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28th August 2019, 07:53 PM #1
Was this a good deal and is anyone able to identify the smith please ?
Hello all,
I'm very new to woodworking and even newer to Japanese tools. After a bit of research I decided to invest in some quality Japanese chisels. My motto has always been to buy quality and to buy once. I've never regretted buying quality tools and I usually regret it when I've bought a "starter set" and had to upgrade later on.
After months of research, I decided that I wanted a set of dovetail chisels (shinogi or umeki, I still don't know the difference) preferably in white steel because I didn't think my budget would stretch to blue. I scoured online stores and eBay narrowly missing out on several auctions. I never thought the bricks and mortars store would carry quality sets of Japanese chisels let alone in the shinogi or umeki style. A few weeks ago, I was in the Brisbane Carbatec store buying some planes when at the checkout counter I spotted a boxed set of Japanese chisels. I thought they would be a starter set but I asked to look at them anyway.
Now, I readily admit that my knowledge of Japanese chisels is very limited, but I can usually tell if something is of quality and everything about these chisels was telling me that I wasn't holding a "run of the mill" set. Firstly, the hoops were hand hammered. Secondly, the handles weren't the usual white or red oak. I initially thought that they were made of boxwood or something. Thirdly, it had a wood-grain effect finish (not mokume or damascus). And finally, all the chisels had multiple hollows which I learnt later on are called "ura". I hadn't come across this before but I knew that it would be harder to manufacture then the usual single ura chisels.
The staff at Bris Carbatec were very friendly but they couldn't tell me anything at all about the chisels. When I returned several weeks later, one of the staff said that a former staff member had brought it back from Japan but he had since left the company a long time ago. No one could tell me the smith, the manufacturer, the type of steel used, or even confirm if it was hand forged. So I took several pictures especially of the writing on the box. Even though it was on sale at what they claim to be cost price ($415 for a boxed set of 5 chisels), I couldn't pull the trigger with such little info.
For the next couple of weeks, I'd approach anyone that remotely looked Japanese to see if they could translate the writing on the box. Finally I found a Taiwanese girl in my local chemist who could read Japanese. She found a Japanese website and she wrote on a piece of paper a few words that would help with my Google search. What she wrote was: "Kabushikigaisha Fujikawa Yasaku shirushi nomi kihada umeki". Google translate was not of any use but I've deduced that Fujikawa was the manufacturer, Yasaku was their premium line of chisels, and umeki nomi are chisels for dovetailing. With that little bit of info, I searched the web and eBay in particular where I came across this set of chisels.
From the following pics, I think we can agree that the Carbatec set is exactly the same:
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20190828_125650.jpg
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According to the description of the eBay set, these chisels are made from blue steel #1, hand forged, and have Gumi (cherry silverberry) heartwood handles. And with an asking price of almost GBP 1600 with shipping and GST, the Carbatec was looking like a bargain. That was all I needed, I couldn't resist any longer so I pulled the trigger today.
All I need now is the Japanese chisel connoisseurs of this forum to confirm the info above that I got a great deal. And hopefully someone can tell me from the stamped signature or writing on the box the name of the smith.
Thanks in advance,
Mike
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28th August 2019 07:53 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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29th August 2019, 02:30 PM #2
Psa
One thing I forgot to mention.............Carabatec Brisbane had a second set !!!
It's not on their website, but it's definitely available. I'm sure interested interstate parties would be able to make some sort of arrangement if they called the store directly.
Cheers,
Mike
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30th August 2019, 06:02 PM #3GOLD MEMBER
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Looks like a bargain to me!!
But what would I know, when I don't use any chisels, ever! Just like the look of fine tools and using them is always a pleasure.
These ooze quality and distinction but then plain (understated) Japanese tools are often the best I believe. Others here are true experts, will know more about these.
Cheers Euge
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30th August 2019, 06:21 PM #4
Thanks Euge.
I'm about 95% sure it's a good deal but like you, I don't have enough knowledge or experience to know for sure. All I have to go on is my gut and that single eBay listing. I was hoping one of the experts, or someone who can translate Japanese text, would be able to translate the writing the box and perhaps tell me a bit more about the chisels like maybe who made them.
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30th August 2019, 06:29 PM #5
Fujikawa is an everyday working chisel brand. Good / decent quality affordable prices. They will make good working chisels.
According to Stu...The story behind Fujikawa is interesting. They made mortising chisels only in the beginning. When wooden window frames went out of fashion market dried up for mortice chisels and they started to make a wider range of chisels. The other interesting thing is the head blacksmith is not Japanese but Mexican.
By the look these would be sold as more flagship chisels within the Fujikawa brand.
At $83 each they are good price, but not cheap. A cheap chisel is in the $60 range and up to $150 for a wider chisel from a good smith.
The surface finish is not what I would call wood grain this is mokume-gane. Fujikawa have just been textured with a punch. A few smiths do similar texturing too fancy up a tools.
The value of the multi hollow is debatable. It looks nice but it is functionally no better and the hollow would be more prone to vanishing.
The gumi handles are nice, proper branch handles with pith and all. Gumi is my favourite handle material for a striking nomi.
Enjoy
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30th August 2019, 06:41 PM #6
Thanks, Thumbsucker.
From what I've read about Fujikawa they've been around for a while and built their reputation making mortise chisels. They've since branched out and started making other types of chisels. They're probably the Japanese chisel world's equivalent of Ford and this set is their "GT40", i.e. like you said, their flagship model.
Cheers,
Mike
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31st August 2019, 08:34 AM #7
I have many Fujikawa (Yasaku brand) chisels. I'm no expert, and only a hobbyist, but they have been stellar in use. They seem to fit that category of reasonable price and decent quality = solid performance. So I certainly recommend them. Also, all my chisels are at least a decade old, so they have been in the chisel business quite a while.
The company also makes gardening/agricultural hand tools.
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9th September 2019, 01:21 AM #8SENIOR MEMBER
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Towards the end of Stu's selling he said he was having trouble with the quality coming from Fujikawa and i've seen a lot of their sets with laminations lines that other smiths would put straight into the scrap pile. I know someone who is an assistant smith at their factory, setting hoops, handles, etc. I can ask about what the going price would be for that set of 5. As, TS said the mokume finish isn't the same as what you have here. I have that exact chisel he posted the photo of in my possession. Kikuhiromaru.
I would class them as intermediate level in terms of quality and price. Currently all the chisels I use are predominately White steel # 1, a few swedish k-120 and blue 2. I'm more interested in who made them rather than the steel and have absolutely no problems chopping hardwood with White 1 if its well forged / heat treated.
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9th September 2019, 01:48 AM #9SENIOR MEMBER
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Spoke to the guy I know at Fujikawa. Current recommended price is around 91,000 yen plus sales tax. That's around $1240 with current exchange rates. The finish on these chisels is called Kihada. Ki - wood ha-blade - da- there is. Just roughly.
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9th September 2019, 08:45 AM #10
Thanks for all the info and asking your Fujikawa contact about them. I knew they weren't they weren't top tier chisels, or even particularly collectible, and I'm very surprised at the price considering Carbatec's original RRP was around $560 IIRC. And I knew that they weren't real mokume and that the woodgrain on top was just a decorative finish stamped or etched on. I will definitely use them but they won't be my "beater" set.
Cheers and thanks again,
Mike.
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