Thread: Ouchi Dovetail Chisels (Yama-ari oire-nomi)

Copy Clip from original add -

I have two OuchiDovetailChisels(Yama-arioire-nomi) up for sale.
I am asking $50 per chisel that is more then half price of From Tools From Japan.
The smaller chisel is 7.5mm wide and the larger one is 11.8mm.
These are good chisels, but they are not suitable for very hard timbers or exotics.

The ura (back) is well formed.
The mimi (ears) and the lamination is good and clean.
The hoops are set and sturdy.
The handle material is red oak.
The bevel angle is 32º this is to give the edge a little more durability.
I have honed these on my Japanese Naturals however any water stone will work.

From Tools From Japan -


These chisels are purpose made for Western joinery, and specifically for chopping dovetail sockets with their angled sides and their need for a chisel with 'sharp' corners that will not bruise the corners of the joint which is commonly on open display in Western style joinery.

Our request to Ouchi was for a chisel with 75° side angles that have no 'square' shoulders at all, and the result is a chisel with almost exactly that specification, with a certain allowance for the hand made nature of these chisels. Ouchi tends to be extremely accurate with dimensions, so we find that the sides are almost exactly 75° and the width of the chisels tends to be almost exactly the specified width, no small task when all done 'by eye'.

While we requested the profile of these chisels, we left the naming to Mr. Ouchi himself, and he blessed with the name of 'Yama-ari'. Yama meaning 'mountain' which the profile tends to suggest as a mountain range than a specific 'peak'. Ari is the name given to dovetail jointery, so the name describes the overall shape and intended use of the chisels well, and is easy to pronounce as well.

The profile allows these chisels to chop a dovetail socket easily without causing damage to the tight corners of the joint and without the catching/pinching that a more acute corner tends to cause and without the risk of personal injury that a more acute side also tends to cause. Avoiding these problems was important to us as a chisel that will do the job but is dangerous or troublesome to use is not fit for task, something both we and Mr. Ouchi wished to avoid creating.

A side benefit is that these chisels also lend themselves to general purpose use exceptionally well as the profile allows enough mass to maintain durability, enough weight to get the job done and enough clearance on the sides to allow all manner of joinery to be cut but not so slim as to get 'lost' in the cut as the smaller Umeki/Shinogi style chisels can tend to do.

Made strictly to order and only as needed, these are not a 'stock' chisel for Ouchi, and while both we and Ouchi tend to try to keep some stocks on hand, there may be a wait for these chisels to be made of up to 3 weeks.





I purchased these from seller, i have just found them as part of a clean up. They are in the same packaging and wrapping as i received them from the seller. i never used them. Condition as per the above pictures. For Sale again - $80. Thanks