Yes, good point, however Cliff's pool of potential buyers likely contains almost none who recognize that maker name, or any other Japanese one.
Yes, good point, however Cliff's pool of potential buyers likely contains almost none who recognize that maker name, or any other Japanese one.
The "subtle differences" comment is interesting. For some situations there are chisels in my accumulation that just feel better than any of my other chisels.They basically all perform well, with subtle differences, & better than any western chisels that I have used (not an extensive list).
Most notable is when pairing such as removing a shaving from a tight tenon. The feel as it slices through a thin layer of wood is almost like it is floating through butter while the shaving peels off.
Is a "subtle" difference in metallurgy between chisels enough to make one chisel glide through its work while another feels constrained?
jtk
Last edited by Jim Koepke; 04-21-2024 at 3:52 PM.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
A slight clarification. I said I was -considering- selling them.
The reason is because I'm switching over to hollow grinding and I've read where some advise against that for Japanese chisels. My other set are Veritas PM-V11, which can be hollow ground with no problem and I'm reluctant to need to maintain 2 different systems. At this point in my life I'm trying to simplify rather than complicate.
But after researching more I've found that a number of people whose opinion I respect say that it's fine to hollow grind Japanese chisels, so I'll give it a try.
Thank you all for your comments. It's much appreciated.
Cliff
The problem with the world is that intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.
Charles Bukowski
Keeping various groups of chisels in good working order can be a challenge. Toss in a bunch of gouges, turning tools, drill bits and other non-woodworking tools and things can drive a person to distraction.
As much as a good hollow grind is appreciated for the ease of freehand sharpening, it was more practical to go with equipment to maintain a flat bevel. Different strokes for different folks.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
IMO, the reason for hollow grinding is make it easier to maintain the angle on thin blades and to have less metal to remove while honing The thick Japanese ones have a much bigger surface to reference the stone, and the majority of that is softer iron. If they are hollow ground, the remaining softer metal of the chisel body tends to wear faster, decreasing the cutting angle. Less regular chisel shapes often do not fit well in honing guides- the back and the front are likely not parallel. The hard cutting edge is susceptible to burning- less of an issue these days with CBN wheels etc..
I have hollow ground a few Japanese chisels BITD, but concluded it was not worthwhile, particularly as it was so easy to burn the cutting edge on a bench grinder, you wouldn't grind all the way to the edge anyway. Nowadays with diamond stones it's much easier to remove material by hand as well.