▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR IMPORTANT INFO▼ *Tools used in this video:* M-Power SBS Diamond Sharpening System: A complete system for razor sharp edges in a wonderful, compact carrying case! www.mpower-tools.com/product-category/diamond-sharpening/ *LIKE THE BACKGROUND?* My hand tool collection includes premium tools from Bridge City Tool Works. They are as wonderful to use as they are to look at: bridgecitytools.com/ *Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!* (If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission) *Some other useful links:* -More videos on our website: stumpynubs.com/ -Subscribe to our e-Magazine: stumpynubs.com/browse-and-subscribe/ -Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/ -Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/ -Twitter: twitter.com/StumpyNubs ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★ -123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij -Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK -Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv -Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9 -Irwin Drill Bit Gauge: amzn.to/2AwTkQg -Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK -Self-Centering Punch: amzn.to/2QvbcrC -Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW -Angle Cube: lddy.no/10nam -Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7 -Utility knife: amzn.to/3nfhIiv -Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak -Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI -Digital depth gauge: amzn.to/3mwRf2x -Wood Glue: amzn.to/3mqek6M -Spade Bits: amzn.to/3j8XPtD
Sorry for the rant that nearly no one cares about in advance. White paper steel(Shirogami) can be hardened to even higher rockwell than Blue paper steel (Aogami), I believe you either misspoke or don't know but the difference is, Shirogami is essentially a non-alloyed steel, or true steel if you prefer, made of only carbon and iron and almost no contaminants or alloying metals. Conversely Aogami is a modern super steel with high levels of carbides specifically martensite giving the steel insane edge retention. Both steels have pros and cons, I strongly prefer Shirogami #1 hardened to 65+ rockwell, although it dulls much faster than the Aogami it's also much easier to sharpen by hand and therefore I find I get a keener edge and it is sharp more of the time because I don't dread sharpening it.
I've had Japanese chisels for years but only recently learned how to sharpen and use them. Found out the hard way that they're too short to fit in most western honing guides so I made my own honing guide from internet plans, but then found the bevel wouldn't lay flat onto my M-Power SBS Diamond Sharpening System stones (same ones in the video) without some modification. It now works fine and got me through the learning phase of sharpening new chisels. I won't say I'm a pro at it yet, but I can now do a decent job of honing these chisels without the honing guide. Since then I built a lab table with some angled mortise and tenon joints that I could not have built without the chisels.
I love my Japanese chisels and saws. I switched from western style tools a couple years ago to just try something different. I won't willingly go back now, the chisels are fantastic. Japanese tools are really part of a soft wood working system. Mixing and matching I found as I was changing over left me with a sub-par end result. Even working on the floor with low saw horses changes things, just keep in mind that tall people or those with sore backs and joints should be wary of going down that road.
Pull saws are the way to go, for sure. My experience with them started simple: a pruning saw that I used to build forts as a kid. So much more control.
I'm the same way. I ask for Jap saw in a tool store and when they say "No, but we have these really good..." I'm out the door before they finish the sentence! Maybe I should say "What? Are you calling me stupid?"!
Excellent tutorial. I've been using Japanese saws, planes and chisels since the mid '80s. Blue steel as well as white steel. Also I tried some cheaper Japanese chisels. They were worse than Western chisels by far. The best chisels were in a league of their own. Way beyond what Iever needed actually. In the end I used run of the mill American tools mostly. When I dinged the edge of one of my Oiichi blue steel chisels, I almost cried. That's why I mostly went back to American chisels like Buck and Stanley. Razor sharp of course.
I bought a couple nomi roughly 20 years ago and have had a bit of fear to mess up the edges since. They were "cheap" because they were mass produced (about $80 US each then), but this "cheap" was still amazingly high end compared with my other ones at the time. Next trip I can get and now that I've re-taken up woodworking, I may look into some additional options.
This was a great and honest overview, really glad you covered this after your previous video where you seemed to dispense with any pre-existing dishing on the back of the blade !
This is a great video about the Japanese chisels. I have a set of Japanese Blue Steel Chisels that were a gift from someone's grandfather over 30 years ago. He showed me how to sharpen them, how to set the rings and how to use them correctly. He also gave me a Japanese pull plane. I rarely use them, but I have them on the wall just to look at them. This act reinforced to me that in my job sometimes it is best to look at alternatives to the situation at hand.
I know it’s a minor point, but I just think Japanese chisels look really cool. All the other stuff about them is interesting to me too, but I love the aesthetic.
Hitachi white paper #1 will actually take a finer sharper edge than super blue if forged correctly, due to lack of alloys that the blue steel has. The grain structure can be finer in the non alloyed super white, allowing a finer edge. The alloys add durability in hardwoods, but have a coarser grain.
Yes, blue is not as capable of taking a super keen edge, but is stronger and more wear-resistant due to more carbides. If you do a lot of work in hardwoods, blue is the way to go.
Yep, coming from the chef knives hobby I will concur. Blues and Super Blues have extreme wear resistance and better corrosion resistance while White Steel, having finer carbines dull faster but get much much sharper and is significantly easier to sharpen.
Since blue paper steel contains tungsten and chromium it resists abrasion, so you can't get blue paper steel as sharp as white-paper nr1, but the edge of the blue-paper will hold longer. Once you sharpen white-paper and blue paper steel the difference will be obvious
Coming back to your channel after months from (hopefully) momentarily quitting woodworking after a small accident at the tablesaw that left me with a really bad OCD-PTSD. I am not able to watch related YT videos anymore, they trigger me quickly so very soon I stopped that too. Clicked on this because the subject was fine for me and I really missed your videos, half way to it and I already want to say that I'm glad you still are the best wood related content creator in the platform. Unvaluable knowledge you share, even tho I'm not using it anymore I am still very very grateful to you. Keep up, you are leaving an heritage for present and future woodworkes, please consider something like patreon or similar, I and many others, would definetly support you.
I wonder, would handsaws and other traditional non powered tools work for you as a replacement (temporary or permanent)? Seems like you still would like to practice the hobby, and if non-power tools don''t trigger your OCD-PTSD, that could be a venue. Either way, all the best.
@@louisvictor3473 You hit the point perfectly, it happend unfortunately when I was starting to get commisions and working during weekends and freetime to be able to quit my job and do it full time. Felt like I lost my way, but after a while I was in fact thinking to switch at a mostly handtools woodworking, which indeed works and doesn't trigger this absurd mental mechanism. To get to that point with power tools took me over 3 years, I feel discourage to start from 0 again and try to make a business from handtools only, but the love for it is still there so I hope and want to get back at it. Thanks, I have deeply appreciated your empathy.
