sumitsubo

I had my own chalk box back when I was working as a carpentry apprentice in Los Gatos. Then when I was working as a day laborer in Izu soon after coming to Japan many years ago, I saw the carpenters using this style of sumitsubo inkpot, and it just blew blew me away. I don't think I'd seen a carpentry tool that was so beautiful in its shape and craftsmanship. So I was thrilled to find this one laying carelessly on a stack of lumber in what will be the tatami living room. Instead of the chalk that is used to pop straight lines in the U.S., this uses a red ink soaked in wads of silk. I remember the carpenters in Izu used a black ink, but when no one was looking, I tried laying a few lines with this one, and the red worked really well because it stood out even over the knots and dark spots.