How to process raw skin? Got myself a Nagauta Shamisen.

Building/Repair
#1

Got myself a Nagauta shamisen. I believes to be redwood with regular wood joint. The wood on the tuning area seem to be very dull. Just some cosmetic issues.

I am loving this very much.

According to the label, this is both side stretched with dog skin on 61 year (1961?) May 22. This instrument is at least 53 year old! Besides the Tsugaru style on the label, there is something called “Four Skin”… what is that ?:laughing:

I lives in SoCal with plenty of ranches and hunters nearby. I heard shamisen’s drum-head has to be un-tan. I locate couple sources can provide me natural skin from meat farm but they will be RAW so I will has to process it myself. I am thinking about coyote related to dogs) or rabbit skin (assuming they got thin skin).

Anyone one know more about skin for shamisen or know how to process them. Maybe I will just shave the hair down dry them in open air then moisten it for stretching.

#2

Cannot embed album for some reasons.
Here is the link: http://imgur.com/a/O28Om

#3

Interesting find! About the label, it could be 1961, but my guess is that it’s actually short for Showa 61, or 1986 in Western years. It seems to be in pretty good condition, which is another reason that makes me think it could be a somewhat younger instrument.

Also interesting about the different skin variations. You’re right, it does say it’s skinned with dog skin on both sides. Interesting that they have a separate designation specifically for Tsugaru-use dog skin. Also, just so you know, for whatever reason, “Four Skin” refers to cat skin. Don’t ask me why. I have no idea.

#4

I think Jamie is right, it’s likely from Showa 61. It looks like the label is set up with various skinning choices on it: yotsu kawa (cat skin, with four nipple marks on the front skin), dog (for ‘practice’ instruments), and Tsugaru (thicker dog skin).

About treating skins, I have a book that mentions these steps:

  1. removing the hair
  2. removing the fat
  3. stretching the skins by nailing them to a board, with nails every few inches around the edge.
  4. leaving them in the sun to dry.
  5. cutting them into squares for use on shamisen.
    I have no idea how easy or hard this is in practice, but would be very interested to hear about it from you.
#5

I bought these skins from this guy. $13.00 each (plus shipping, but he doesn’t overcharge for shipping). He always seems to have them in stock.

Also, check here … They seem to be out of the calfskins a lot lately, but I have heard of people using goatskin- which they have more of.

http://www.mid-east.com/

That way you don’t have to bother with all the icky skin prep.

#6

I placed an order for the skin. I had been building my skin stretcher. It is going to take sometime to finish it as my eletric saw’s blade isn’t long enough to cut throught the wood. I will post some pictures later.

BTW, anybody knows what sort of wood my shamisen is?

#7

Looks like karin to me. Kouki is really dark, and as you’re sanding it, the dust is very red and stains your fingers.

#8

I think Jamie is right, it’s likely from Showa 61. It looks like the label is set up with various skinning choices on it: yotsu kawa (cat skin, with four nipple marks on the front skin), dog (for ‘practice’ instruments), and Tsugaru (thicker dog skin).

About treating skins, I have a book that mentions these steps:

  1. removing the hair
  2. removing the fat
  3. stretching the skins by nailing them to a board, with nails every few inches around the edge.
  4. leaving them in the sun to dry.
  5. cutting them into squares for use on shamisen.
    I have no idea how easy or hard this is in practice, but would be very interested to hear about it from you.

Do you think I should stretch it with tension or just enough to make it flat?

#9

After fat removal i think you need to rub wood ash into the skin on the scraped inner side,i think it contains tannin but thats only a guess.

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