Hi, I’m new here, this might result in a double post as I haven’t figured out yet how to attach photos…. - I’m after help to find out what kind of timber my goban is made of, and how to care for it. I’m a newbie, have picked up Go again after 40 years of absence - and now have found this beautiful piece on Gumtree [Australian Craigslist version I guess] - the former owner said she bought in Japan from a dealer years ago and thought it to be 1950’s - no idea about the timber. I guessed Katsura but the grain and cut suggest otherwise?

I don’t want to stuff this up, so please let me know how to oil and or wax it, and if possible, what kind of bowls to match it with - and stones. I’ve read several posts but until I know what’s required I’d rather not engage…
I currently play with double convex Yunzi stones on a 20mm bamboo board, and already this feels soooo much nicer.

Here are some photos, second attempt in smaller size. Hopefully this works. And hello to you all - I’m excited about this rediscovery of the game and its community, can’t believe it took me so long. Thanks in advance for your support. K

Some maintenance advice from Kuroki Goishiten: http://www.kurokigoishi.co.jp/english/maintenance/how-to-care-board/

Thanks - I saw that info when searching for advice, but am still uncertain to go ahead with wax and/ oil until I have a better idea about what kind of timber it is. But then, a little oil test on the bottom might be a good idea. And need to do less research and more play/ learning… hmmm

Legged gobans are basically for Japanese rooms where people sit down on the floor, not so suitable to Western lifestyle using tables and chairs. The board looks to be not in good condition, with visible dents and black shades (molds?). One drastic solution is to cut away the top 1 inch or so and use it as a tabletop Go board.

Check these guys and/or get in touch with them. They're used to deal with second hand Japanese items.

https://store.baduk.club/

Take care

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一碁一会

The advice on KurokiGoishiTen see ms to apply to a board in fairly good condition, not very dirty nor stained. Your board is dirty and also stained. It is unlikely that simply buffing with a soft cloth would do much to remedy those conditions. As for the material of the board, it is most likely not genuine kaya. The appearnce of the color and grain from your photographs suggests spruce (so called shin kaya) possibly katsura, or agathis. Neither of these woods are going to be seriously damaged by using a damp cloth in cleaning. Don't wax or oil the board until it is as clean as you can get it; these treatments might seal the stains and dirt into the wood. There was a seller ofused go equipment in the USA. He imported used boards, stones, and bowls and rehabilitated them. He might be able to give you advice regarding what to do with your board. He used to post on L19x19, sorry I don't remember his name or contact information.

Maybe some higher resolution images could help? Though I am mostly only looking at it for sake of my own curiosity, I still notice that it is not easy to tell from the pictures how dented the board is from use (this indicates how soft the wood is), and it is not really possible to see the details of the grain pattern clearly.

The wood is Agathis and a Tenmasa cut (Katsura is cut itame because the trees don't grow large enough for masame). Agathis is a very distinctive but also quite hard wood so be careful when playing with your stones so they don't chip.

Many thanks to all for your suggestions and advice! Much appreciated. I managed to clean the board and treat it with an oil and wax mix, and it is looking a lot better. And Agathis seems the most likely timber. Found some weird paper crumbled inside two of the legs, possibly pages from a phone book pre-internet, but nothing that I could use to date it a bit more, no easy clues and no japanese language skills my end. No hidden treasures but the board is fun and helping me to play and learn more. Cheers from South Australia.