Super cool to learn about! The breadth and depth of your knowledge never ceases to amaze me, and I'm continually impressed by how even-handed your approach is. So many aspects of woodworking are debated back and forth...hand tools vs power tools, western vs Japanese, traditional techniques vs newest innovations, plywood vs solid wood...but you respect them all, recognizing and sharing the pros and cons of each and reminding us that each has its place.
Most of what he said here was rehashed sales pitch from other tool vendors, and not all of it is relevant or accurate. For instance laminated steel was the normal method for constructing woodworking tools everywhere until about a hundred years or so ago. "White paper steel" should be called white label steel, because the name simply comes from the colour of the manufacturer's label. White paper steel is clean high-carbon steel, which again was commonly used until the 50's nearly everywhere. Blue label steel is alloyed, similar to Chrome Vanadium steels that have been used everywhere since the 30's.
I really enjoyed watching this video. Like my grandfather and uncles, my dad was a carpenter/boatbuilder and his edged hand tools were primarily of Japanese origin. Although my career path was very different to his, I’ve held on to his tools as they not only bring back fond memories but also serve as a connection for my sons to appreciate his woodworking skills. Cheees from 🇨🇦
You my boy blue, tks to you n James Wright I love my Richter chisels all from your closeups and talk. Never seen one in a person til deluged l delivered
"they dish out the back of the chisel to make it less work to flatten the back." as an old Mainer taught me years ago, you can learn a lot from a lazy man.
Sir, really, I've been following you for ages for your well-informed and grounded woodworking-related content. I also happen to be a long-time practitioner of Japanese (sword) martial arts. There is so much nonsense said and shown of it that makes one's heart weep. And here you are, showing footage of none other than Yoshio Sugino to illustrate sword arts! He's as legit as they come, and the style he studied is one of the few still existent today. I don't know if you have a good eye to filter out the bs mcdojo crap your search yielded, or if just by pure chance that was the first one you found, but in any case: Kudos and thanks!
Funny thing, what I've read from a good source, a guy who sells the chisels and has gone to Japan to watch them made and talked to the old smiths, is that the white paper steel is called that because the steel they used for the white paper steel chisels and other tools was delivered in white paper. Blue paper steel came wrapped in blue paper. But the steels themselves, Mitsubishi if I recall correctly, is relatively new, and came on private markets after WWII.
I bought a set of cheap Japanese chisels when i started out woodworking in Okinawa. I haven't needed another set, as they've held wonderfully for years
I've used A, D, M, and O steels, cryogenically treated steels, HCS, HSS, 10xx steels, and all I can say is, once I purchased Japanese chisels, I understood why white and blue paper steels are the alloys and preparation techniques of choice of Japanese masters. Unparalleled sharpness, fineness, edge retention, sharpening speed, and overall joy of working wood. The hollow back makes flattening a breeze. The accuracy of paring and mortising is better than cryogenically treated chisels. They are less prone to chipping than these steels. They slice the fibers rather than chip them away, particularly well on dense hardwoods because of the fineness of the edge. I don't use my Narex and other European or US made chisels anymore. They just don't make woodworking enjoyable or straightforward. Sharpening them is a long process that is unkind to your stones. Once you drop one and chip/bend the edge, the chisel is done. You will need to spend more work hours reestablishing an edge and sharpening than the tool costs. Rust and corrosion are another issue I have found less of an issue with on Japanese chisels because most of the steel is coated/blued. All this being said, not all Japanese chisels are equal. It is best to look for handcrafted ones. There are manufacturers making chisels in Japan with similar steels to western chisels.
I like how you ended the video 👍 None of that West vs Japanese fan-boy subjectivism. A great tool IS a great tool. Both require initial set-up and both do exactly what is written on the box; no more, nor less. Well.... you still need to know what the tool is and how to use it 😆
I have a Japanese chisel I bought for 50 cents at the flea market, took some cleaning and sharpening but it's long been one of my go-to's for that size.
Good overview of the tool geometry, what the back hollow is for. I must correct you about the white/blue steel description. As another viewer noted, the white/blue papers were the wrappers, so you have a way to know what material you have. There is also a "yellow paper" steel, softer than the others, mostly used for saws. These days I think the material is marked, not wrapped. White paper steel is basically fine grained high carbon steel, and if done right can produce the finest edge. The blue steels are alloys, containing tungsten, molybdenum, etc. These give the steel toughness and durability, hold that edge longer. But these alloys have with larger crystallin structures, so they don't get quite as sharp. I prefer blue steel for chopping, white steel for paring. It is just a preference. p.s., I go to Japan frequently, and have visited many blacksmiths in their shops. I am doing research for a book on Japanese woodworking tools, hopefully published later this year.
I think it’s the other way around, white steel is non alloyed and and can be sharper and is brittle, blue steel has tungsten chromium and some other alloys making it tougher and more resilient, and yeah harder to sharpen. The edge lasts longer but not as fine, white is carbon steel, more carbon, more brittle, sharper but could chip more. At the end of the day there’s a lot more to making the chisel work than the steel type. Sharpening technique matters more. Also FWIW I was taught not to tap out chisels, and only plane blades. Thanks for throwing some love at the Japanese woodworking people :)
Fun fact: in samurai swords the Hamon (harder at edge than at back) is a way to make the edge harder while keeping the thick spine flexible. Otherwise the sword gets too brittle. This is why samurai swords have the wave pattern in them: the spine is covered in a special clay keeping it cooler when hardening the blade.
When I first learned how to sharpen and learned the backs can be slightly concave or convex I wondered why manufacturers didn’t just make the backs intentionally concave to avoid the issue entirely. Maybe they should reconsider.
ah... wonderful. I just finished resetting the handle rings on a set of 8 i found in my rennovation home. I used an adjustable wrench opened to the ring diameter and a hammer to set them. That ring setter would have come in handy - the entire time i was faffing with the wrench i was wondering "surely there is a proper tool for this task...." lol oh well, too late now. Its all done.
I have some of those, and some great German made ones. I also use the "Stupid sharp" sharpening method. I work mainly with hard woods. Soft, chisels made of cheap steel just don't cut it; literally!
