Season a Kyusu?

[plamarca000]

I just got a small shudei Kyusu that I want to use for gaoshan. I usually don’t season my pots, just start brewing in them. First round thu it felt pretty muted so I’m wondering if I should season it a little first before putting really good tea through it.

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[steanze]

In my view that type of clay is too muting to use with gaoshan. I don't think you can change that with seasoning. I would suggest to use that teapot for japanese greens, shu puerh, or wet stored sheng, and to stick to a porcelain gaiwan for gaoshan

[Elise]

In my view that type of clay is too muting to use with gaoshan. I don't think you can change that with seasoning. I would suggest to use that teapot for japanese greens, shu puerh, or wet stored sheng, and to stick to a porcelain gaiwan for gaoshan

I have the same feeling than Steanze about your pot. Same advice for the type of tea to brew in it.

[plamarca000]

Interesting. I read about this builder and his clay from an older teachat thread. It’s an 85ml Shudei from Gisui. Here is the post that got me inspired to pick it up. I will definitely try some more styles in it.

https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=22216

[Victoria]

Interesting. I read about this builder and his clay from an older teachat thread. It’s an 85ml Shudei from Gisui. Here is the post that got me inspired to pick it up. I will definitely try some more styles in it.

https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=22216

Ha, I’ll quote myself from that thread;
“For greener oolongs like LiShan or DaYuLing, I like Shudei or Hongni clays, both smooth, soften the experience and seem to encourage a lingering palate of flavors. I don't have Gisui but do have Shimizu Ken shudei pots which I believe are similar or the same clays.”

I use my Shimizu Ken pots (Sado Island Nosaka clay) for greener oolong like LiShan. I don’t think there are 100% rules, each pot will be slightly different. You can try using yours a as pitcher for a few days, if that doesn’t help your pot may be better with other teas recommended above.

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[Chip]

Interesting. I read about this builder and his clay from an older teachat thread. It’s an 85ml Shudei from Gisui. Here is the post that got me inspired to pick it up. I will definitely try some more styles in it.

https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=22216

Funny, I would not have guessed Gisui. The clay and thickness and style do not resemble my 2 shudei by Gisui. Any more pics and where did you buy it? Not saying if is not Gisui, just curious.

My Gisui performed very well right out of the gate ... for Japanese green.

It was "older" but new and sitting in his collection for years before we had a great SO on TC.

I like his shudei, light color indicates to me that it does not have additives nor is it blended both sometimes used to darken shudei.

[pizzapotamus]

Interesting. I read about this builder and his clay from an older teachat thread. It’s an 85ml Shudei from Gisui. Here is the post that got me inspired to pick it up. I will definitely try some more styles in it.

https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=22216

Funny, I would not have guessed Gisui. The clay and thickness and style do not resemble my 2 shudei by Gisui. Any more pics and where did you buy it? Not saying if is not Gisui, just curious.

My Gisui performed very well right out of the gate ... for Japanese green.

It was "older" but new and sitting in his collection for years before we had a great SO on TC.

I like his shudei, light color indicates to me that it does not have additives nor is it blended both sometimes used to darken shudei.

In a teapot identification contest I'd be betting on Chip rather than myself, however for what little it's worth the handle and spout had me thinking Gisui after seeing the initial post. I'd guess it's newer clay and not the old stock though, something like https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 67#p273277 . Not that the photo is ideal for making that determination, it's a nice and pretty picture but the lighting isn't neutral and even and the whole thing seems to have a bit of "oil painting" excess smoothing/compression.

[Chip]

Interesting. I read about this builder and his clay from an older teachat thread. It’s an 85ml Shudei from Gisui. Here is the post that got me inspired to pick it up. I will definitely try some more styles in it.

https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=22216

Funny, I would not have guessed Gisui. The clay and thickness and style do not resemble my 2 shudei by Gisui. Any more pics and where did you buy it? Not saying if is not Gisui, just curious.

My Gisui performed very well right out of the gate ... for Japanese green.

