I've got handtool addiction judging by my list

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PreferrablyWood

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Sep 8, 2013
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I've got a list for you handtool fans

most recent additions

I've ordered three chisels from tools from japan and the going on 3 month wait is proving too much so I've just bought

8 used chisels off ebay in great shape in this style;http://www.toolsfromjapan.com/store...t_info&cPath=312_552_574_579&products_id=1882

I had ordered som things from Richard Kells website, the wait was also quite long but I recieved the honing guides 1+2 with large wheels, a bevel gauge and two engneers squares in bronze.

I now have a full set of Shapton pro stones; 220,1000,2000,5000,12000 and the shapton Naoru Lapping plate with 3 grit compound coarse medium and fine.

2 Japanese Firmer Chisels Tataka Atsu Nomi chisels 24mm + 36mm bevel edge

Veritas planes; Combination, Large Router plane, Veritas smooth plane nr.4

2 Japan saws top end Kajima  Ryobi 180,220 Ryobi

1 375g Orthodox Genno  by Master Hiroki

I make outdoor projects for courtyard gardens and enjoy getting to experience users getting something out of my efforts.

 
I’m just recovering from the same primal urge to make things using hand tools.

Full Lie Nielsen chisel set & full set of stones and flattening plate. Full Blue Spruce chisel set. Three Bad Axe saws. Moxon vise. Two Veritas marking gauges. And the list goes on. I’ve watched videos on dovetails until my eyes ache. I’ve mutilated multiple pieces of scrap wood. Thankfully, I already had a good collection of Lie Nielsen planes.

Now, I can repeatably make acceptable dovetail joints.
 
[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member]

Cool. Im planing on getting this addiction soon lol

need to up my hand plane chisel and hand saw game

(although this will probably involve a year long cabinet build)

Any advice on which Japanese hand saw to buy in the uk I couldn't find the ones you mention 

Thanks Mick 
 
VW MICK said:
[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member]
...
Any advice on which Japanese hand saw to buy in the uk I couldn't find the ones you mention 
…
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I have several Razor saws.  They have replaceable blades that run ~$15-20 US.  I looked on the Amazon UK site and there are a couple of similar brands.  They do a very nice job.

Japanese crosscut blades have a different tooth design than western saws.  I find it to be a good combination of aggressive and smooth, but the design probably only works on the pull stroke.  However, the design also tends toward bending the teeth if you aren't careful.  You end up with a blade that looks like a smiling five-year old.  I have one Ryoba blade with a couple of bent teeth that is a beater for quick and dirty cuts, and one in perfect shape that I use for good work.  I have several different Dozuki saws with different TPIs.  They tend to stay in better shape because I reach for the Ryoba for rougher cuts, and tend to use the Dozukis for finer work.

The replaceable blade saws make it easier to get started without worrying about ruining a good blade, and they give you "everyday" blades so that you don't have to be super careful every time you want to saw something.  They are also impulse hardened.  And, don't even think about resharpening.  Just replace the blade.

I have a very nice quality, fine tooth Dozuki with a non-replaceable blade that I use for dovetails.  That's the one that I treat with kid gloves.  For my level of skill, I can tell the difference between it and the less expensive replaceable blade saws, but just barely, and not in a way that affects my work.
 
Birdhunter said:
I’m just recovering from the same primal urge to make things using hand tools.

Full Lie Nielsen chisel set & full set of stones and flattening plate. Full Blue Spruce chisel set. Three Bad Axe saws. Moxon vise. Two Veritas marking gauges. And the list goes on. I’ve watched videos on dovetails until my eyes ache. I’ve mutilated multiple pieces of scrap wood. Thankfully, I already had a good collection of Lie Nielsen planes.

Now, I can repeatably make acceptable dovetail joints.
Click to expand...

I'm not into doing dovetails just yet I'd like to try interlocking corners for some outdoor planters but feel Dovetail is not the right joint for this.. I love wathing vidoes too, japanese and western techniques, I think it's so important to keep the old techniques alive, it calms and focuses the mind and body and instills repect for the material qualities and nature.
 
VW MICK said:
[member=23193]PreferrablyWood[/member]

Cool. Im planing on getting this addiction soon lol

need to up my hand plane chisel and hand saw game

(although this will probably involve a year long cabinet build)

Any advice on which Japanese hand saw to buy in the uk I couldn't find the ones you mention 

Thanks Mick
Click to expand...

I think it sounds like a good idea to work with the hand tools planes and saws don't have to be super high end and best of all it's relatively quiet working with handtools so you can work outside in the evenings without disturbing neighbours as much as using power tools.

I buy my gear at Dieter Schmidt Fine tools which as a wide selection of Japanese saws the Z saws a quite inexpensive, I wanted to try something high end, and find I prefer Ryobi saws for their flexibility. Combining with a few Dozuki is all i forsee needing. A common thing for all types is  cut extremely fast and give a clean finish.
 
A real help in doing dovetails is the David Barron magnetic guide. It comes in multiple angles and it really does accelerate the learning process although the purists say one needs to learn to saw straight.

I tried the Katz Moses magnetic guide. It’s well made and has some nice features, but the Barron guide worked better for me.
 
I have Japanese saws and like them for smaller cuts.  The way they work there's constantly sawdust on the line and that annoys me. 