Perhaps comment on the effect of micro-bevels on Japanese chisels? I’ve been told multiple times that it is not a good way to sharpen them due to the fact that it leaves the hard brittle steel on the end of the chisel unsupported.
That's bullshit. A lot of advice out there comes from salesmen, and they love the single bevel sharpening method because it requires you to run trough multiple stones, and those are expensive. I use a Japanese 240 grit rough waterstone and do a secondary bevel on a fine natural oilstone, perfect edge in a minute most of the time.
@@johanneswerner1140 Im not sure, which is why I thought Stumpy might be able to enlighten us. He usually has very good evidence for the things he believes. I can certainly see your point.
The reason that microbevels aren't a thing with Japanese chisels is because they aren't needed. The lamination of the softer iron and harder steel makes the need for a microbevel completely unnecessary. It's also this lamination that helps to add support to the hard, brittle steel (the softer iron is much tougher than the harder steel), and putting a microbevel on the chisel would compromise that support and could easily lead to a chipped, or maybe even snapped, edge. If you need a steeper angle, just make the entire bevel that angle.
I live in Japan now and consequently exclusively use Japanese chisels. They are great but I honestly miss my western chisels. That said. Even when I lived in the US I only used Japanese saws. I just like the pull stroke.
Agreed on the saws; even when I was a kid working with my dad's tools, the push stroke never felt comfortable nor made a lot of sense to me (except for quickly ripping rough lumber). I'm using Japanese saws exclusively for a while now. I'm not sold on their chisels but it seems they do have a few advantages worth trying out.
do you miss them because you really want to use them or because it signifies home to you and you're homesick/feeling nostalgic for home? If you really wanted to use some western chisels, I'm sure they're sold in Japan or could at least be shipped there.
One whittyness: The steel is neither blue nor white. The producer, Hitachi, wraps the steel in blue or white paper. So it's not "Blue paper-steel" but rather "Blue-paper steel".
Japanese Chisels are high quality (white is my preference), the concave back makes flattening the back easy., but are there shortcomings for this style of chisel? love the show and all the tips and sources of cool tools.
Reminds me of beaver teeth. If you look from the front, you may notice beaver teeth are orange. This is because their enamel has a lot of iron in it, but only on the front. The front side of the tooth is very hard. The back side is softer. This means the teeth wear unevenly front to back, which continually sharpens them.
I always wanted to try them, but not knowing what to look for, which such a price range stop me from buying some. Do you have brandd you would recommend (economy, mid-range, high-end) ?
I got a set of Japanese chisels from Woodcraft a while ago. When I went to sharpen them, I noticed that the bevel l is around 30 or 35°. I sharpened them all to 25° and put a micro bevel of 30° on them Only to find out that I may have made a mistake. Should I have kept them at the original bevel? Also, should Japanese chisels have a micro bevel? I was told that they should not. Couldn’t find any information to explain. Can you address that?
Japanese chisels are generally not micro-beveled because of the lamination process. The steeper 25 degree bevel leaves more of the hard, potentially brittle steel protruding unsupported by the rest of the bevel. Instead, the whole bevel is generally ground to the angle that you would otherwise reserve for the micro-bevel.
@@StumpyNubs thank you for taking the time to write a reply. That helps a lot. What about the original bevel on the Japanese chisels. They came with about 30-35 degree. It took me forever to reprofile them to 25 degree. Are they designed to be used at the original level angle, did I make a mistake by reprofiling them? P.s I have other sets of European chisels, the Japanese ones are not the only chisels available to me. If they are meant to be used at a steeper angle, I’ll reprofile them to original angle.
@@shauldvosis4693 I assume your micro-bevel was around 30 degrees. That was my point about grinding the entire bevel to the angle you would otherwise grind the mocro-bevel. As for what to do now, I'd just use them as they are. Eventually your micro-bevel will overtake the thin strip of steel as it widens to cover the whole bevel. In the future, I would just keep it all at around 30 degrees.
@@StumpyNubs thank you so much🙏 and thank you for the value that you provide the community. Sharing your knowledge and information through your videos has made me a better woodworker as I am a longtime subscriber. I Appreciate it greatly.
I prefer to use my Japanese Chisels and Saws, even in Australian Hardwoods, the edges last longer, even better than the Witherby's. I mainly pare with chisels and use the ubiquitous Stanley Construction Chisels for Slogging.
Question: Why didn't the hollowed out back ever make it's way to hand planes? Surely as long as the flat reference exists around the edges and the mouth it'd work fine and save cost and maintenance time, right?
There are many issues never discussed with Japanese steel products. Japanese swords were never the sharpest. That honor goes to historic Damascus blades. The secret of their production is lost to history. Japanese available iron ore was not of excellent quality. The chisels use a historic process common to other cultures around the world. The British empire used the same processes so the 13 colonies also did so. As the economy expanded the small wood shops faded as did the older technology including chisels. Steel alloys provided a compromise between sharpening and functional durability in hard use. We still maintain that compromise today with improved alloys. The genius of Japan is their traditional skill to maximize what they have available. There was no white powder to mix with uruushi resin so egg shells were dyed and carefully laid within the uncured resin. Gold was scarce so a patination process was created to change the appearance of copper to appear golden. Traditional Japanese finishing brushes using natural hairs are far superior to any synthetic we use and are only rivaled by expensive art brushes. If somebody wants a good side hustle, this is one.
Truth is that all of the mystique around the katana, folding and welding and folding and welding, was driven by the low quality of the iron ore that the Japanese had access to. Europeans had been fold-welding swords as early as 500 BCE, but pretty much abandoned it by 1200 CE.
Finally someone!! A lot of the stuff that people idolise about the Japanese techniques, methods, processes etc, it's a real load of crap. In particular, when it comes to woodworking, I am shocked by the contempt with which woodworking that has been done in Europe for the last 1000 years is treated in comparison to Japanese tools and processes that are simply ridiculous in comparison.
Europeans did it to save on steel. The Japanese did it as a feature to compliment their harder steel. Whether it is needed is a different argument (modern cryogenic steel is very hard, yet those chisels are not laminated). But to suggest the West is superior because they no longer laminate blades is to misunderstand the purpose of the Japanese techniques.
A question that has puzzled me for a long time - and not specifically about Japanese chisels. It seems that almost everyone uses bevelled edge chisels exclusively, not firmer chisels. For sure they do different jobs, but why are firmer chisels rarely used (and more difficult to find for sale)? They are much better, I think, for cutting square holes in wood (mortices, for example).
