A Quibble with Japanese Chisels

[Tom Bender]

I really like my Japanese chisels.

Chisels in Drawer.jpg

but there is one thing that might make them better. If the handles were gently squared they would be less prone to rolling off the bench and easier to feel the orientation in hand. Well this is my last set of chisels and I don't plan to modify them, just dreaming.

[Mike Henderson]

I replaced the handles on my set of Japanese chisels. I use them the same way as my western chisels so I wanted handles that were similar to my western chisels (no hoops).

It was not hard to replace the handles. Perhaps the hardest part was getting the old handles off. I documented the process here.

Mike

[Derek Cohen]

I really like my Japanese chisels.
but there is one thing that might make them better. If the handles were gently squared they would be less prone to rolling off the bench and easier to feel the orientation in hand. Well this is my last set of chisels and I don't plan to modify them, just dreaming.

Tom, simply place the back of the blade on a rest, which could be a rectangular length of wood. That will lift the blade off the bench and the flat blades will prevent them rolling. Not to mention, protect their edges.

Background, left top corner ...



Another example ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Luke Dupont]

Tom, simply place the back of the blade on a rest, which could be a rectangular length of wood. That will lift the blade off the bench and the flat blades will prevent them rolling. Not to mention, protect their edges.

Background, left top corner ...



Another example ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

Simple and elegant solution. Love it!

[Justin Kwong]

Perhaps the hardest part was getting the old handles off. I documented the process here.

Mike

Nice solution. For future reference, the simple way is to wrap the blade in something so you don't cut yourself, hold the blade and whack the ferrule against a piece of hardwood. Rotate the chisel 90 degrees, bang a few times, rotate, whack. The ferrule, handle, and blade will slowly work itself apart. Should only take 30 seconds or less.

[Jim Koepke]

One of my reasons for using mostly socket chisels is for the ease of changing handles.

My first shop was in a small garage back in California. There were only a few chisels in my kit at the time. My chisel rack later became useful on my bench to keep chisels from rolling or getting scattered:

Chisel Rack.jpg

There are two of them kept on a shelf under my bench.

jtk

[Jack Dover]

If the handles were gently squared they would be less prone to rolling off the bench and easier to feel the orientation in hand.

I have one nomi, it has a hoop with "hammered" finish, essentially a bunch of small flat spots. Looks tacky to me, but it doesn't roll at all unlike other nomis. So maybe file a few flat spots on the hoops?