Suggested Acquisition

User avatar
Chris Hall
Site Admin
Contact:
Location: Greenfield, Massachusetts
Posts: 2385
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:46 pm

Suggested Acquisition

Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:59 am

So Yamashita and i have been in recent communication about some chisels I am ordering, and he mentioned that he has a set of Konobu chisels:

http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php? ... adjg4o1l26

He recommends these highly, and with the Yen at a shockingly low 119 to the US greenback, this set is a good opportunity as far as I'm concerned. If you're interested in getting a bench chisel (ō-ire) set, and happen to have the funds available, I humbly suggest you not dawdle too long....

If that set is gone before you get a chance, then there is another option from Japan-tool.

Yamashita-san wrote,

"...people are still very unaware that Kikuhiromaru tools are just as good at least performance wise. I guess it’s the price and the availability. When any young daikus working for you will be looking to build a quality tool box, please do recommend them to try Kikuhiromaru nomis and kannas."
User avatar
Brian
Deshi
Posts: 1090
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:46 am

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Fri Jun 19, 2015 11:06 am

I bought up the old stock Kikuhiromaru's on So's website and I have been putting them into use. They're quite wonderful and have impressed me in use. If an edge can stand up to walnut that's nice, but I know my chisels are performing when I can chop white hardwoods without issue. These do so.

The finishing is a bit spartan, but certainly respectable. Just from photos it looks like their newer chisels are improved in the finishing department.

Glad to see both you and he are recommending Konubu as well, they have been recommended to me by Stanley Covington as well as one of the few sources he prefers in current production. I believe Stanley's preference is for very hard edge white steel #1 chisels, which I'm also slowly going toward that same preference.
Mathieu
Triple 2
Triple 2
Posts: 136
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:18 pm

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 11:32 am

I have a set of Konobu gouges which I just love. His chisels are indeed amazing.. If I was looking for such a chisel I would have no doubt about acquiring them.
Last edited by Mathieu on Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
...
User avatar
Brian
Deshi
Posts: 1090
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:46 am

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:57 pm

The backs are scraped on the Konobu (Konobou?) chisels it would appear....that is pretty nice and certainly more time consuming than using a grinding wheel.
Mathieu
Triple 2
Triple 2
Posts: 136
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:18 pm

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 3:20 pm

With the gouges the ura is rounded along the width of the chisel and does not have a hollow. The scratches on the hagane are along the length of the chisel opposed to perpendicular to the side as is the case when the hollow is made with a grinding wheel. Looking at the scratch pattern of the gouges it does suggest that is made with a hollowed sen (metal scraping tool) not entirely sure though.
The chisels for sale are very likely hollowed with a sen since I see no other reason for the scratches to be aligned in the length direction. Performance wise it really doesn't make a difference but it is a statement of quality by the blacksmith.
...
User avatar
Chris Hall
Site Admin
Contact:
Location: Greenfield, Massachusetts
Posts: 2385
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:46 pm

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:24 pm

Brian wrote:The backs are scraped on the Konobu (Konobou?) chisels it would appear....that is pretty nice and certainly more time consuming than using a grinding wheel.
Konobu
Mathieu
Triple 2
Triple 2
Posts: 136
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 6:18 pm

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:26 pm

Chris Hall wrote:
Brian wrote:The backs are scraped on the Konobu (Konobou?) chisels it would appear....that is pretty nice and certainly more time consuming than using a grinding wheel.
Konobu
Thank you for clarifying, edited my mistake.
...
User avatar
Chris Hall
Site Admin
Contact:
Location: Greenfield, Massachusetts
Posts: 2385
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:46 pm

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:32 pm

The full name is Hidari Ko-nobu, written thusly: 左小信
Konobu_Uchimaru3.jpg
Konobu_Uchimaru3.jpg (56.99 KiB) Viewed 5242 times
User avatar
Brian
Deshi
Posts: 1090
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:46 am

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:32 pm

Thanks Chris.

So......what are you expecting from So? Inquiring minds.....hehe.
User avatar
Chris Hall
Site Admin
Contact:
Location: Greenfield, Massachusetts
Posts: 2385
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:46 pm

Re: Suggested Acquisition

Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:35 pm

Brian wrote:Thanks Chris.

So......what are you expecting from So? Inquiring minds.....hehe.
Oh something so utterly fabulous and unexpected that I must keep it secret for a while longer yet in case it is all a figment of my imagination. It's as if the ultimate situation dropped into my lap.

Return to “鑿 Nomi (Chisels)”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest