This will blow your mind!!!!!!

[goodwoody]

Hello beautiful people, Well today I had one of the most rewarding experiences living and working in Japan. It begins about three weeks ago when I was loitering at my favourite tool shop when the master (Takeshi) said to me that about 15mins from the shop their is a blacksmith who makes tradition Japanese saws. Takeshi wanted to know if I was interested in vsiting his workshop and meeting Itoh san. I do believe my heart stopped.

This morning we met Itoh san at his small earthen floored workshop. It was like stepping back in time. In the shop there was a power hammer and grinder all run off a large motor through flat canvas belts!!!!!! Everything was covered in soot from the forge that is basically a box with a pipe that blasts air into a ditch in the dirt. Very basic but obviously functional.

At this time Iton san was not forging but was scraping and refining the thickness of the blades before grinding and setting the teeth. Everything was completely hand made.

Tensioning was a truely cosmic experience as Itoh san described it as a combination of feeling, touch, experience and reflextion from sun light. Truely spiritual. More to come + Piccies. Damien.

[goodwoody]

As promised, some piccies.
1. Is Itoh san sitting at his 'workbench' scraping a new saw.
2. scraping a saw.

[goodwoody]

More pics.
1. more scraping. Note the scraper is less curved.
2. Forearms after years of mechanical work.

[MajorPanic]

What a bloody fantastic experience for you!! :2tsup: :2tsup: :2tsup: :2tsup:








Tinny bastard!!........ I'm not jealous........ REALLY :roll:

[BobL]

Thanks for sharing - what does one of his saws cost?? Or is that too rude a question to ask?

[Stu in Tokyo]

Damien, I just GOT TO make a run out there and meet up with you at the tool shop, are they open on Sundays? :D

Cheers!

[goodwoody]

Open everyday except Monday.

[goodwoody]

More piccies!
1.The raw steel from Hitachi. On the left Carbon steel for Ryoba and on the left carbon steel for dozuki.
2.The saw after forging to shape. Handle is forge welded mild steel.

[goodwoody]

Bob, I think a dozuki cost about 3-4 hundred. :o Are you still breathing?

[Stu in Tokyo]

Bob, I think a dozuki cost about 3-4 hundred. :o Are you still breathing?

not cheap, but when you consider how well it would cut, and with proper care and attention, your grandkids could be using it, it is really that expensive?

:D

[goodwoody]

Tensioning with a pecking hammer on a simple anvil.

[goodwoody]

The man himself! Itoh san.

[woodbe]

Holy Moly!

Thanks for this. It's awesome. How does he cut the teeth?

woodbe.

[AlexS]

Great set of pics Damien. Looks like I'll have to go back to Kawagoe!

[goodwoody]

Not sure about the teeth cutting. I will have to pay him another visit.

[Shedhand]

Magic. What sort of steel is the scraper made of? How long does it take to "dress" the blank? What does tensioning do? Thanks for sharing. :2tsup:

[Jim Blauvelt]

Hello GW,
What a cool experiance. I had a chance to visit a saw maker years ago in Miki. Hand made saws are amazing. Comes out of the fire looking like a potato chip. Hand straighting is wizards work. Amazing to see.
What are you studying over there?
Jim

[Jim Blauvelt]

Magic. What sort of steel is the scraper made of? How long does it take to "dress" the blank? What does tensioning do? Thanks for sharing. :2tsup:

The scaper or "sen" is high carbon steel. Most likley made by the saw maker. It takes steel shavings.
Tensioning is a process of hammer straighting a warped, cupped or twisted blade. Huge difference in a saw that has been cold worked and one that has not.
Jim

[RufflyRustic]

Hiya GoodWoody

Fantastic photos. I hope you do get to visit again. What an amazing workshop, and as for the saws :) :D :2tsup:

cheers
Wendy

[goodwoody]

Hi Wendy. Are you interested in Omiyage? Japanese for souvenir.

[RufflyRustic]

I'm just starting out in the field of Japanese tools. I have a small western made japanese saw, which I really like, but..... there's a few buts there:rolleyes:

I find the Japanese way of making tools interesting and amazing. Love the fact that they still build them pretty much the same way they did centuries ago. I used the one Japanese nomi I own yesterday for the first time. NICE!!!!!! :)

Damien, is the saw named souvenir? :? or am I missing something?

cheers
Wendy

[goodwoody]

Wendy, I thought maybe you would be interested in a little present from Japan. No, ok I understand.:;