Basic Analysis of Tortoiseshell Constituents and Technology for Effectual Utilization of Unused Materials in “Bekko Work”

Abstract

The technical art “Bekko” is one of the traditional technologies in Japan and the materials of “Bekko” are shells of hawksbills. In the course of tortoiseshell work, materials of good quality are used preferentially and the waste (so called unused materials) amounts to about 40 %. We have thus tried to utilize effectually the unused materials.
The noteworthy aspects in this study are as follows : (a) It has been clearly established that the unused materials could be regenerated by molding after reducing to powder. (b) It is also possible to extract the valuable components with amber color from unused materials using organic solvent (DMSO).