Member
I'm a fellow Stan fan....although, I still don't feel worthy of those chisels.
Just to add...after you get some great chisels, you may want to splurge on a good Japanese natural stone.
On good white steel, it is a dreeeeaaam to sharpen.
I only have one, a birthday present to myself years ago from Hida tool that is softish and leaves a fine slurry.
It leaves a nice hazy finish that seems to last longer than a mirror finish...it's more "gentle" to the wood for lack of better vocabulary.
Contributor
I wonder if Japanese natural stone would be wasted on western blades? Chisel sharpening does not seem as challenging as plane blades, I am quite happy with my chisels cutting ability.
I do use a nagura slurry stone periodically but have not achieved anything but a mirror polish.
One of my Japanese chisels flew out of my hand onto concrete & chipped the blade corner quite badly so brittle steel is not without issues.
It did prompt me to buy a high density rubber mat.
You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!
Member
Don't feel bad... Concrete floors are an unforgiving, non-discriminatory mistress...
I think you would be far less pleased with the overall performance of the Japanese chisel had it hit the concrete floor and simply bent the corner....
There is no magic.. An edge which will cut falling silk and plow through the toughest white oak meets it's match against steel reinforced concrete.
Contributor
Very pleased with everything I've bought from The Japan Woodworker.
"Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."
Member
I have Matsumura White Steel and absolutely LOVE them!!! I use a Tormek and/or Dan's Arkansas Stones for sharpening. These chisels are a-mazing!
https://www.japanwoodworker.com/sear...ra+white+steel
"I've cut the dang thing three times and it's STILL too darn short"
Name withheld to protect the guilty
Stew Hagerty
Contributor
Really, going to blame that one on the brittle steel?Originally Posted by William Fretwell
Bumbling forward into the unknown.
Contributor
Which one? The legendary original or the newer Woodcraft version?
Disclaimer: I have a love hate relationship with Woodcraft. They have a good selection at good prices, but whether it's in general or me personally they have such poor inventory control they don't know what they have or when they'll get it. I'm boycotting them right now and only buying what's in stock at my semi-local store. (I'll let the store deal with getting product from the warehouse.) My few experiences with Japan Woodworker where 100% Woodcraft at their worst. Most recently I ordered a cheap knife, it showed in stock on their website, but it didn't ship and customer service insisted they didn't have any. After four months and many calls, I found the knife actually in stock but not shipping and CS wrote a special ticket to get the warehouse to ship to me. (The knife was exactly as described, a cheap knife cheap. What I wanted, but not really worth the hassle.)
Contributor
...This one...
"Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."
Contributor
I didn't know enough to shop there back when they were still around.
Contributor
I was fortunate to have visited their original store, in Oakland, Ca, back in the '70's, and have purchased from them over the years.
"Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."
Member
At least the business lives on and the original owner was able to successfully pass it on...
Honestly - Woodcraft is much better than most of their competitors... At least they don't sell junk tools there...
Just two weeks ago - I received word that a vendor I liked buying through had died. He was trying to sell his business the last 2 or 3 years of operation - and now his family is....
And in 2016 - a sawyer I bought wood from died unexpectedly... His wife is still selling out of his hoarde on the Bay... Nothing new is being cut, though.
And thus it goes with smaller family owned businesses....
[OP]
Contributor
I ordered 2 oirenomi (9mm and 19mm) and a shinogi tsukinomi (24mm) from Stan, and received them today. My first impression is that they are very well balanced chisels. The tsukinomi is beautiful, almost graceful. Can’t wait to put them to work and test the steel. Will spend the time this weekend to set the hoops and sharpen them properly. Any suggestions for sources of info on setup & sharpening? As I said, I’m a total newbie to Japanese tools.
---Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny---
Contributor
I have some detailed info on hoop setting on my website. The way I set them is how Stan taught me, it works well and the result is clean. Have a look before you set them up.
Member
Depends on the steel. For HSS, definitely wasted. Chromoly, I dunno--ask Stan?
Plain high carbon hand forged steel? Big benefit.
Cheap chisel, try a strop.
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