My Ebay Chisels ?

[Graham Skinner]

Hello all.
I have just joined this forum and this is my first post, I"m trying to get some information about my new chisels really and this looks like a good place to start.

I just got these chisels from a guy at ebay, anyone know who the maker is ?, also they were sold as haveing boxwood handles, one of the handles is a bright yellow wood anybody know what type of wood it is? (top chisel in the photo).

Thanks for reading this...Graham...

[Pam]

Looks a lot like the Miyanaga logo.

Pam

[Groggy]

I reckon Pam has won the kupie doll. The skipping rope is the Miyanaga giveaway (unless you can read Japanese). They usually have a red oak handle but that looks quite different, not sure what it is.

[Graham Skinner]

Thanks for the info

To be honest the bloke that sold then, told me that they were Miyanaga chisels, but when I compare the lable on these to the Miyanaga chisels that japan woodworker sells the lables look very different!

Below is a photo of the Miyanaga lables from japan woodworker.

[Graham Skinner]

Hello Again.

I have found some chisels with the same label as mine in the japan woodworker catalog so I now believe that the maker/brand name is YASAKU.

Thanks to you all for your help anf input about this thread, have a great day...Graham...

[Des.K.]

Hi Graham

Came into this a bit late - sorry.

They are Yasaku chisels (as you already know), and they're made by the Fujikawa company in Hyogo Prefecture. Their website is here (http://www1.odn.ne.jp/%7eadi36100/) (it's all Japanese). Your chisels are possibly in the lower right hand area of here (http://www1.odn.ne.jp/%7eadi36100/data/nomi2.htm). The yellowish handles seem to be gumi, which I think is oleaster, but I wouldn't put any money on it.

Regards
Des

[Graham Skinner]

Des.K

Thanks very much for the link, I found it very intresting and to be honest I have been trying to thier web site for a while.

Thanks again and have a good day...Graham...

[Pam]

Hello Again.

I have found some chisels with the same label as mine in the japan woodworker catalog so I now believe that the maker/brand name is YASAKU.

Chisel labels are few and far between in the JWW catalog, I found only two. One of them is Miyanaga, which is indeed different from your chisels, I was wrong. The other matches your label (cabinetmaker's mortise chisels), but they're not attributed to any particular blacksmith.

Pam

[Sheets]

I had to ask a question about these chisels (and this Trade-Mark: YaSaku) before posting a reply (my first post and happy to be here). I too have some of these chisels. The handles are boxwood and the maker (according to my source) was one of the MiyaNaga smiths back in the late nineties when these were produced. As is often the case, the actual smith providing tools to a Trade Mark may never be known, but even if he is, the name may be the same as a Famous name, but it may not be that actual smith (or one directly associated). I'm sure many of you have tried to research your tool's makers and can't get an answer (at least beyond question) except as to the brand, company or trade mark through which they are distributed. My feeling is that if the tool does what you want it to (most important) and doesn't cost a fortune (also important) then the rest is somewhat trivial. But by all means, don't stop trying and share what you learn.

[Sheets]

Graham and others, hello.
I did some more research on the Yasaku brand. I have a friend in Japan who did the asking for me. Indeed, the brand belongs to the Fujikawa company as the website mentioned by Des.K. attests. They have been making chisels since the 30's and those in question were made by Kyozo Fujikawa (2nd generation and also the current company president). Some of the chisels have the Fujikawa family crest stamped above the Yasaku logo (pic below). So contrary to previous belief, no connection to any Miyanaga (I passed this info on to my other source).
In any case, notwithstanding their not-so-famous lineage, rest assured they are and made with respect and dedication to traditional ways and fine craftsmanship.
Steve

The mon (Family Crest) is a little difficult to see on the chisel in this pic, so the other is the mon alone (also belongs to the Hineno family). I don't know what it represents- I should have asked.

[Graham Skinner]

Hi Sheets.

Thanks for doing the research, it has been very helpfull as I had now idea where to start looking, on the whole I am very pleased with my chisels (for the price I payed) let us know how you get on with yours.

Thanks again....Graham.....

[Sheets]

Hi Graham. I'm pleased you like the chisels. All those I have I've used and been very satisfied. The question of their lineage seemed easy enough to sort out (in this case). Thanks to you and others who actually noticed the discrepancy (and to Des.K for pointing out the real source). For us, we didn't get "cheap" chisels, but good chisels for a cheap price, eh? I certainly have no hesitation in using the same source (eBay) again.
Good luck with your projects,

Steve

[soatoz]

Hi,

Sorry to be posting so late, but this is a brand called Yasaku from Fujikawa chisel company from Miki. The standard line brand. Similar in quality to the famous (out of Japan) Koyamaichi.

