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Japanese hammers for joinery

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Japanese hammers for joinery

#1

Japanese hammers for joinery

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>David Charlesworth (or anyone else who may know/have an opinion), you mentioned a suminagashi hammer that you liked a lot for assembly. I've been trying to figure out what exactly you recommend (suminagashi is merely the process of folding tool steels and liminating to iron, not a hammer style or brand). I've scanned your volume 2 book on furniture-making techniques and saw two possibilities, the thick cross-pein on p. 33 which doesn't look particularly Japanese and the daruma on p. 51 used to bash a chisel. Is it one of these?

My guess would be the daruma, but if so, how heavy do you find useful for joinery?

Thanks,

Pam

Re: Japanese hammers for joinery

#2

Re: Japanese hammers for joinery

Dave Burnard

>That's right, it's not a hammer style.

Suminagashi is actually the name for a paper artform that creates marbled patterns with charcoal/ink (sumi). In western blacksmith speak it would translate as pattern welded (commonly, but incorrectly, called damascus steel). In japanese tool catalogues you also see "ink pattern" or "mokume pattern" as translations for suminagashi.

I think, by galoot tradition, David is now required/entitled to post a picture of said hammer since it sounds gloatable as well as functional. ;)

Re: Japanese hammers for joinery

#3

Re: Japanese hammers for joinery

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

>Thanks, David, for the full explanation of suminagashi, couldn't quite figure out why the sumi/ink was part of the process name.

Pam

Re: Japanese hammers for joinery

#4

Re: Japanese hammers for joinery

David Charlesworth

>Pam,

Its just a beautiful piece of work like the folded etched chisels.

I like a big hammer to knock joints together.

Fraid I have not worked out how to do pictures yet but an old Japan Woodworker catalogue would probably have a picture.

best wishes,

David

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