I have a couple of Robert Sorby chisels I would call firmers, although they were sold on Lee Valley as registered mortice chisels. One is 1/2" and the other 1". Both are broader than they are thick, unlike the "pig-sticker" style mortice chisel. I will eventually by a true 1/2" mortice chisel, but the firmer works and was a lot less expensive. I haven't even seen a 1" mortice chisel. I think Narex also sell firmers in a range of sizes. I think it's worth having some, but I suppose bevel-edged are more of a bench chisel--versatile enough for nearly any job. It's easier to cut mortices with a beveled edge than to cut dovetails with a firmer. But I am firmly in the school that you can never have too many chisels.
From my short experience with them and memory, modern chisels are basically a fusion of firmer chisels (or forming chisels, if you translate the original french) and le old pairing chisels, so the main difference is that modern beveled chisels are just more versatile, as they do the same jobs those two older styles do and in theory just as good (not accounting for personal practice with each and preference, that is).
@@louisvictor3473 I find with bevel chisels that when cutting a mortice there is a tendency to distort the corners, because there is not enough flat on the sides of the chisel. Of course, a mortice chisel would be the answer, but a firmer does quite well. As you say, personal choice comes into it.
I love my Ouchi Nomi chisels that I picked up a few years ago. They will happily let me pound on them with a mallet to cut into Jarrah, I've not come across a western chisel that'll compare in durability or ability to hold an edge.
Can someone help me understand… As a large part of the bevel is actually made up of soft metal. When sharpening the bevel side on a diamond stone, wouldn’t this softer metal clog up the stone as it is worn away?
When using diamond or CBN Wheels this can sort of be an issue. I've noticed that the soft iron heats up very fast on my CBN wheel, much faster than hardened steel. On a regular wheel it's the opposite, and so you risk overheating. In Japan they use grinder with the normal wheel but leave a couple millimeters at the end untouched, and finish by hand on a waterstone.
Thank you James, Very interesting and informative. But for the price of those you get a DIY kit((( It is ridiculous to pay a fortune and then upgrade a chisel, soak handle in water push the ring with that special cone etc More relates to religious rituals then to woodworking )))
Japanese blades are so weird. have a look at the Japanese "skiving knife" which is actually just a leather knife, because of the single bevel you need to tilt the blade to get a straight cut. honestly ive found it really nice to use
@@StumpyNubs No worries. I just thought having "Samurai" in the title was eye catching. Although it is in the thumbnail. Anyway love your work as always. You're definitely one of the best woodworking channels on TH-cam.
Modern Japanese steels are very, very good. You kind of have the steels mixed up though. White steels get markedly sharper than blue steels. They have almost no durability/edge holding though...as they have no alloying agents. They are VERY easy to sharpen...again, due to no alloying agents. 'Hardness' has nothing to do with it. For a consistently maintained tool like a professionally used chisel, the white steel makes more sense. Many Japanese knives...particularly those used for sushi (sashimi) are white steel for the same reason. Sushi chefs are constantly sharpening their knives...as the sharper the edge, the more clean the surface of the sliced product. Also, Japanese single bevel culinary knives have a hollow back, or 'ura'. For the exact same reasons.
When I say one takes a finer edge than the other, I am speaking of the final result. If the edge immediately disappears, it is irrelevant that it was there for a moment directly off the stone. As for hardness, my understanding may be wrong. I am not an expert in tool steel. But I was always taught that blue steel, particularly varieties such as super blue, are very hard.
@@StumpyNubsWhite label steel is simply a clean high carbon, like on old cast steel chisels. It sharpens easily and so gets super sharp. Blue label steel is similar to Chrome-Vanadium alloys you can find on more recent tools. They have a much better abrasion resistance, which is good when you work with dirty wood, hard or tropical woods, plywoods... But harder to sharpen, because sharpening uses abrasion.
Katanas are the single most overrated weapon. The Celts were forging folded laminated steel of at least equal quality 300 to 600 years before the Japanese came upon the technique.
The US still uses round nails while the rest of the world has gone to Ardox or square nails. Ditto for screwdrivers; the US uses the Philips and flat blade instead of the superior Robertson. Why is this?
You are over generalizing... The US uses all sorts of nails and all sorts of screw heads. If I go to any hardware store I will find as many TORX (star) head construction screws as Phillips, and "flat blade" (slotted) heads are the least common of all.
Not recommended to use diamond stones for sharpening Japanese chisels, the softer metal gums up the diamond stone, I have a lot of experience with this.
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*Tools used in this video:*
M-Power SBS Diamond Sharpening System: A complete system for razor sharp edges in a wonderful, compact carrying case! www.mpower-tools.com/product-category/diamond-sharpening/
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Sorry for the rant that nearly no one cares about in advance. White paper steel(Shirogami) can be hardened to even higher rockwell than Blue paper steel (Aogami), I believe you either misspoke or don't know but the difference is, Shirogami is essentially a non-alloyed steel, or true steel if you prefer, made of only carbon and iron and almost no contaminants or alloying metals. Conversely Aogami is a modern super steel with high levels of carbides specifically martensite giving the steel insane edge retention. Both steels have pros and cons, I strongly prefer Shirogami #1 hardened to 65+ rockwell, although it dulls much faster than the Aogami it's also much easier to sharpen by hand and therefore I find I get a keener edge and it is sharp more of the time because I don't dread sharpening it.
I've had Japanese chisels for years but only recently learned how to sharpen and use them. Found out the hard way that they're too short to fit in most western honing guides so I made my own honing guide from internet plans, but then found the bevel wouldn't lay flat onto my M-Power SBS Diamond Sharpening System stones (same ones in the video) without some modification. It now works fine and got me through the learning phase of sharpening new chisels. I won't say I'm a pro at it yet, but I can now do a decent job of honing these chisels without the honing guide. Since then I built a lab table with some angled mortise and tenon joints that I could not have built without the chisels.
I love my Japanese chisels and saws. I switched from western style tools a couple years ago to just try something different. I won't willingly go back now, the chisels are fantastic. Japanese tools are really part of a soft wood working system. Mixing and matching I found as I was changing over left me with a sub-par end result. Even working on the floor with low saw horses changes things, just keep in mind that tall people or those with sore backs and joints should be wary of going down that road.
I threw away my western style hand saws in the 90's in favor of the pull saw.
