Go board care

[Stephen C. Koehler @pulsar]

I would like some advice on the proper care of a thick katsura wood go
board. I bought this board about 8 years ago, and it was originally
finished with wax. I have done almost nothing to the board since then, other
than rub it with a cloth occasionally. I have the following questions:

1. Is a wax or oil finish better for the board. What is traditional?
Is either finish more likely to stain shell stones?

2. Should the top be finished? Will that harm the lines?

3. How does one apply the finish, and how does one care for it later?

4. Are there any problems in switching from a wax finish to an oil finish?
How does one go about removing the wax?

-- Steve Koehler ~3 kyu
koe...@telesoft.com
--
-- Steve Koehler ucbvax--| hp-sdd--|
telesoft!koe...@UCSD.ARPA decvax--+-----ucsd--+--telesoft!koehler
(619) 457-2700 ihnp4--| noscvax--|

[Anton Dovydaitis]

The wax on the GO board is meant as a temporary sealant, and is meant
to wear off. Ishi Press sells `GO Board Oil,' which is linseed oil.
The main thing is that it be stainless and almost odorless. Your board
has a deliberately light finish so it does not reflect light back at you,
making it harder to study the board.

Depending on the climate, you'd want to oil the board 2-4 times a year.
The more extreme the swings in humdity and temperature, the more often.
What you're trying to do with the oil is to replenish the board's moisture,
to make sure the outside doesn't get substantially dryer than the inside.

Of course, wood, being wood and not plastic, does change shape over time.
So you may want to put your board on a surface with some give. The
Japanese use a tatami mat for this purpose, and Ishi Press has some
specifically for GO boards.

================================================================
Anton Dovydaitis Ishi Press International
an...@infoserv.com 76 Bonaventura Drive
408/944-9900 voice San Jose, CA 95134
408/944-9110 FAX U.S.A.
================================================================