Care Guide for Hand-Hammered Copper Pots

(for instance, the Gyokusendo Copper pots!)

The Gyokusendo Copper pots have been showcasing beauty in utility since 1816. This Hand hammered copperware has been produced in Tsubame City of the Nigata prefecture, an awesome sake making region of Japan. Their craftsmanship and techniques have been developing over the last seven generations. These one made by Norio Tamagawa "Tsuikidoki" is a 200-year-old technique of pounding flat copper sheets into three dimensional stuff, creating fine art as functional items. The Gyokusendo workshop has been designated a tangible cultural property by the government of Japan. The Artisans use an array of different sized hammers and toriguchi to create the pattern and infuse the surface with tin. The sexy coloring comes from soaking in natural liquids that bring out the wicked colors and smooth patina. We think that the craftsmen at Gyokusendo have mastered these techniques. You can accentuate the development of the Patina by rubbing it with a soft cloth.

A typical piece can take a week or more to create and becoming an expert of Tsuikidoki can take upwards of 20 years

• Use regular dish detergent on the pot. AVOID STEEL WOOL, use soft sponge.
• Handle will become HOT. Use towel or kitchen mitten.
• Use lower heat than you would on other kinds of pots. Since copper has a better thermal conductivity than other kind of metals, you can attain same results with lower heat.
• DO NOT leave food in the pot. It may cause discoloration.
• DO NOT pre-heat, it may cause the inner tin coating to melt.
• Use, Wash and Dry after each use.
• Long term usage may result in the inner tin coating to disappear, but there is no harm to the health. Re-tinning is also possible. Polishing the pots with a soft cloth will develop the patina over time.

[Patina and Tin are harmless to the health]