Keywords
Architecture
Tools
Also known as sumi-ito 墨糸. A carpenter's inking line. It is used for drawing a reference line (the procedure is called sumi-uchi 墨打ち), and refers to the thread wound around the wheel attached to the carpenter's ink pad *sumitsubo 墨壷. For example, the carpenter first marks a base line on timber to be used for a pillar or beam. He then draws in the measurements corresponding to the position where each of the other parts are to be joined, and then cuts with a saw or chisel using these lines as a guideline. Natural silk, which is strong and free of fluff, is used for suminawa.