Sam Takeuchi
02-03-2011, 11:22 AM
Since there seems to be re-newed interest in Japanese tools thanks to a few enthusiastic folks here and elsewhere, I figured I'd go gather up some Japanese tool videos on youtube that are in Japanese (hence they normally go unnoticed by non-Japanese speaking folks). Most of them are self explanatory.
I'm sure there are more. If there is any other tool video you want me to look for, let me know.
Planing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfbg-eYcXw): Effortlessly planing a gigantic beam.
Smooth planing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWyTWpAGLM8): Smoothing a ceiling board roughly about 5 meters long. Notice the guy on the left, he's pushing the plane to accommodate the grain.
Rough planing guitar back (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZGFthUsq_4): This is a video of a guitar maker thicknessing E. Indian Rosewood (really hard and abrasive wood). Plane he uses is an interesting one. He found it on an auction site without knowing much about it. Blade wasn't in a good shape at first and it was ground at surprisingly low, bevel angle of 21 degrees. He decided to use that before changing it. Edge didn't fail at all planing 0.200" down to 0.100". He noted it digs in a bit going against the grain. Here is the pictures (http://kiyond.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-post_28.html). He thinks blade is a laminated Swedish or Tsubame steel from circa 1900s. Also this guy has a series of sharpening videos, showing and giving feedback on a number of Japanese natural stones of all sizes, grade and price range.
Maple smoothed using a single blade plane (no wedge or cap iron plane) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzgeuN0N7F0): Same guitar maker showing the fiddle back maple, smoothed using a single blade plane. Video quality not so good. Pictures (http://kiyond.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post_5355.html).
Planing ebony fingerboard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEZ7tKkhW_o): I admit I have never ever been able to plane ebony as effortlessly as he does.
Planing Japanese cypress (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOHpT84YO3Y): Planing a pillar (exposed piece).
Spear plane (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74yLuBUNGPQ): Japan's original planing tool, predates fixed blade planes. Still used today mainly by temple/shrine builders.
Chouna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aKf-8a5YmE): Japanese adze. There are few more videos but they are just as toe curling as this one.
I'm sure there are more. If there is any other tool video you want me to look for, let me know.
Planing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfbg-eYcXw): Effortlessly planing a gigantic beam.
Smooth planing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWyTWpAGLM8): Smoothing a ceiling board roughly about 5 meters long. Notice the guy on the left, he's pushing the plane to accommodate the grain.
Rough planing guitar back (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZGFthUsq_4): This is a video of a guitar maker thicknessing E. Indian Rosewood (really hard and abrasive wood). Plane he uses is an interesting one. He found it on an auction site without knowing much about it. Blade wasn't in a good shape at first and it was ground at surprisingly low, bevel angle of 21 degrees. He decided to use that before changing it. Edge didn't fail at all planing 0.200" down to 0.100". He noted it digs in a bit going against the grain. Here is the pictures (http://kiyond.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-post_28.html). He thinks blade is a laminated Swedish or Tsubame steel from circa 1900s. Also this guy has a series of sharpening videos, showing and giving feedback on a number of Japanese natural stones of all sizes, grade and price range.
Maple smoothed using a single blade plane (no wedge or cap iron plane) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzgeuN0N7F0): Same guitar maker showing the fiddle back maple, smoothed using a single blade plane. Video quality not so good. Pictures (http://kiyond.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post_5355.html).
Planing ebony fingerboard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEZ7tKkhW_o): I admit I have never ever been able to plane ebony as effortlessly as he does.
Planing Japanese cypress (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOHpT84YO3Y): Planing a pillar (exposed piece).
Spear plane (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74yLuBUNGPQ): Japan's original planing tool, predates fixed blade planes. Still used today mainly by temple/shrine builders.
Chouna (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aKf-8a5YmE): Japanese adze. There are few more videos but they are just as toe curling as this one.