Thread: High-speed steel chisels?

Hi Alexander

Why do you feel as though you may have made a mistake?

Des

Hi Des

Because the HSS chisel type, is a "new" type of chisel.
Normaly you dont use the High-Speed Steel due to it's tend to brake.

I hav'nt tried them yet myself, and I don't know anyone that have this type of chisel.

Have you tried to work with chisels like this?

Alexander

I prefer the standard Japanese chisels, so I've never used the HSS.

The place where I normally buy my quality kanna in Yoita, Niigata Prefecture sells them, and he has a reasonable range, so I'm sure there's nothing wrong with them. He states on his website that they are suited for hard material, including kokutan (ebony) and knotty timber, so provided you use them properly and don't try to lever the material out, I can't see how they would be any more prone to cracking or chipping than the hard steel part (hagane) of a laminated chisel.

Sharpening the HSS presents its own set of challenges, but provided your technique is sound, I can't see too many problems. You may need to look into stones that are specifically suited to the HSS though, especially the medium and coarser grits.

My advice would be that considering you have now bought them, use them and enjoy them.

Good luck.

Des

HSS will hold an edge for longer than high carbon steel, but typically carbon steels take a finer edge but then don't last as long.

HSS is tougher and requires more effort to sharpen, but the trade off is that they stay sharper for longer. I had a Tsunesaburou Togo Reigo blade that is in effect a HSS and that blade was the most difficult blade I ever had to sharpen, but then it was the best blade I was ever going to hold in my hands.

As most woods used in Japan are medium to soft they don't require HSS. A sharper white or blue steel blade is all that is needed for that. If you are mainly working with softer woods the HSS is not essential, but will be nice to have if you can manage the extra demands of sharpening.

Talk to Stuart Tierney at Tools from Japan about his Sigma Power 'Select II' stones which are suited to HSS. Stuart is currently in Australia attending his grandfather's funeral, so not available this week to answer queries, but I'm sure he will look after you when he gets back to Japan.

Some of our Australian hardwoods are very hard and HSS is ideal for those. If you are working with such woods from here or elsewhere your chisels are going to be ideal for you.