Re: Japanese Chisels
Jonathan Ronnow, Sweden
>I use the Matsumura white steel bench chisels, from japan woodworker. They were all a bit convex on the backs when I got them, so some time was spent flattening them. I think one could get away with only the area near the cutting edge flat (Pam..?) but I went for the entire back.
So far I havent used them very extensively, but up til now they have been a real improvement over marples blue and sandviken.
I did buy two japan woodworker chisels, but they are softer than Matsumuras. I bent the shanks to get them straight, bent between drillrods in the vise.
As others said, you shouldn pry with them. I hollowed out a rectangular bowl in pine, with a heavy malled, and found no difference in sharpness afterwards. They really take a wonderfully keen egde. I use microfinishing films, and take the back to 5 micron and the edge to 0.5 micron.
Jonathan