chasaku oops!

[entropyembrace]

I just recieved my last O-cha order and I rinsed my chashaku and matcha whisk with boiling water to clean them...I´m a bit worried the chashaku lost the bend at the end that formed the scoop!

Will the bend come back when it dries or did I screw it?

[Victoria]

Yikes! I have heard of that happening, but when left in water. I don't think it will come back, no. But you could try reheating it and bending it yourself if it doesn't. Good luck! Sorry.

[entropyembrace]

I managed to get a bend back into it but I had to damage the bamboo a bit to do it.

how are you supposed to clean these things if hot water is so risky?

[Victoria]

Oh good, hopefully it will be ok.

Actually, I just wipe mine with a dry cloth.

[entropyembrace]

Oh good, hopefully it will be ok.

Actually, I just wipe mine with a dry cloth.

I´d be a bit relectant to use a newly purchased one without washing it

it seemed to work okay but not sure if I´m getting the right measure...I dont really have anything to compare to.

oh well...I will wipe off the matcha powder from here on with a dry cloth.

should I purchase another in the future is there anything I should do with it before use?

[Victoria]

I do believe I probably washed mine too, but more like a quick dip in soapy water with my fingers and then a quick rinse. As for the measuring, well you will get used to eyeballing it anyway. It is possible to get all kinds of sizes of scooped amounts, different matchas will clump differently too, so it's all about just a ballpark amount. You will get a feel for it.

[britt]

These chasaku vary quite a bit in how they're finished. Also, many of them are made in China so may have shortcuts taken in the manufacturing process. I recently purchased one from Yuuki-cha and immediately noticed that the finish was much better than my previous one from AN. On the first one, the matcha powder infuses into the wood making it near impossible to clean. The one from Yuuki-cha easily wipes clean with a dry paper towel. The matcha powder does not stain the scoop. It appears to have some type of thin lacquer finish over the wood.

I think many of the matcha accessories being sold, even by Japanese vendors, are not really made in Japan.

[Chip]

... unless stated to the contrary, O-Cha bamboo products are made in Japan.

Kevin, the owner, has been a bit of a crusader in this area, actually before the notion that Chinese bamboo products were being sold in lieu of more costly Japanese products.

If you see a cheap bamboo products from any vendor, ask whether it is made in Japan or China. You have a right to know. And if you see a bamboo product being sold below market value, be very leary regardless of what the seller states. Amazingly, they don't always know!!!!!

[entropyembrace]

I think the reason why the hot water took the bend at the end is that it was made in two layers...one of very smooth bamboo on the top side and rougher bamboo on the bottom...and the heat effected each layer differently.

I really don´t think it matters if it was made in Japan or China

anyway it still works so I suppose it´s ok.

[chingwa]

It isn't the whisk, but the way you "whisk" it.... ne?

[entropyembrace]

It isn't the whisk, but the way you "whisk" it.... ne?

except it´s the spoon not the whisk I was having problems with xD

though speaking of the whisk a bamboo matcha whisk is a lot nicer to use for matcha than my metal egg whisks that I had been using.

[Chip]

It isn't the whisk, but the way you "whisk" it.... ne?

except it´s the spoon not the whisk I was having problems with xD

though speaking of the whisk a bamboo matcha whisk is a lot nicer to use for matcha than my metal egg whisks that I had been using.

Yeah, the chasen changes everything!

For me, it was the biggest improvement to the improv methods we employ out of necessity before we have the proper accoutrements!

That would be an interesting topic.

[the_economist]

teehee i had the fortune of beginning with a chasen and a chawan. i still don't have a chasaku though...

[britt]

... unless stated to the contrary, O-Cha bamboo products are made in Japan.

Kevin, the owner, has been a bit of a crusader in this area, actually before the notion that Chinese bamboo products were being sold in lieu of more costly Japanese products.

If you see a cheap bamboo products from any vendor, ask whether it is made in Japan or China. You have a right to know. And if you see a bamboo product being sold below market value, be very leary regardless of what the seller states. Amazingly, they don't always know!!!!!

I remember Kevin's involvment on one of the tea forums a while back regarding this issue. I think it was here where we learned that some vendors didn't know what the suppliers were giving them. In retrospect, however, these vendors are in the business and live in Japan, so I think that excuse is overused. They should know that a $12 chasen isn't made in Japan. Some of these vendors still sell questionable products even after being informed of the quality issues. I am not talking about O-Cha, as Kevin has always clearly labeled his products.

[britt]

I think the reason why the hot water took the bend at the end is that it was made in two layers...one of very smooth bamboo on the top side and rougher bamboo on the bottom...and the heat effected each layer differently.

I really don´t think it matters if it was made in Japan or China

anyway it still works so I suppose it´s ok.

No it doesn't make a difference where it's made as far as the damage done by boiling water. I was referring more to the issue of cleaning the scoop and how the scoop that was evenly coated on both sides was much easier to clean.

I had two scoops from two different vendors that were supposed to be the exact same item, both supposedly made in Japan by the same craftsmen group, and they were the same price. Yet one was clearly superior to the other visually and functionally. It looked to be much better finished and didn't absorb the matcha into the wood on the backside. I preferred this one because it wipes clean with no effort at all and looked like a quality product where the first looked like a piece of junk.