder is a traditional material that adds the final touch to your kintsugi piece. Beginners often use more than necessary, but as your skills improve, you'll naturally use less gold powder by applying it more efficiently.
Skilled kintsugi practitioners tend to:
- Ensure a smooth base layer with no unevenness.
- Maintain thin and precise kintsugi lines (avoiding unnecessary overpainting of urushi).
- Apply a very thin layer of bengal-red urushi in the final stage.
When done correctly, gold powder sits on top rather than sinking into the urushi lacquer, minimizing its consumption. Also, handling gold powder carefully—without spilling it outside the paper envelope—further reduces waste.
For those looking to experiment, kintsugi can also be finished with silver powder, platinum powder, or brass powder. Tsugu Tsugu offers a variety of metal powders, allowing you to choose based on the color and style of your piece.
【Click here to go to Gold Powder page】
#1: Raw Urushi
Raw urushi is the foundation of kintsugi, essential for adhesion, reinforcement, and finishing. However, its shelf life is about one year, so it's important to buy an appropriate amount and store it correctly.
At Tsugu Tsugu, we offer 30g tube-type raw urushi, which is just the right amount for a year. The tube packaging makes it easy to use, especially for beginners who need precise control over the amount applied.
【Click here to go to Raw Urushi page】
What to Do When You Run Out of Kintsugi Supplies
At Tsugu Tsugu, we offer individual replacements for all the materials and tools included in our kintsugi kit, "Tsugu Kit." We also provide international shipping, so you can restock wherever you are!
(If you're unsure whether we can ship to your country, simply add the item to your cart and enter your address. Before the final payment step, you'll see the shipping cost (some countries and items qualify for free shipping!). If no error message appears, that means we can ship to your location!)
If you're new to kintsugi and just want to try a little at first, you can start with any Tsugu Kit and then purchase additional materials as needed. This flexible approach allows you to continue kintsugi at your own pace.
Struggling with Your Kintsugi Process?
Tsugu Tsugu’s website and blog are filled with useful information for both beginners and advanced practitioners. If you have questions, you’ll likely find the answers through a quick search!
We also host regular YouTube Live sessions, where you can ask questions in real-time. Although our broadcasts are in Japanese, you can enable auto-generated subtitles and translate them into English for better understanding.
Our professional kintsugi artisans frequently update the channel with demonstration videos, helping to solve common kintsugi challenges. Subscribe to our channel to learn new techniques and enhance your skills!
Simply searching "tsugukit" will bring up our channel at the top!
At Tsugu Tsugu, we are providing comprehensive support for your kintsugi journey. Keep replenishing your materials and improving your techniques—enjoy kintsugi for years to come!