I last posted that Kitty broke my grandma's vase, made by her in the 8th grade, her last year in school. Ethel Cox had mastered math through algebra, and her family needed her working income, so she quit to take a job at Hough Bakery, in downtown Cleveland.
It was an accident; animals generally do not plan acts in advance. Kitty simply wanted the doily under the vase, and her tug on that sent the vase to the floor.
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I considered the options and the last seemed the best. I should dispense with the vase and free other family members from responsibility for it. The broken vase sat on table, waiting for the trash bag. But then Fresca suggested repair with the Japanese technique of Kintsugi, highlighting the repaired areas with gold powder. I sent for a Kintsugi kit straightaway.
The kit (and a bag of cat food) came yesterday, but were hidden away for an open house today. I was deterred until I could ask week end people to look for the package. A short search turned it up.
We have a bottle of two part epoxy to mix, and a sort of injection device to dispense equal parts. I could not open either. The gold powder opened at once. There also was an ample supply of tools. A Google search told me that my trusty vial of gorilla glue was adequate for the job. I was straight in.
What I could read of the minute instructions said to line things up in the order of repair. I was that far on my own. It would be at least a three part repair; first the handle upright, then attach that to the vase, a two part operation. The directions said to prepare the glue and add the gold powder. I did, and began putting the handle together. What a disaster. I got the handle together, and had a mess that I set aside to dry.
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This is the worst side. Back to Google, how do I remove Gorilla Glue? With WD-40. Let it soak through and the glue lifts up. And it does.
Now WD-40 is washed away with soap and water and the glue can finish setting up for 24 hours. Tomorrow I will finish the repair with Gorilla Glue alone, let it set up for a day, then carefully paint the golden line along the repair seams.
The instructions did have one of those scannable squares, to use to open the official book of instructions. This is so irritating. I don't know how to do that. I don't have a stand alone scanner. Do I use my phone? Then I could send it to my printer, I know. Another piece of technology that got away from me.
I just learned how to do those scannable squares two weeks ago. You tap the camera button on your phone so it opens the camera function, and hold it over the square, centered, so you can read the instructions that then show up. Then you can take a picture of the instructions if you wish, and read them, I think. Or send them to your printer. I just googled these instructions to be sure.
ReplyDeleteIt seems unreasonable that staff is hiding your packages for an open house. I'm looking forward to seeing the repaired handle. I knew about the technique, but didn't know its name.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you adopted Fresca's suggestion and am looking forward to seeing the finished produce.
ReplyDeleteWell, I hate to say this but your first plan was the best. Let the vase die a private quiet death.
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck with this project. I think it’s a great idea, and if it works, it will have double the sentimental value reflecting on both your mother and you.
ReplyDeleteBetter make kitty a doily mouse on an elastic string on a stick like a fishing pole. Very unique repair kit. You have more patience than I ever will. I still don't know how to fax or scan with my printer. I run to Kinko's/FedEx for faxing. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDelete"There is a crack in everything, that is how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen comes to mind. The gold will enhance, is it dark turquoise the vase? and each memory will be captured.
ReplyDeleteThat is unreasonable to hide your parcel.
ReplyDeleteAnd instructions via a square is just a damn nuisance! However gold and turquoise goes well together. Looking forward to seeing the finished article.
That was a great repair idea and I wish I had known about that repair technique years ago when some family pieces got damaged. I thanked them for their service and put them in rubbosh but it destroyed a story from the history of our family. Now you have added a story to the original one - created a thread, woven it into the family
ReplyDeleteGreat that you do it! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how it turns out!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very delicate and quite frustrating experience. But what a beautiful idea in theory!
ReplyDeleteYou're doing a fabulous job so far! Kintsugi is another wonderful Japanese aesthetic honouring the beauty of non-perfection. Looking forward to seeing the end result of your repair!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you decided to keep it and repair ir it. it's a piece of your family history and hopefully one of the grands will want it as a connection to their past. yes, you can scan that square on your phone and open up the manual. I had to do that once with a menu for a restaurant but I had the help of my grandgirl. probably never would have figured it out myself. I used to be right up on technology and proud of it but, alas, it has slipped by me now.
ReplyDeleteRuth gave a good description of how to do it. IT is really a lot easier than it sounds. Once you do it it is one of those things that you will say "Is that all there is to it?" But I would just go to you tube and find a video. I bet anything that the company has it posted there.
ReplyDeleteYour repair is complex. I've used clear super glue and it was just okay. I suspect, your repair will be superior. How is Kitty doing?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that!
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased that you are saving it's life and Fresca has brilliant remdies for just about everything! I love that the vase will survive in such an artful loving manner, it is a treasure- not just another object! Kitty is sorry...
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing the result. No doilies under the repaired item!
ReplyDeleteFrustratingly, you can pay lots of money for Lego kits, but some of them no longer come with instruction manuals. You have to scan a code with your smart phone. I think that's a rip off.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of this technique and it works beautifully. Strong in the broken places which is a lesson for life too. You could start a new business in ceramic repairs :D
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Love the gold repair!
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Joanne, and I am thinking it will turn out great.
ReplyDeleteThese projects are always more complex than we think but you've made great progress! It's going to look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh! I’m so excited to see the final mend!!! Beautiful. I love when people are good stewards of possessions that have come to them, as you are.
ReplyDeleteAt the thrift store where I work, someone donated a lovely old & repaired ceramic vase— with a note saying it would hold water and they’d always put daffodils in it.
I taped the note to the vase and put it out—it sold the same day.
Learning experience?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with completing the repair. But what a fiddle-faddle! I see those square QR codes everywhere now but I can't use them as I don't have a smartphone. Why are so many things that used to be simple turning into technological obstacle races?
ReplyDeleteWhat jumped out at me was the things you could not open. That is so frustrating for me too. Water bottles are the worst. I usually ask the person handing me one to open it for me. My parents left school in the 8th grade too. But they were in school long enough to learn lovely handwriting. When did the word cursive come into being?
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're on the right track to repair your vase and keep the family keepsake. Yes you use your phone for the code thingy, but depending on how new your phone is, it might not work. I had that problem until I upgraded and got a new phone. I always had to have my hubby use his phone for stuff like that, as his model was newer than mine. Good luck with your project.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space