The lacquer itself is the filtered or heat-treated sap of the lacquer tree, or Rhus verniciflua, and contains no chemicals or tints. To apply the lacquer to the base, a special brush called ‘hake’ is used, which traditionally is made from human hair, which is said to have the perfect texture for this. Originally, male artisans used to grouw out their own hair to make the ‘hake’, but nowadays they are mostly made by animal hair such as sheep, minks, and even mice.