Japanese chisels - Number of hollows

Re: Japanese chisels - Number of hollows

Dave Burnard

>I don't think there's a standard - but there a limit to the number of hollows that can be fit practically. Usually three is the max, but sometimes you will see four. In Japanese the number four is sometimes considered unlucky (like 13 is here) although sometimes 4 can chase away bad things - like the four marks on the back side of an axe or hatchet.

I don't think there's a universal pattern for when you switch from one to two or two to three as the chisel size progresses - although practically speaking if you want to keep similar widths to the hollows that pretty well sets the pattern.

Re: Japanese chisels - Number of hollows

Chris Scholz

>If you buy made-to-order chisels and for whatever reasons you don't like hollows, can't you just have them made with zero hollows? Would such a request, even if it turned out well, be disrespectful to the Japanese masters? (We do all sorts of things here in the US that others would consider borderline sacrilegious, why not make chisels the way many of you seem to like them?)

Chris.

Re: Japanese chisels - Number of hollows

ThomD

>Personally I think the different hollowing schemes are about as serious as the various tail fin designs on older cars.

Even in your example, Denis, theere isn't always going to be the registration you are looking for depending on where the tiny vein hits. In many instances the chisel is going to dive one way or the other and it's the bevel that is in control not the web between the hollows on the back. The craftsman has to steer the chisel, using the chisel geometry and the hammer. The J. chisel is set up with the handle non-parallel to the edge, which is one clue.

I mainly think about the hollow when I am polishing the edge of the tool, I'm happy it's there.

I was checking something in Odates book a while back, and I think he mentioned the posibility that more chisels would get made with solid backs, to feed Western desires, but it doesn't seem to have manifested. Sometimes comon sense prevails. It might be a good idea on some of those nice HSS chisels they make where buffing with power wouldn't do any harm.