Pull saws are the way to go, for sure. My experience with them started simple: a pruning saw that I used to build forts as a kid. So much more control.
I'm the same way. I ask for Jap saw in a tool store and when they say "No, but we have these really good..." I'm out the door before they finish the sentence! Maybe I should say "What? Are you calling me stupid?"!
When 0 tables are tall enough the ground is better…
Excellent tutorial.
I've been using Japanese saws, planes and chisels since the mid '80s. Blue steel as well as white steel. Also I tried some cheaper Japanese chisels. They were worse than Western chisels by far.
The best chisels were in a league of their own. Way beyond what Iever needed actually.
In the end I used run of the mill American tools mostly. When I dinged the edge of one of my Oiichi blue steel chisels, I almost cried.
That's why I mostly went back to American chisels like Buck and Stanley. Razor sharp of course.
Awesome video, as always. The history you provided is beyond interest.
I bought a couple nomi roughly 20 years ago and have had a bit of fear to mess up the edges since. They were "cheap" because they were mass produced (about $80 US each then), but this "cheap" was still amazingly high end compared with my other ones at the time. Next trip I can get and now that I've re-taken up woodworking, I may look into some additional options.
This was a great and honest overview, really glad you covered this after your previous video where you seemed to dispense with any pre-existing dishing on the back of the blade !
I have some Japanese chisels that i bought as a present to myself. I don't use them often, but they make me happy when i do.
Thanks Stumpy. I didn't know there was a difference between Japanese and Western styles. 😊
This is a great video about the Japanese chisels. I have a set of Japanese Blue Steel Chisels that were a gift from someone's grandfather over 30 years ago. He showed me how to sharpen them, how to set the rings and how to use them correctly. He also gave me a Japanese pull plane. I rarely use them, but I have them on the wall just to look at them. This act reinforced to me that in my job sometimes it is best to look at alternatives to the situation at hand.
Every time I watch a video with Stumpy, I want to spend money on a new tool. 😂
Same here. 😂
Same, and I don't even woodwork
Thanks James, I bought 4 Japanese chisels last week. With your video I can now correctly prepare and use them.
I know it’s a minor point, but I just think Japanese chisels look really cool. All the other stuff about them is interesting to me too, but I love the aesthetic.
Thanks a bunch for the lesson, James! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
Hitachi white paper #1 will actually take a finer sharper edge than super blue if forged correctly, due to lack of alloys that the blue steel has. The grain structure can be finer in the non alloyed super white, allowing a finer edge. The alloys add durability in hardwoods, but have a coarser grain.
Yes, blue is not as capable of taking a super keen edge, but is stronger and more wear-resistant due to more carbides. If you do a lot of work in hardwoods, blue is the way to go.
Yep, coming from the chef knives hobby I will concur. Blues and Super Blues have extreme wear resistance and better corrosion resistance while White Steel, having finer carbines dull faster but get much much sharper and is significantly easier to sharpen.
Since blue paper steel contains tungsten and chromium it resists abrasion, so you can't get blue paper steel as sharp as white-paper nr1, but the edge of the blue-paper will hold longer. Once you sharpen white-paper and blue paper steel the difference will be obvious
What is the gold line then?
@@eloysiuschiangsuper blue is a whole different animal like supergold
Coming back to your channel after months from (hopefully) momentarily quitting woodworking after a small accident at the tablesaw that left me with a really bad OCD-PTSD. I am not able to watch related YT videos anymore, they trigger me quickly so very soon I stopped that too. Clicked on this because the subject was fine for me and I really missed your videos, half way to it and I already want to say that I'm glad you still are the best wood related content creator in the platform. Unvaluable knowledge you share, even tho I'm not using it anymore I am still very very grateful to you. Keep up, you are leaving an heritage for present and future woodworkes, please consider something like patreon or similar, I and many others, would definetly support you.
I wonder, would handsaws and other traditional non powered tools work for you as a replacement (temporary or permanent)? Seems like you still would like to practice the hobby, and if non-power tools don''t trigger your OCD-PTSD, that could be a venue. Either way, all the best.
@@louisvictor3473 You hit the point perfectly, it happend unfortunately when I was starting to get commisions and working during weekends and freetime to be able to quit my job and do it full time. Felt like I lost my way, but after a while I was in fact thinking to switch at a mostly handtools woodworking, which indeed works and doesn't trigger this absurd mental mechanism. To get to that point with power tools took me over 3 years, I feel discourage to start from 0 again and try to make a business from handtools only, but the love for it is still there so I hope and want to get back at it. Thanks, I have deeply appreciated your empathy.
Super cool to learn about! The breadth and depth of your knowledge never ceases to amaze me, and I'm continually impressed by how even-handed your approach is. So many aspects of woodworking are debated back and forth...hand tools vs power tools, western vs Japanese, traditional techniques vs newest innovations, plywood vs solid wood...but you respect them all, recognizing and sharing the pros and cons of each and reminding us that each has its place.
Most of what he said here was rehashed sales pitch from other tool vendors, and not all of it is relevant or accurate.
For instance laminated steel was the normal method for constructing woodworking tools everywhere until about a hundred years or so ago.
"White paper steel" should be called white label steel, because the name simply comes from the colour of the manufacturer's label. White paper steel is clean high-carbon steel, which again was commonly used until the 50's nearly everywhere. Blue label steel is alloyed, similar to Chrome Vanadium steels that have been used everywhere since the 30's.
Most people that hail my skills with hand tools, are not willing to pay but made in China on a CNC prices!
This was a very good explanation of Japanese tools and history. Very much appreciated. Thank you.
I really enjoyed watching this video.
Like my grandfather and uncles, my dad was a carpenter/boatbuilder and his edged hand tools were primarily of Japanese origin. Although my career path was very different to his, I’ve held on to his tools as they not only bring back fond memories but also serve as a connection for my sons to appreciate his woodworking skills. Cheees from 🇨🇦
You are one of the most knowledgeable woodworkers that shares with us. Thank you so much!!
You my boy blue, tks to you n James Wright I love my Richter chisels all from your closeups and talk. Never seen one in a person til deluged l delivered
"they dish out the back of the chisel to make it less work to flatten the back."
as an old Mainer taught me years ago, you can learn a lot from a lazy man.
