Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

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MarcoRosso
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Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by MarcoRosso »

Hi Everyone,

I'm wondering if Kaya Go bowls would be a good idea. As I want something that will last and looks nicer then my current jujube bowls. I have both glass and Yonzi stones, so that wont be an issue. My main concern is with their durability, as I know that Shin-Kaya can crack, due to temperature change. Would Kaya bowls be susceptible to this? I ask, as I live in Canada where it can get very cold in the winter. The place where I am getting them will sell their last one tomorrow most likely, so I don't want to miss a great chance.

Please let me know ASAP.

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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by tchan001 »

From "The Go Player's Almanac 2001"
page 154
The cheapest wooden bowls are made of chestnut. However, it should be avoided for good stones as it can stain them. It is also brittle. It is incidentally, the resin problem that stops the yellow-staining kaya being used.
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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by MarcoRosso »

So, if they were not stained, then there would be no issue? Dont know, if that is an option with Go bowls or not. Kinda, a newb when it comes to Go bowls.
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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by tchan001 »

It's not talking about the kaya bowls being stained. It's talking about the resin of kaya wood possibly staining go stones.

If it is glass stones, I don't think you need to worry about staining from kaya wood bowls. Yunzi stones might. But definitely beware of using nice slate and shell stones because the shell stones would be what you would need to worry about the most.

You might also check to see if the kaya bowls are lacquered inside. That would also probably prevent stains.
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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by MarcoRosso »

Thank you for much for the reply. I believe they are lacquered on the inside, as they seem to be very shiny in the photos on both the inside and outside of the bowls. Even if they are not though, I'm happy to hear about glass stones being impervious to staining. Since, I tend to prefer them over Yonzi stones; which I own too :).
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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by MarcoRosso »

So, just to clarify there is no issues regarding Kaya wood cracking or splitting when used as a material to make bowls?
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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by tchan001 »

Actually I have a pair of kaya bowls I bought from Japan. I now use them with my cheap ceramic stones, but I rarely use them as I mainly play on the internet. So far cracking and splitting have not been a concern for me.
Last edited by tchan001 on Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Kaya Go bowls a good idea?

Post by MarcoRosso »

Thanks for the info; I was concerned due to the difference in our climates. Since, the winters in Canada are very cold and dry in comparison to Hong Kong, not to discount your advice tchan. Is there anyone else who owns a set of Kaya bowls that lives in North America, or a similar climate? I was mainly concerned about taking them me traveling as, I would hate to have them crack due to the cold.
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