Rutlands Japanese chisels
- Thread starter MBcarpentry
- Start date
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AJB Temple
Finely figured
I could easily be wrong, as Rutland have somewhat random brand terminology and descriptions, but I thought Tataki chisels are a sriking chisel in Japan. Bigger and stronger than a bench type chisel and used for hollowing out etc. These, however look much more like a standard Japanese style bench chisel.
I would ask a bit more about them, including what steel (probably white I should think). I bought some Japanese chisels, but that was when I was in Japan. If you visit Japanese tool shops the prices vary hugely (same as kitchen knife shops) from very cheap and utilitarian to very high end craftsman made (blue, damascus, fine finish, etc). It is very hard to tell where these would fit in the lower ranges from that picture and generic description, but the set is cheap so there is not a lot to lose.
I would ask a bit more about them, including what steel (probably white I should think). I bought some Japanese chisels, but that was when I was in Japan. If you visit Japanese tool shops the prices vary hugely (same as kitchen knife shops) from very cheap and utilitarian to very high end craftsman made (blue, damascus, fine finish, etc). It is very hard to tell where these would fit in the lower ranges from that picture and generic description, but the set is cheap so there is not a lot to lose.
MBcarpentry
Established Member
Yeah it does say that they are alloy steel not blue or white paper steel, just wondered if anyone had used them and if they were any good I have looked at a lot of the Japanese chisels and like you say they go from low to astronomical price I have seen a couple of sets for £5-6k!. I was going to pick a set of white paper steel chisels for around the £250 mark but saw these and wondered if they were worth a punt.
I thought that I had seen a review somewhere. rutlands-japanese-chisels-opinions-please-t92028.html?hilit=rutlands%20japanese%20chisels may or not be relevant to this exact set.
I'm not sure that those look like tataki nomi. Tataki nomi are large chisels for timber framing. They're not ridiculously long like some of the western socket chisels, but they are in the neighborhood of 11 inches long or a foot, and they're very heavy and not suitable for regular bench work.
The description that rutlands has there doesn't have the normal stuff in it. There are alloy steel chisels, as they call them, that are high speed steel, but they're very hard.
There are also entry level chisels that are machine laminated and made for about $15-$20 each that are 60 hardness, but they are usually carbon steel of unspecified type. The entry level chisels are still usually decent chisels, sometimes they require an extra degree or two on the bevel to prevent chipping, but they are not soft compared to western chisels.
I'd call them if I were interested in those chisels and find out how long they are. If they are closer to 8 or 9 inches long, they're oire nomi. If they are more like 11, they are tataki, and tataki are too big for general use.
The description that rutlands has there doesn't have the normal stuff in it. There are alloy steel chisels, as they call them, that are high speed steel, but they're very hard.
There are also entry level chisels that are machine laminated and made for about $15-$20 each that are 60 hardness, but they are usually carbon steel of unspecified type. The entry level chisels are still usually decent chisels, sometimes they require an extra degree or two on the bevel to prevent chipping, but they are not soft compared to western chisels.
I'd call them if I were interested in those chisels and find out how long they are. If they are closer to 8 or 9 inches long, they're oire nomi. If they are more like 11, they are tataki, and tataki are too big for general use.