I always wondered about the hollow back in Japanese chisels. Now I know. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂
Sir, really, I've been following you for ages for your well-informed and grounded woodworking-related content. I also happen to be a long-time practitioner of Japanese (sword) martial arts. There is so much nonsense said and shown of it that makes one's heart weep. And here you are, showing footage of none other than Yoshio Sugino to illustrate sword arts! He's as legit as they come, and the style he studied is one of the few still existent today. I don't know if you have a good eye to filter out the bs mcdojo crap your search yielded, or if just by pure chance that was the first one you found, but in any case: Kudos and thanks!
Funny thing, what I've read from a good source, a guy who sells the chisels and has gone to Japan to watch them made and talked to the old smiths, is that the white paper steel is called that because the steel they used for the white paper steel chisels and other tools was delivered in white paper. Blue paper steel came wrapped in blue paper. But the steels themselves, Mitsubishi if I recall correctly, is relatively new, and came on private markets after WWII.
I bought a set of cheap Japanese chisels when i started out woodworking in Okinawa. I haven't needed another set, as they've held wonderfully for years
Informative, simple educative.
Thanks! Your channel is my go-to.
Was hoping Stumpy's no nonsense approach to info videos would help me get to sleep but now I'm just shopping for Japanese chisels online 😁
I've used A, D, M, and O steels, cryogenically treated steels, HCS, HSS, 10xx steels, and all I can say is, once I purchased Japanese chisels, I understood why white and blue paper steels are the alloys and preparation techniques of choice of Japanese masters. Unparalleled sharpness, fineness, edge retention, sharpening speed, and overall joy of working wood. The hollow back makes flattening a breeze. The accuracy of paring and mortising is better than cryogenically treated chisels. They are less prone to chipping than these steels. They slice the fibers rather than chip them away, particularly well on dense hardwoods because of the fineness of the edge. I don't use my Narex and other European or US made chisels anymore. They just don't make woodworking enjoyable or straightforward. Sharpening them is a long process that is unkind to your stones. Once you drop one and chip/bend the edge, the chisel is done. You will need to spend more work hours reestablishing an edge and sharpening than the tool costs. Rust and corrosion are another issue I have found less of an issue with on Japanese chisels because most of the steel is coated/blued. All this being said, not all Japanese chisels are equal. It is best to look for handcrafted ones. There are manufacturers making chisels in Japan with similar steels to western chisels.
That was some more awesome information on sharpening chisels. Thanks for sharing with us James. Stay safe and keep up the great work. Fred.
the explanation we waited for. Thank you!
4:37 not only is this guy informational with a well organized large tool set up. He has a good taste in mechanical pencils.
Thanks so much for this information. I've been wanting to know more about chisels and this is perfect
Great video on these chisels, thank you.
I like how you ended the video 👍
None of that West vs Japanese fan-boy subjectivism. A great tool IS a great tool. Both require initial set-up and both do exactly what is written on the box; no more, nor less. Well.... you still need to know what the tool is and how to use it 😆
I have a Japanese chisel I bought for 50 cents at the flea market, took some cleaning and sharpening but it's long been one of my go-to's for that size.
You do an excellent job with these videos.
Good overview of the tool geometry, what the back hollow is for.
I must correct you about the white/blue steel description. As another viewer noted, the white/blue papers were the wrappers, so you have a way to know what material you have. There is also a "yellow paper" steel, softer than the others, mostly used for saws. These days I think the material is marked, not wrapped.
White paper steel is basically fine grained high carbon steel, and if done right can produce the finest edge. The blue steels are alloys, containing tungsten, molybdenum, etc. These give the steel toughness and durability, hold that edge longer. But these alloys have with larger crystallin structures, so they don't get quite as sharp.
I prefer blue steel for chopping, white steel for paring. It is just a preference.
p.s., I go to Japan frequently, and have visited many blacksmiths in their shops. I am doing research for a book on Japanese woodworking tools, hopefully published later this year.
hitachi white and blue are both basically very clean 1095 steel.
I think it’s the other way around, white steel is non alloyed and and can be sharper and is brittle, blue steel has tungsten chromium and some other alloys making it tougher and more resilient, and yeah harder to sharpen. The edge lasts longer but not as fine, white is carbon steel, more carbon, more brittle, sharper but could chip more. At the end of the day there’s a lot more to making the chisel work than the steel type. Sharpening technique matters more. Also FWIW I was taught not to tap out chisels, and only plane blades. Thanks for throwing some love at the Japanese woodworking people :)
I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.
They are awesome. I have several, and prefer the longer handled temple building chisels.
Great tools. Different, though, not weird.
Fun fact: in samurai swords the Hamon (harder at edge than at back) is a way to make the edge harder while keeping the thick spine flexible. Otherwise the sword gets too brittle.
This is why samurai swords have the wave pattern in them: the spine is covered in a special clay keeping it cooler when hardening the blade.
Would a ratchet socket work just as well for a ring setter ?
When I first learned how to sharpen and learned the backs can be slightly concave or convex I wondered why manufacturers didn’t just make the backs intentionally concave to avoid the issue entirely. Maybe they should reconsider.
Interesting as always
ah... wonderful. I just finished resetting the handle rings on a set of 8 i found in my rennovation home. I used an adjustable wrench opened to the ring diameter and a hammer to set them. That ring setter would have come in handy - the entire time i was faffing with the wrench i was wondering "surely there is a proper tool for this task...." lol oh well, too late now. Its all done.
What was that sharpening stone set that he pulled out?
Great video!!!
Fun stuff, thanks!
This is a model example of a perfect YT video.
I have some of those, and some great German made ones. I also use the "Stupid sharp" sharpening method. I work mainly with hard woods. Soft, chisels made of cheap steel just don't cut it; literally!
I have a blue paper steel kitchen knife with a laminated blade. Its super cool crazy sharp and as soon as it hits meat it gets this dark blue patina.
Great intro, I can really tell you have a new camera and new setup.
Great video
Perhaps comment on the effect of micro-bevels on Japanese chisels? I’ve been told multiple times that it is not a good way to sharpen them due to the fact that it leaves the hard brittle steel on the end of the chisel unsupported.
Wouldn't it result in more support as your secondary bevel angle is higher than the primary?
That's bullshit. A lot of advice out there comes from salesmen, and they love the single bevel sharpening method because it requires you to run trough multiple stones, and those are expensive.
I use a Japanese 240 grit rough waterstone and do a secondary bevel on a fine natural oilstone, perfect edge in a minute most of the time.
