What the heck is Shibuichi?

Shibuichi is a metal alloy of silver and copper. The name means "one-fourth" in Japanese -- the silver content varies, but is often about 1/4th of the copper content.

Shibuichi with 15% silver is softer and more colorable, while Shibuichi with 25% silver is springy and reticulates the best. The alloy is a naturally a creamy pink color, and can be patinated to a wide range of grays, pale greens, olive greens, muted blues or even sky blue.

Shibuichi was first seen in cast sculptures dating from the Han Dynasty in China. It has also been found in pre-Columbian archaeological sites. The pre-Columbians plated the alloy to form a silver rich surface that was then polished to look like silver. The alloy was brought to Japan (from China) and used in sword fixtures.