[Sheets]

So, do you know what the Fujikawa Mon represents? Its not one of those obvious ones.

Steve

[soatoz]

So, do you know what the Fujikawa Mon represents? Its not one of those obvious ones.

Steve

No~~~ sorry, I don't know.

["il" Marzio]

Hi Graham. I'm pleased you like the chisels. All those I have I've used and been very satisfied. The question of their lineage seemed easy enough to sort out (in this case). Thanks to you and others who actually noticed the discrepancy (and to Des.K for pointing out the real source). For us, we didn't get "cheap" chisels, but good chisels for a cheap price, eh? I certainly have no hesitation in using the same source (eBay) again.
Good luck with your projects,

Steve

I have the same chisels. Thanks to So to let us know what we have.

After buying a set of six dovetails I went on with Mokumachi-nomi, than Oire nomi, Tsuki-nomi. I have 34 now :D

Good honest workers.

I expecially like the Mokumachi-nomi. They seem to have different steel, they are harder than the others.

Despite I have some "high end" chisels like Funahiro, Tasai, Masanari, Yamahiro, etc. these are not very far when properly sharpened.
Good working tools for everyday liutherie.

Ciao
Ciro Marzio

[Sheets]

Welcome Ciro. Glad to be reading some new chatter on the forum. It has been pretty quiet lately (winter blahs maybe?).
Yes, the Yasaku chisels are solid performers. Can you say where you obtained yours? All mine I got off ebay, but seems that source (the particular seller I used) has dried up. But still lots of chisels there from others should I need anything additional. And lots of really good chisels from other places should I find myself with lots of extra money some day.

Steve

["il" Marzio]

Thank you Steve,
I got my chisel on ebay from Peter Veil ( handtoolsbargain ). Same source I guess.
I liked those chisels so I suggested buying them to my lutherie students and collegues in Napoli. In total I bought about one hundred... :cool:
keeped "only" 34 for me :D

When I found the right way to sharpen them results were satisfying.
Good sharpening technique and good match with the stone are responsible for at least 50% of a blade performance IMHO.

Have fun
Marzio

[Sheets]

Quote from Ciro:

"When I found the right way to sharpen them results were satisfying.
Good sharpening technique and good match with the stone are responsible for at least 50% of a blade performance IMHO."

And the other 50% is a bigger hammer, I say!

Steve

[Ivan in Oz]

When I found the right way to sharpen them results were satisfying.
Good sharpening technique and good match with the stone are responsible for at least 50% of a blade performance IMHO.

Have fun
Marzio

G'Day Marzio,
Good to see you aboard on here.

Would you mind Expanding and describing your methods of Sharpening, please?
Last year [or was it the Year before] some from around Toowoomba, SEQld, got together and had a "SHARPENING" day at the USQ.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=35324&highlight=Toowoomba&page=4

The last page has the GOOD pictures.

USQ...University of Southern Queensland


Oh!!
My Avatar is a 850 Lemans MOTOGUZZI :D:2tsup:

["il" Marzio]

850 MOTOGUZZI?? :o

I have the same!:B:2tsup:
mine is 1983... somewhat pimped up... :roll::D

back to sharpening.

I have not been able to have decent results with powered stuff.
So I go for hand sharpening and honing.
DMT stones #220> #330> 600> natural Candia stone (used with water, not oil)> then a soft Awase-to.
I have tried many other combinations and sequences of stones but this is the best I have found for everyday work.

Of course I use DMT stones only for back flattening and bevel shaping. I only use natural stones for usual resharpening and honing.

When I needed sharper edges I was used to go on a Belgian koshjer grade yellow cuticule for the last honing, but this is so difficult to use and you really have to care raising a good amount of slurry if you do not want to scratch the edge.

Very recently I have bought a veeery fine Okudo Suita stone from soatoz and this allow a further improvement in edge quality. Frightenly expensive but... well worth its cost. Not a beginner stone but not too difficult to use.

I have also tried using sinthetic waterstones and shapton but I do not like the results. IMHO the edge lacks the absolute sharpness and ease of cut you achieve with natural stones and do not last as long.

Ciao
Ciro Marzio