@@johanneswerner1140 Im not sure, which is why I thought Stumpy might be able to enlighten us. He usually has very good evidence for the things he believes. I can certainly see your point.
The reason that microbevels aren't a thing with Japanese chisels is because they aren't needed. The lamination of the softer iron and harder steel makes the need for a microbevel completely unnecessary. It's also this lamination that helps to add support to the hard, brittle steel (the softer iron is much tougher than the harder steel), and putting a microbevel on the chisel would compromise that support and could easily lead to a chipped, or maybe even snapped, edge. If you need a steeper angle, just make the entire bevel that angle.
@@johanneswerner1140it doesn't actually. Like OP surmised, a microbevel leaves the hard steel unsupported from the tougher soft-iron laminate.
I live in Japan now and consequently exclusively use Japanese chisels. They are great but I honestly miss my western chisels. That said. Even when I lived in the US I only used Japanese saws. I just like the pull stroke.
Agreed on the saws; even when I was a kid working with my dad's tools, the push stroke never felt comfortable nor made a lot of sense to me (except for quickly ripping rough lumber). I'm using Japanese saws exclusively for a while now. I'm not sold on their chisels but it seems they do have a few advantages worth trying out.
do you miss them because you really want to use them or because it signifies home to you and you're homesick/feeling nostalgic for home? If you really wanted to use some western chisels, I'm sure they're sold in Japan or could at least be shipped there.
One whittyness: The steel is neither blue nor white. The producer, Hitachi, wraps the steel in blue or white paper. So it's not "Blue paper-steel" but rather "Blue-paper steel".
Levi! But what a mess -- expensive mess! Glad it was your shop and not mine. That said, the desk is a knockout!
Was this comment meant for someone else's video?
Do you have a good source for Japanese Style Chisles?
Japanese Chisels are high quality (white is my preference), the concave back makes flattening the back easy., but are there shortcomings for this style of chisel?
love the show and all the tips and sources of cool tools.
There is also HSS, high speed steel, which is more abrasion resistant.
How to tell the difference between white and blue steel?
Reminds me of beaver teeth. If you look from the front, you may notice beaver teeth are orange. This is because their enamel has a lot of iron in it, but only on the front. The front side of the tooth is very hard. The back side is softer. This means the teeth wear unevenly front to back, which continually sharpens them.
Who makes the triple diamond plate you were using?
www.mpower-tools.com/product/side-by-side-diamond-sharpening-bench-stone-sharpener/
I dropped my stones, so I might actually come back for your sharpening set when I stop being broke
Thanks
I always wanted to try them, but not knowing what to look for, which such a price range stop me from buying some. Do you have brandd you would recommend (economy, mid-range, high-end) ?
I reckon Mr Stumpy read my comment about the hollow in the back of the western style chisel...
Mr. James Hamilton + Herr Matthias Wandel = ...what more info do people really want/ need to know regarding woodworking..? 🤔👍
I got a set of Japanese chisels from Woodcraft a while ago. When I went to sharpen them, I noticed that the bevel l is around 30 or 35°. I sharpened them all to 25° and put a micro bevel of 30° on them Only to find out that I may have made a mistake. Should I have kept them at the original bevel? Also, should Japanese chisels have a micro bevel? I was told that they should not. Couldn’t find any information to explain. Can you address that?
Japanese chisels are generally not micro-beveled because of the lamination process. The steeper 25 degree bevel leaves more of the hard, potentially brittle steel protruding unsupported by the rest of the bevel. Instead, the whole bevel is generally ground to the angle that you would otherwise reserve for the micro-bevel.
@@StumpyNubs thank you for taking the time to write a reply. That helps a lot. What about the original bevel on the Japanese chisels. They came with about 30-35 degree. It took me forever to reprofile them to 25 degree. Are they designed to be used at the original level angle, did I make a mistake by reprofiling them? P.s I have other sets of European chisels, the Japanese ones are not the only chisels available to me. If they are meant to be used at a steeper angle, I’ll reprofile them to original angle.
@@shauldvosis4693 I assume your micro-bevel was around 30 degrees. That was my point about grinding the entire bevel to the angle you would otherwise grind the mocro-bevel. As for what to do now, I'd just use them as they are. Eventually your micro-bevel will overtake the thin strip of steel as it widens to cover the whole bevel. In the future, I would just keep it all at around 30 degrees.
@@StumpyNubs thank you so much🙏 and thank you for the value that you provide the community. Sharing your knowledge and information through your videos has made me a better woodworker as I am a longtime subscriber. I Appreciate it greatly.
At 10:38 why? Why cut the wood fibres down to show its sharp. Time served would shave up, with the grain. As soon as I saw you do that I knew.
Only a very sharp chisel will cut end grain cleanly without tearing the fibers.
I prefer to use my Japanese Chisels and Saws, even in Australian Hardwoods, the edges last longer, even better than the Witherby's. I mainly pare with chisels and use the ubiquitous Stanley Construction Chisels for Slogging.
A very well-made and informative video. Do you use your diamond system to sharpen your Japanese chisels?
Question: Why didn't the hollowed out back ever make it's way to hand planes? Surely as long as the flat reference exists around the edges and the mouth it'd work fine and save cost and maintenance time, right?
Japanese plane irons have hollow backs.
There are many issues never discussed with Japanese steel products. Japanese swords were never the sharpest. That honor goes to historic Damascus blades. The secret of their production is lost to history. Japanese available iron ore was not of excellent quality. The chisels use a historic process common to other cultures around the world. The British empire used the same processes so the 13 colonies also did so. As the economy expanded the small wood shops faded as did the older technology including chisels. Steel alloys provided a compromise between sharpening and functional durability in hard use. We still maintain that compromise today with improved alloys. The genius of Japan is their traditional skill to maximize what they have available. There was no white powder to mix with uruushi resin so egg shells were dyed and carefully laid within the uncured resin. Gold was scarce so a patination process was created to change the appearance of copper to appear golden. Traditional Japanese finishing brushes using natural hairs are far superior to any synthetic we use and are only rivaled by expensive art brushes. If somebody wants a good side hustle, this is one.
Hey i have that hammer! Its so awesome.
Truth is that all of the mystique around the katana, folding and welding and folding and welding, was driven by the low quality of the iron ore that the Japanese had access to.
Europeans had been fold-welding swords as early as 500 BCE, but pretty much abandoned it by 1200 CE.
