On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 21:07:50 -0700, Larry Jaques
wrote:

Oiling it?

Either oiling or waxing. Although I've no idea what I ought to be
oiling it with. I'm using modern stuff, all the hopefully
"traditional" candidates for an oil that I've tried have turned yellow
in a couple of months. I still have no idea what the real oil would
have been.

I do some paper and book conservation work too, so I already have
stacks of Japanese papers to hand. NB - It's Kozo (mulberry) paper
that's used here, or maybe Gampi for small pieces - it's never "rice
paper" !