Thread: contemporary blacksmiths

Kiyohisa, Funahiro, Keisaburo (keizaburo), chiyozuru sadahide, takeo Nakano, tasai, Yamamoto, sekikawa all produce highly regarded kanna. I'm sure there's more currently working.

For chisels, kiyohisa, Funahiro, sukemaru, konobu, tasai, ouchi, kikuhiromaru, Stanley convington uses a few smith's I can't recall their names... One is through the sukemaru name/brand I think. (yoshio usui from memory).

Hello Howard - I have been considering the question you posed and I have been reluctant to respond - because in short your question misses a few critical points.

Sorry I am going to muddy the waters for you.

Unfortunately it is not as simple as name the best blacksmith. The same blacksmith can produce tools at different standards and quality, or sell them under another name to a wholesaler.

Tasai is a case and point I have a chisel by the father and it is marked with the Tasai label, I also own one that has a wholesaler label again made by Tasai family. Which is better, I know the one with the Tasai Kanji will hold its value better but in terms of quality both tools are the same.

Or take the example of my favourite blacksmith (not well known outside Japan) now deceased the brand name was Masashige, I unfortunately only collected 5 of his chisels (I keep an eye out for more if I can find them), they are working tools nothing flash about them, but they are solid dependable and they forging is clean and the edge holding is amazing. Tools for working. Not prissy trophies.

Then their is another blacksmith, his name is well known in the West and people pay top dollar for his crap, but they are crap. They crumble at the sight of piece of wood and chip every which way. Absolute junk and I have offloaded most of them.

Just because a brand has a name does not mean faeces, it is marketing and opinion and they have little value.

The other question is aesthetics vs function - you can get some really good functional tools that look rather run of the mill, then you can get Damascus laminated tools with exquisite lines, but for most people would never appreciate the difference between the middle range and high end. My favourite aesthetic chisel is by Kunikei, it is a statement of refinement, every line and curve is delightful. I feel so comfortable and at peace with this chisel. However, Kunikei is now old and he is no longer making much and the wait-times has blown out to 3 plus years with the expectation that he will die before he delivers. However 99% could not tell me the difference between a Kunikei and a Masashige.

The other question is wait time. A High end name like Kiyohisa has a 5 plus year wait - I know I have been waiting. Tasai has a 1 year wait, were kikuhiromaru and sukemaru has 3 month or less wait. Is it worth the 5 plus year wait "NO". You need tools now. So realistic you must accept what is actually accessible. Get tools now and get your name on a waiting list for 5 or 10 years from now for more fancy names.

Also I assume you are learning about Japanese tools, please do not buy an expensive tool first time - you will f-it up. Japanese tools do not come ready out of the box - you need to adjust and prep the tool - better to break a cheap second hand tool or cheap tool then wait 5 years then get a $$$$$ tool and f-it up in a day and trust me it is easier than you can imagine. Cracking a lamination, burning an edge, deforming the ura, adjusting the dai incorrectly and turning it into firewood.

Plus with Covid Japanese retailers are not sending package by airmail so you will have to wait 3 plus months for the packages to come from Japan via sea.

I write these thing with experience and with the best regard for your journey.

Just a note that Kiyohisa is no longer making blades. He is too ill.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks to all who have answered so far. To elaborate a bit, I'm mostly interested in function but I do appreciate beauty. I am lucky enough to have several very good chisels by Masashige and Kuneiki and they are all a joy to use. My kanna are of lesser quality. Lately I've been looking at a Japanese auction site and see lots of beautiful looking kanna but there are so many blacksmiths that I haven't heard of. We all know how easy it is to make something that is not really good to look beautiful in a photo... -Howard

Hi Howard - it sounds like you have a good solid chisel collection I am glad that you also like the Masashige. I am tempted to purchase sukemaru but I have enough chisels but I may buy one just to try.

For a good quality Kanna I would recommend keizaburo about 1 year wait and Tsunesaburo readily available. Their are others who are good but it is hard to tell. I have been looking at a keizaburo for his aesthetics but Tsunesaburo offers far more variety in steel and finish and dai configuration.

Also ask yourself:

What type of steel? Which then asks what kind of wood will you be cutting? Is this a finishing cut or a ruffing cut?
What kind features do you want the dai to have? Bedding angle / quarter vs rift sawn dai cut / tsusumi yes OR no /

It is recommend that you purchase a smaller kanna say a 50mm or less wide blade they are easier to maintain then an 80/90 monster. Also pay the seller to setup the kanna for you before shipping many over it as a service this gives you a reference point to how the kanna should work.

I do enjoy kanna's but they are fussy creatures.

Japan Stories: Chiyozuru Sadahide a nice read

A very nice read! Thanks. -Howard

“ Tools for working, Not prissy trophies “

damn right, I like this statement.