Finally someone!! A lot of the stuff that people idolise about the Japanese techniques, methods, processes etc, it's a real load of crap. In particular, when it comes to woodworking, I am shocked by the contempt with which woodworking that has been done in Europe for the last 1000 years is treated in comparison to Japanese tools and processes that are simply ridiculous in comparison.
Europeans did it to save on steel. The Japanese did it as a feature to compliment their harder steel. Whether it is needed is a different argument (modern cryogenic steel is very hard, yet those chisels are not laminated). But to suggest the West is superior because they no longer laminate blades is to misunderstand the purpose of the Japanese techniques.
There is a PBS NOVA: The Secrets of the Samurai Sword (known as the Katana). I have the DVD. It's a fascinating story.
A question that has puzzled me for a long time - and not specifically about Japanese chisels. It seems that almost everyone uses bevelled edge chisels exclusively, not firmer chisels. For sure they do different jobs, but why are firmer chisels rarely used (and more difficult to find for sale)? They are much better, I think, for cutting square holes in wood (mortices, for example).
I have a couple of Robert Sorby chisels I would call firmers, although they were sold on Lee Valley as registered mortice chisels. One is 1/2" and the other 1". Both are broader than they are thick, unlike the "pig-sticker" style mortice chisel. I will eventually by a true 1/2" mortice chisel, but the firmer works and was a lot less expensive. I haven't even seen a 1" mortice chisel. I think Narex also sell firmers in a range of sizes. I think it's worth having some, but I suppose bevel-edged are more of a bench chisel--versatile enough for nearly any job. It's easier to cut mortices with a beveled edge than to cut dovetails with a firmer.
But I am firmly in the school that you can never have too many chisels.
From my short experience with them and memory, modern chisels are basically a fusion of firmer chisels (or forming chisels, if you translate the original french) and le old pairing chisels, so the main difference is that modern beveled chisels are just more versatile, as they do the same jobs those two older styles do and in theory just as good (not accounting for personal practice with each and preference, that is).
@@louisvictor3473 I find with bevel chisels that when cutting a mortice there is a tendency to distort the corners, because there is not enough flat on the sides of the chisel. Of course, a mortice chisel would be the answer, but a firmer does quite well. As you say, personal choice comes into it.
I love my Ouchi Nomi chisels that I picked up a few years ago. They will happily let me pound on them with a mallet to cut into Jarrah, I've not come across a western chisel that'll compare in durability or ability to hold an edge.
Can someone help me understand… As a large part of the bevel is actually made up of soft metal. When sharpening the bevel side on a diamond stone, wouldn’t this softer metal clog up the stone as it is worn away?
When using diamond or CBN Wheels this can sort of be an issue.
I've noticed that the soft iron heats up very fast on my CBN wheel, much faster than hardened steel. On a regular wheel it's the opposite, and so you risk overheating.
In Japan they use grinder with the normal wheel but leave a couple millimeters at the end untouched, and finish by hand on a waterstone.
Stumpy- you mentioned a friend that sells plate glass and paper. Do you have the address? I like to support the little guy when possible !!
Thanks
There is a link below the video
6:30 the problem in sharpening the back is the neck of a chisel
❤
Can we get a video on cranked neck chisels?
Thank you James,
Very interesting and informative.
But for the price of those you get a DIY kit(((
It is ridiculous to pay a fortune and then upgrade a chisel, soak handle in water push the ring with that special cone etc
More relates to religious rituals then to woodworking )))
I'd love to see how these compare to PMV-11 in terms of edge durability. Aesthetically there's no question the Japanese chisels are superior, imo.
Japanese blades are so weird. have a look at the Japanese "skiving knife" which is actually just a leather knife, because of the single bevel you need to tilt the blade to get a straight cut. honestly ive found it really nice to use
Could you comment on Japanese chisel brands and maybe link to them?
👍👍👍
Why did you change the title?
I often try different titles and thumbnails when a video is first launched to find what works the best.
@@StumpyNubs No worries. I just thought having "Samurai" in the title was eye catching. Although it is in the thumbnail. Anyway love your work as always. You're definitely one of the best woodworking channels on TH-cam.
Modern Japanese steels are very, very good. You kind of have the steels mixed up though. White steels get markedly sharper than blue steels. They have almost no durability/edge holding though...as they have no alloying agents. They are VERY easy to sharpen...again, due to no alloying agents. 'Hardness' has nothing to do with it. For a consistently maintained tool like a professionally used chisel, the white steel makes more sense. Many Japanese knives...particularly those used for sushi (sashimi) are white steel for the same reason. Sushi chefs are constantly sharpening their knives...as the sharper the edge, the more clean the surface of the sliced product.
Also, Japanese single bevel culinary knives have a hollow back, or 'ura'. For the exact same reasons.
When I say one takes a finer edge than the other, I am speaking of the final result. If the edge immediately disappears, it is irrelevant that it was there for a moment directly off the stone. As for hardness, my understanding may be wrong. I am not an expert in tool steel. But I was always taught that blue steel, particularly varieties such as super blue, are very hard.
@@StumpyNubsWhite label steel is simply a clean high carbon, like on old cast steel chisels. It sharpens easily and so gets super sharp.
Blue label steel is similar to Chrome-Vanadium alloys you can find on more recent tools. They have a much better abrasion resistance, which is good when you work with dirty wood, hard or tropical woods, plywoods... But harder to sharpen, because sharpening uses abrasion.
5:02 chisiel
did i miss a link to these traditional style japanese chisels? I doubt the quality of what amazon shows me when i take a look
I'm choosing to ignore a portion of the video and will now adamantly insist my $30 5 piece set from Menards is superior.
Katanas are the single most overrated weapon. The Celts were forging folded laminated steel of at least equal quality 300 to 600 years before the Japanese came upon the technique.
The US still uses round nails while the rest of the world has gone to Ardox or square nails. Ditto for screwdrivers; the US uses the Philips and flat blade instead of the superior Robertson. Why is this?
You are over generalizing... The US uses all sorts of nails and all sorts of screw heads. If I go to any hardware store I will find as many TORX (star) head construction screws as Phillips, and "flat blade" (slotted) heads are the least common of all.
Not recommended to use diamond stones for sharpening Japanese chisels, the softer metal gums up the diamond stone, I have a lot of experience with this.
Do you use any cutting fluid, or only do dry sharpening?
Cutting fluid
I have not had that problem over decades of sharpening Japanese tools.
@@jaywood8296 who did you commission to make your chisels?