Post by chainheart on Dec 1, 2018 14:06:36 GMT -5
You all probably read the title to this thread and went "uhh wut? Is that a new bead" No my friends this is a concept and it's one that's actually near and dear to me. Let me break this concept down for you.
Kintsugi (or kintsukuroi) is a Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics with a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. The philosophy behind the technique is to recognize the history of the object and to visibly incorporate the repair into the new piece instead of disguising it. The process usually results in something more beautiful than the original. In other words it's more beautiful for being broken.
Now, you're still probably asking how this relates and it's not the act of kintsugi but more of what it means. Let me explain.
Anyone who knows me from BEH knows that I have a saying. "If your sets aren't dinged,scratched,or scarred you're playing with them wrong." I whole heartedly stand by this statement. Now I know a lot of people like to keep their edc gear in good condition, it's a good practice. Edc blades need to be sharp, flashlights need to remain structure to function/batteries/bulbs/etc. But we play with chunks of metal attached to the end of a string. Concrete falls happen, they clash together. The literally get dinged scratched and scarred. To me that's what a set of begleri looks like. Not sure if they're here but Luke aka @sk37chi and Jory aka @zep_Slings has some of the most beautifully beaten AL Titans I've ever seen. The ano is practically gone, the only remnants of their color remain, they are scratched to high hell and they are all the more beautiful for it. They've put time and love and energy into their craft to make them that way. Those are their sets and no matter whose hands the come in contact with they will always be theirs.
To me, each ding, scratch, scuff, gash is just like the concept of kintsugi. That is the gold lacquer that holds it together and because of which makes them all the more beautiful for "being broken".
As slingers we put our heart and soul into this hobby. Quite literally I might add. I sling when I am happy, sad, angry, depressed, frustrated, elated, etc. I've put every emotion into my sets especially my favorites like my mini Titans.
Titanium is an incredibly robust metal as we all know. There don't show they're wear as much as say copper or brass does. But when you get a heavily beaten in set of titanium begleri they are far more beautiful to me than when I opened that box for the first time (that was a different kind of love though) I try to practice this philosophy in my every day life but it's easier to equate it to begleri because it's almost a physical manifestation of who were are in a way. Begleri to me has a bit of a spiritual-ness too it and I'm reminded of a quote that I will one day tell my daughter when she comes of age. "Never trust a knight in shining armor for his metal has never been truly tested." Same applies, I don't trust the word of a slinger who's sets sit in a drawer unloved and unused. Okay that was a little melodramatic but whatever, it's about perspective.
Anyway. I know a lot of people want to keep their doodie from turning into actual doodie and I respect that. But I don't see any harm in loving a set that has been beaten to death. Kintsugi, it's more beautiful for its damage. Kinda like us in a way. Anyway thanks for allowing me to rant. Enjoy yourselves and tell me what you think
Kintsugi (or kintsukuroi) is a Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics with a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. The philosophy behind the technique is to recognize the history of the object and to visibly incorporate the repair into the new piece instead of disguising it. The process usually results in something more beautiful than the original. In other words it's more beautiful for being broken.
Now, you're still probably asking how this relates and it's not the act of kintsugi but more of what it means. Let me explain.
Anyone who knows me from BEH knows that I have a saying. "If your sets aren't dinged,scratched,or scarred you're playing with them wrong." I whole heartedly stand by this statement. Now I know a lot of people like to keep their edc gear in good condition, it's a good practice. Edc blades need to be sharp, flashlights need to remain structure to function/batteries/bulbs/etc. But we play with chunks of metal attached to the end of a string. Concrete falls happen, they clash together. The literally get dinged scratched and scarred. To me that's what a set of begleri looks like. Not sure if they're here but Luke aka @sk37chi and Jory aka @zep_Slings has some of the most beautifully beaten AL Titans I've ever seen. The ano is practically gone, the only remnants of their color remain, they are scratched to high hell and they are all the more beautiful for it. They've put time and love and energy into their craft to make them that way. Those are their sets and no matter whose hands the come in contact with they will always be theirs.
To me, each ding, scratch, scuff, gash is just like the concept of kintsugi. That is the gold lacquer that holds it together and because of which makes them all the more beautiful for "being broken".
As slingers we put our heart and soul into this hobby. Quite literally I might add. I sling when I am happy, sad, angry, depressed, frustrated, elated, etc. I've put every emotion into my sets especially my favorites like my mini Titans.
Titanium is an incredibly robust metal as we all know. There don't show they're wear as much as say copper or brass does. But when you get a heavily beaten in set of titanium begleri they are far more beautiful to me than when I opened that box for the first time (that was a different kind of love though) I try to practice this philosophy in my every day life but it's easier to equate it to begleri because it's almost a physical manifestation of who were are in a way. Begleri to me has a bit of a spiritual-ness too it and I'm reminded of a quote that I will one day tell my daughter when she comes of age. "Never trust a knight in shining armor for his metal has never been truly tested." Same applies, I don't trust the word of a slinger who's sets sit in a drawer unloved and unused. Okay that was a little melodramatic but whatever, it's about perspective.
Anyway. I know a lot of people want to keep their doodie from turning into actual doodie and I respect that. But I don't see any harm in loving a set that has been beaten to death. Kintsugi, it's more beautiful for its damage. Kinda like us in a way. Anyway thanks for allowing me to rant. Enjoy yourselves and tell me what you think
