Craftsmanship in Wood

Just to drum up more commotion, since it is fairly quiet on this group, and so I've taken it upon myself to try to stimulate some discussion...

What is it about Tasai Chisels? I guess part of it is hype, but it doesn't justify $585 for a single 6 mm ratty looking chisel:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tasai-Japanese- ... SwImRYf9zu

Sure it looks like it has a gumi handle and it's damascus but it's so thin that you can barely notice it...

And why are there suddenly all these Tasai "Wakizashi-Nomi" (single chisel in a holster) popping up for $350?
Not just on Ebay but at most of the Japanese tool merchants that I rely on online. I didn't know there was so much demand to walk around with a chisel on your hip, and then stab yourself in the foot when you dropped it while trying to get it out to pry that bottlecap off your beer.

...Oh wait, bottles are twist-off now.

There's another seller Japanese Antiques trading and shopping center on eBay

With a 17 chisel Tasai Damascus Mokume set for almost $6000.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-Japan ... Sw2xRYkY45

I would assume that's for collectors.

There was a set of paring chisels that briefly showed up made by Usui Kinzaburo.
They are beautiful, but he has inset a sword like design on the ura that would get destroyed as you use it.

Once again, for collectors I assume.

I hope to get my new Sharpskate 4 designed by Harrelson Stanley soon and then post a review of it. Unfortunately crazy snowstorms have paralyzed the Massachusetts area, so there will be some delay to get it. I got to speak on the phone with him for the first time ever, and ask him about his updated design, and there was A LOT of thinking that went into improving the design to adapt to skewed blades and even portable planer blades, and the improved durability of the little wheels...

Nori

Yeah, those were some classics. Thanks for posting!

I also find those wakizashi nomi kinda embarrassing.

That 'Japanese Antiques' seller does have some nice items, but most seem to range from just slightly over-priced to insanely expensive. I have the same set of Kikuhiromaru chisels and paid $1200~ for 10 listed at $1900 on his eBay.

Kamon kiyohisa plane listed for like $2800~ And Ichihiro with Boxwood (or gumi) handles and rusted tips for $10,000....

I'm also guilty of mixing up boxwood and gumi, they're quite difficult to tell apart (for me at least).

That seller's stuff demonstrates the most blatantly avaricious price gouging I've seen in a while. The $2800 65mm Kamon plane?! That's the price one might imagine when Watanabe is dead, but he's very much alive. And with prices like that, not even offering free shipping? It's nuts.

I've taken to walking around the jobsite with my tabis, japanese toolbag (with Funate hammer protruding, handle out), folding handsaw, single chisel holster, head scarf, and white gloves.

I'm known amongst the crew as, "That Guy".

The gumi handles I have on many chisels and a hammer, coming from different vendors, are the same as one another and the real thing, and I have had the option to order tsuge as an alternate, so I don't see why anybody would be trying to pass off one as the other. Gumi is more of a yellow cast than tsuge, don't you think?

Gumi:
Tsuge:

They look noticeably different to me, though the above pics were not the most perfect for showing that. I think the last one in that set looks more yellow as the inside of the box is yellow.

I've never had tsuge handles in hand on any tool, so I don't know how they compare in feel to the gumi. The feel of gumi is the major reason I prefer it to others. I'd be curious to try the tsuge.

As far as the finishes, no, they are just aesthetics, nothing to do with the metallurgical qualities of the backing iron or cutting steel. The black finish is the standard finish in most cases, and is a good choice.

My latest harvest of gumi is super yellow like that, florescent like. The previous, which I used for my 10 set of kikuhiromaru is the same color as tsuge.

Boxwood (tsuge) is really hard.

I consider the kuro-ura-shiage more pleasing, it is my general preference even though the great majority of my tools have a migake-shiage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tasai-Japanese- ... SwImRYf9zu

Check out this deal. Didn't realize gumi was that rare or that Tasai sets sell for $4-5k. It's a 6mm no less.