Research Article
Restoration of “JikJi” Movable Metal Type and the Related Issues
1 Curator, Cheongju Early Printing Museum, 2 Head Curator, Cheongju Early Printing Museum, 3 Master Craftsman, Human Cultural Asset No. 112
Published: June 2006 · Vol. 28 No. 1 · pp. 139-160
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Abstract
“JikJi” movable metal type was made by beeswax casting method. Although OH Kuk Jin reported that he succeeded in restoring “Jikji” movable metal type by beeswax casting method, there has been a controversy about the plaster burial material and metal mold which he used. Later, CHO Hyeung Jin proposed natural clay and artificial clay, instead of plaster burial material, and proved his claim by experiment. But it has been pointed out that he also used the metal mold, and that his rate of success was very low. In this thesis, we sought an alternative of the metal mold. On the assumption that OH Kuk Jin's method is basically correct, except for the plaster burial material and metal mold, we made mold from baked sand and sedimentary ocher, pasting them directly onto the beeswax type and beeswax stick. After that, melted copper(minimum 83%, maximum 90%) and tin(minimum 10%, maximum 17%) were poured into the mold. By this method, we could raise the rate of success up to 99%.