It was "older" but new and sitting in his collection for years before we had a great SO on TC.

I like his shudei, light color indicates to me that it does not have additives nor is it blended both sometimes used to darken shudei.

In a teapot identification contest I'd be betting on Chip rather than myself, however for what little it's worth the handle and spout had me thinking Gisui after seeing the initial post. I'd guess it's newer clay and not the old stock though, something like https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 67#p273277 . Not that the photo is ideal for making that determination, it's a nice and pretty picture but the lighting isn't neutral and even and the whole thing seems to have a bit of "oil painting" excess smoothing/compression.

There are Gisui elements there, for sure. It is just so smooth looking and dense in appearance.

Thanks for linking the old SO, ahhhhhh memory lane.

He has done various shudei and some are darker, I think mostly older. My 2 shudei are light in color and weight, verrry textural. I think one is the first kyusu in that topic.

But he has been around a long time.

I wish I had one of his shudei like mine in something around 225 ml, but I always see them much smaller.

[Victoria]

In a teapot identification contest I'd be betting on Chip rather than myself, however for what little it's worth the handle and spout had me thinking Gisui after seeing the initial post. I'd guess it's newer clay and not the old stock though, something like https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 67#p273277 . Not that the photo is ideal for making that determination, it's a nice and pretty picture but the lighting isn't neutral and even and the whole thing seems to have a bit of "oil painting" excess smoothing/compression.

Wow, very cool thread. I must have been on sebatical from the old TC at the time in 2015 so wasn’t aware of Chip’s monumental effort organizing this Gisui sale. Nice to see so many varieties of Gisui kyusu. What a great idea @Chip.

This sale must have gone on to inspire @ferg to get his Gisui, who then (via my insistent nudging ) later passed it on to Jason here in LA. I love seeing and holding Jason’s Gisui each time, it’s so tactile.

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[Chip]

In a teapot identification contest I'd be betting on Chip rather than myself, however for what little it's worth the handle and spout had me thinking Gisui after seeing the initial post. I'd guess it's newer clay and not the old stock though, something like https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 67#p273277 . Not that the photo is ideal for making that determination, it's a nice and pretty picture but the lighting isn't neutral and even and the whole thing seems to have a bit of "oil painting" excess smoothing/compression.

Wow, very cool thread. I must have been on sebatical from the old TC at the time in 2015 so wasn’t aware of Chip’s monumental effort organizing this Gisui sale. Nice to see so many varieties of Gisui kyusu. What a great idea Chip.

The kyusu cosmos converged for that one. Had I blinked, the opportunity would have been gone.

At the time there was rumor that Gisui was retired and not able to produce quality anymore (Hojo site). These were all pieces just sitting in Gisui's studio that he suddenly released.

Since then, some Gisui have trickled out.

[plamarca000]

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[plamarca000]

I got it off ebay recently from Tokonamejp. Has a signature below the handle. Looks very similar to the Honshudei ones on that TC link.

[pizzapotamus]

Definitely a legit seller and I expect Chip will say that looks more like it From the ebay listing I'd still have guessed the "shudei" and not "hon-shudei" however I do find that Toru's photos generally end up being a touch truer to life in terms of colour so if irl it matches the hon-shudei from that old teachat thread I'd go with that. Either way it looks nice though, how's the filter?

[Chip]

I got it off ebay recently from Tokonamejp. Has a signature below the handle. Looks very similar to the Honshudei ones on that TC link.

Ok, looking more like Gisui.

Thanks for posting more pics! Some potters one can identify instantly, like Hokujo. Gisui over the years has offered more styles and Clay's making it not as easy.

This looks like it has some use?
Any pics of the inside?

This could be part of the reason your tea is coming out softer.

[Chip]

Both my Gisui "shudei" purchased years apart from different sellers has this textured clay and horizontal lines giving it oodles of texture ... and character. This is likely my favored Gisui style.

The light clay color is supposedly a testament to the clay's purity.

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