tried iyoroi chisels, anyone? *LINK*

Re: tried iyoroi chisels, anyone?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

>Jonathan

I have a set of Iyoroi chisels that I have built up over the past few years. I absolutely love them and can endorse their edge holding ability as second-to-none. They also just happen to have a wonderful balance for such relatively short chisels, and dead sexy looks (I gotta get a life)!

By comparison I also have a set of Witherbys, which probably are less likely to chip (although the only Japanese chisel I have ever chipped was a 6mm corner chisel with which I was using to square up mortices. Probably from prizing the chips out!). I just cannot get the same sharp edge on the Witherbys that I can on the Iyoroi. I also have a set of Nooitgedagt, which I turn to for rough work. These are amazing value-for-money but what they highlight is the wonderful balance of the Iyoroi chisels.

I know that there are more expensive and probably better still Japanese chisels available, but I am not tempted to seek these out (yet).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: tried iyoroi chisels, anyone?

Paul M in San Diego

>I have one 9mm Iyoroi mortise chisel, and I'm quite happy with it. I've only used it a couple times, but it's never had any chipping or edge folding. It's a keeper!

Re: tried iyoroi chisels, anyone?

karl slocum, Furlong, PA.

>my wife bought me a ten piece cabinet makers chisel set for Christmas. Needless to say Iwas floored. I am more than satisfied and look forward to get the mortise and slick chisels made by iyoroi.

I have a cousin who is in Japan now on business. She is checking on the price difference.

I can't wait

Re: tried iyoroi chisels, anyone? *LINK*

Jonathan Ronnow, Sweden

>well, Ive had my "new" one for a little now, I still havent really used it yet. Actually, all my japanese chisels do need a work out. I have saved them from embedded sand, dirt, nails and screws and used my westeners instead. Been doing that kind of work lately...

But. I have flattened and polished the back of it and sharpened it up to 0,5 micron on abrasive films. And oiled and waxed it a bit, so its feeling comfortable in its new home...

The back needed very little work compared to the matsumuras from Japan Woodworker. They were convex at the edge, and needed some work. This Iyoroi otoh, was quite flat. Paint the back with a felt-tipped marker, rub on coarse abrasive until flat, then go through the grits in criss-cross pattern up to 5 micron, thats where I stop.

And considering thats its 42mm wide, the tuning went fast.

Since I havent used it so much, I really cant comment on edgeholding yet... I can get back on that though, if there is interest.

Jr


Chisel - Iyoroi

Yup

Ellis Walentine

>I'm on my second set of ten, plus I have three dovetail paring chisels a couple flat paring chisels and three mortising chisels from Iyoroi-san. They are fine users, IMO. Not the fanciest or the most pretentious or precious, but fine users.

My first boxed set burned up in the fire in '99. I actually dug down through three feet of ashes and debris to find what was left of them, and I shipped them all back to Japan to see if anything could be done -- re-handled, re-tempered, whatever. Ended up biting the bullet.

I am not an expert on Japanese tools, although I have been using a lot of them for many years, including saws, dozens of now-departed planes, chisels, stones, etc.

One thing about Japanese chisels, if I have it straight from Toshio Odate, is that they need to be slightly annealed by whacking them into crossgrain hardwood, otherwise they may be too brittle out of the box. That is probably worth following up on....

Good luck with your new toys, er, tools.

Ellis Walentine, Host

Re: Yup

Jonathan Ronnow, Sweden

>thats interesting.. Now that you wrote that, I actually recall reading a recommendation to whack it crossgrain on oak a coupla times... Cant recall where though.

Im going to try that one out.

Jr