Tetsubin quality

[Tead Off]

Tead off... I'm sorry to say that Hojo's "education" from what I have seen so far are all a bit questionable.

I'm sure in person he's much more useful, but I still find many of Hojo's claims to be very questionable. For example, the whole idea that a tetsubin is not suitable for young puerh or black tea is .... well, is entirely contrary to my experience.

I know plenty of people who have bought from Artistic Nippon who have had very good experiences. If he offers a better price and if the buyer doesn't care about the make/look and just want a tetsubin, what's wrong with going with the cheaper version?

Marshall,

I do not work for Hojo. I was half-joking in my post about cost. No objection here about saving money.

The usefulness to me about Hojo is his serious enquiry into the materials used in the products he sells. Very few vendors know their shit like he does. But, when it comes to subjective things like tea and how this tea tastes in that pot vs another, it's a free for all and I would never listen and just believe what someone tells me. I will always test it out. I also have differences with him regarding the teas in different pots. But, wholeheartedly agree with him about tetsubin, banko, and, zhuni clay being able to change water dramatically. For me, this is the Holy Trinity.

I also like Toru at AN and have bought from him. He seems like a good man.

[wyardley]

Tea Gallery's retail shop closed, though they will still do tastings by appointment; I don't think they have any tetsubins, but I could be wrong. Japanese antique shops are a good place to look for unlined tetsubins.

[clareandromeda]

I've decided to go with a Hojo because I find Artistic Nippon a bit confusing regarding the reduced oxidization issue. Since I'm purchasing based on this characteristic I have decided to go with the website that is the most clear on the issue. I've been e-mailing back and forth with Hojo for over a week now and he was very helpful. I am getting a tetsubin and an induction heat plate. Thanks for those who offered information.

[Abracadaver!]

It sounds like you've made up your mind, but if you are still wanting to look locally, I believe that Ito En in midtown has unlined kettles (beautiful too), and, believe it or not, the dean & deluca shop in soho has a couple of unlined iwachu kettles. I was just casually looking, and the clerk said "those are all lined" and then I opened an unlined one. Apparently they received a few intended for the Japanese market by accident.

Also, just to add another vendor to the mix, I bought my unlined kettle from sabistyle in santa monica for $350. I think that they are online as well, but youmay need to call to check on stock.

[clareandromeda]

Thank you Abracadaver! I will stop by Ito En tommorow. Dean & Deluca, really? Thats pretty funny. I will try to swing over there also. I should be looking for a bluish inside, correct?

[MarshalN]

Now that you've mentioned it -- yes, Dean and Deluca does have a few unlined ones. I remember going there a while ago and it's all the way in the back with the cookwares. Not cheap though for what they are.

[clareandromeda]

Now that you've mentioned it -- yes, Dean and Deluca does have a few unlined ones. I remember going there a while ago and it's all the way in the back with the cookwares. Not cheap though for what they are.

hmmm that's why I'm leaning towards Hojo. I am willing to spend on quality if it is really worth it. The cheapest he has are 2 available at $225.31 and then there are a few for $250.18 and a few for $292.19 and that is where I'm drawing the line. Especially at the thought of shipping an Iron item literally halfway across the world. I do like the idea that they are made to order as well. I have an appointment in the morning downtown so I'll try to hit up both to have a looksie. Ito En is going to be dangerous for me....Shincha..yumm...

[chingwa]

The tetsubin at ito-en are beautiful... but outrageously expensive still it's fun to "browse"

[TIM]

Takashimaya 55th / Fifth, 3rd floor have a dozen of antique tetsubins from 18th-19th C. ranging around $750 and up. Japanese Culinary Center / 711 Third Ave sell one of the same tetsubin studio as Hojo with less selection And a new Japanese antique store on 13th and third only have very selected hagi, banko and tetsubins. Last but not least, Seasons International / 15 Crosby St. is my favorite out of all the above.
http://www.seasonsintl.com/jun07/kitchenware.html

[Chip]

The tetsubin at ito-en are beautiful... but outrageously expensive still it's fun to "browse"

Heh, yeah, a bit off topic, but I almost dropped a $400 tiny lil kyusu when I saw the price tag ... at that time I never knew a plain red kyusu could cost more than 50 bucks.

They usually do have really nice tetsubins, but yeah, no cheapies there ...

[clareandromeda]

thank you all! Looks like ill be busy tom!

[Intuit]

You live in The Bronx and Manhattan and receive water from the Croton watershed. Your 2008 drinking water quality report can be dowloaded from
http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drin ... tate.shtml

A quick review suggests that of the three water source districts supplying the NYC environs (Croton, Delaware and Catskills), the Croton has the most problems, primarily with turbidity, seasonal color/odor issues and occasional presence of enteric pathogens (Cryptosporidium and Giardia). There is also active treatment to keep iron and manganese from precipitating. There are also issues with dissolved heavy metals in the Croton watershed, arising naturally from the bedrock and aggravated by pollution-induced release from surface sediments. Acidification (phosporic acid) may worsen this problem - it's a region-wide problem, as can be seen from geological maps of Canadian Maritime Provinces and New England coastal area.

The USGS, USEPA and State of NY know about these issues; an announced (2003 press release archived on the web site, above) upgrade to eliminate color/turbidity problems in the Croton watershed supply either didn't materialize or was insufficient to address water quality incursions reported (2008 and 2007 WQ reports).

I would invest in a 3-stage tap and showerhead water filtering system, and buy a year or two of spare cartridges. You can purchase an unlined, reduced iron tetsubin to add back a little iron to your water to provide that 'sweet flavor', if that is your heart's desire.

Frankly, you do not have a substantial issue with 'soft water' that would warrant purchase of a high-quality tetsubin. You do, however, live in an area that has exceptional air pollution load and not so good water quality (despite the much lauded water quality in the NYC area).

A healthy diet high in natural antioxidants, getting quality sleep, regular stress reduction practices and avoiding spending time outdoors when ozone, smog and particulates are reported to be elevated - all these cost little but provide major returns on your 'investment' to remain healthy in a tacitly unhealthy environment.

Money/time spent in maximizing health - priceless.

[clareandromeda]

Intuit, wow I feel like I owe you money for such an individualized assesment.

I have a brita now, sounds like I need a better filtration system? Pur comes up when I do an internet search for 3 step filtration, would that be a good choice? When you say "add back" does that mean the iron was there at one point? Where/when does it get lost?

Dang it us New Yorkers should know better than to believe the propaganda that NYC has good water.

I saw the tetsubins at Ito-en, instead I came home with gyokuro. $500 at the cheapest is a bit much for me, even though I am newly rich. Ito-en is wonderful, I love being able to smell everything before you buy it (I stated out in Japanese groceries and then went the way of the net) They were super nice. I said that I had been ordering tea from O-cha. She said she had heard of them but that Ito-en was better quality... ?

[betta]

I'm sorry to say this, but I wonder if it's really worth to pay so much more for the 'reduced firing' effect in a tetsubin.

The metal activation is widely used in catalyst manufacturing process but with different method. It's true that the reduced metal (reactive) is active compare to unreduced one, but it also means the metal will easily get passified (oxidized).

As far as I know Fe2+ is unstable and it will easily get oxidized to Fe3+ (passified) by merely contact with atmorpheric oxygen and heating. When humidity is brought in, the passification will even be faster.
Rust formed at tetsubin's interior will be the sign that this "interaction of Fe2+" effect diminishes.
My guess, at the beginning of the usage this interaction is really noticable in the boiled water but it will diminish at exponential rate.
It's just my opinion, may be others here have first hand experience with it.

[chingwa]

Skeptics! Heretics! Those who know... know