Thread: What about Yamahiro?

Originally Posted by TND-storm

Hi everybody!
I present myself: my name is Marco and I'm Italian. My hobby (for now, I'd like it to be something more) is woodworking, in particular liuthery.
I discovered Japanese tools and I find them just great, I'm trying to get as much info as possible on them.

About oire nomi, a seller suggested me Yamahiro chisels even over Ouchi and Funahiro.
Do someone of you ever tried them, or at least heard something about them?

Thanks
Marco

Hi Marco,

Yamahiro is a well known chisel maker from Sanjyo, Niigata. Blacksmith's name is Okayama Takeshi. He specializes in White Steel #1 chisels. I have two 30mms and I have sharpened one. It was very hard and tenacious. Very good quality steel. I might be selling one of them on ebay for 50% off quite soon, fully sharpened and uraoshi done, so if you are interested check it out.

Watch out for dyed handle for red oak handle if you are ordering a red oak handled Yamahiro. My friend purchased a red oak handled Yamahiro chisel from a certain Japanese tool shop, and when he took off the lacquer form the handle, the dye came off and the wood was very light colour red oak (economy level material). The handle was attached by the shop, and not by Kane-ei (a famous handle maker from Sanjyo. They make and attach handles for basically all famous Niigata chisels, Tasai, Funahiro, Kunikei, etc). The one I have is a Kane-ei handle.

Oouchi and Yamahiro is a different level tool. Oouchi tools are more daily use type of tool. Yamahiro is more expensive special occasion kind of tool. Funahiro's quaity should be as good as Yamahiro, in my opinion, but he's too busy doing his own things, it takes so long to get his tools.

If you don't mind the wait, I'd recommend Kiyohisa or Kunikei.

Also, if you are working with hardwoods, you might want to consider getting alloy chisels. Blue Steel or HSS. If you are interested in HSS chisels, a member from the forum Shedhand has posted his HSS chisel which he got from me, so it might be worth a view.

Ciao