I also use bow saws.  I got into them from reading an article by Yeung Chan in FWW.  I made one and learned to cut dovetails with it.  I've since got a European one from Highland Woodworking with a killer Japanese tooth blade on it.  It cuts terrific but I kind of wish I got the smaller one because my bench is against a wall and the saw stroke is quite long - the saw hits bins on the wall when I saw a board in the vise.
 
lwoirhaye said:
I have Japanese saws and like them for smaller cuts.  The way they work there's constantly sawdust on the line and that annoys me. 

I also use bow saws.  I got into them from reading an article by Yeung Chan in FWW.  I made one and learned to cut dovetails with it.  I've since got a European one from Highland Woodworking with a killer Japanese tooth blade on it.  It cuts terrific but I kind of wish I got the smaller one because my bench is against a wall and the saw stroke is quite long - the saw hits bins on the wall when I saw a board in the vise.
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I guess I haven't noticed the saw dust interferring as I'm working outside perhaps the wind blows the dust away.

Interesting about the bow saws, I look them up..
 
Build yourself a Moxon vise. They are easy to build and awesom to use. I got the hardware from Benchcrafted for $149. There were no instructions in the box, but can be downloaded from their website.
 
Birdhunter said:
A real help in doing dovetails is the David Barron magnetic guide. It comes in multiple angles and it really does accelerate the learning process although the purists say one needs to learn to saw straight.

I tried the Katz Moses magnetic guide. It’s well made and has some nice features, but the Barron guide worked better for me.
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I've said something along these lines before. This message for all hand tool users. It is not directed at any one (other than a reminder by the quote) ...

Take the time to use your hand tools in the way they were intended, that is, hand tools, not jigged tools. There is not much difference between a power tool and a handtool that is guided by a jig. Let go the aids, such as those for sharpening and sawing. Learn to appreciate the freedom you have without them. Yes, there is a learning curve, but it is not as hard as you imagine. Be brave, let the aids go ..

Regards from Perth

Derek
 
Derek,

I have seen your work and watched your videos. In my mind, your work is beautiful beyond my greatest imagination. You are a woodworking master with incredible skills.
 
I'm a big fan of Rob Cosman. He teaches his "Training the Hand" workshop 4 times a year. Rob also believes that you should practice and develop a muscle memory so that you don't have to rely on jigs or guides. He sells a dovetail saw training level that attaches to the end of saw to help you get a sense for the correct angle to hold the saw.

He also freehand sharpens his chisels and hand plane blades. I bought his sharpening kit and dovetail kit. I still need a lot more practice.
 
David Barron is my favorite dovetail video maker. He has been kind enough to respond to my questions. He is especially good for beginners like me. Cosman has some interesting approaches and is entertaining. Derek’s videos are also excellent and his work is amazing.

I do woodworking because I get pleasure out of using the tools, solving problems, and giving the finished projects away. Aids, like the dovetail jig, help compensate for my physical issues and allow me to enjoy my advocation.
 
Birdhunter said:
Derek,

I have seen your work and watched your videos. In my mind, your work is beautiful beyond my greatest imagination. You are a woodworking master with incredible skills.
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Thank you for such kind words, BH. I really think of myself as a hack. Just one who knows how to fix mistakes .... and I have made plenty of those. If I am expert at something, it is repairing my own work! :)

Woodworking is just sawing/chiseling/working to a line. The wonder of handtool woodworking - one aspect that makes it easier and more pleasurable than using power tools (which I do use) - is that they are point-and-shoot. Set the saw against the line, and go. Jigs gets used because one is afraid that this is not going to work out. But a jig not only prevents the development of the skill to do so, it also removes the exhiliration of success after you have made the cut freehand.

The biggest skill is placing the lines where they need to go, that is, the art of design. That is what I take the greatest pride in.

Next to this is the abilit to see the lines! My aging eyes do struggle up close. This is why I posted about the blue tape method many years ago. It makes freehand work possible for me.

Try to saw without the Barron guide. Use it a couple of times to practice hand memory, then try it free hand. Ditto sharpening. I have all the guides under the sun. My curiosity gets the better of me :) Plus a guide is necessary for BU planes with high cutting angles and cambers using the method I developed. However, a hollow grind makes freehanding really easy. Hardly even a "skill" :) If you want to spend wisely, then get the gear I have.

The bottom line is give it a go. Be brave, and you will be rewarded.

Regards from Perth

Derek
 
I enjoy sawing and chiselling after my hand drawn lines. Getting praticed at it and can't say chiselling mortices in my big progect with 120  1 1/4 deep mortise and  tenons and 16 at 2 1/2 at 60° an angle went quickly, But it all fit together more easily than I  had hoped.

Have just used the Richard Kell honing guides and the shapton stones the results were good and I noticed my hand sharpened work had begun to skew one of my relatively expense Koyamaichi chisels, so at least for now I'm happy to use the crutch of the Kell honing guides which are fast and no nonsense to use. I make good use of the stones when my lot of 8 used chisels from Japan arrive in a few days..

 
My Hira machi nomi chisels arrived from a ebay seller in Japan, I must be mad I thought to my selv as I felt the feather weight heft of the package containing the eight 8 chisels at the postoffice. I reflected that little box cost about the same amount as my simple yet reliabel one gear  Jopo bicycle I road home on!. The chisels style on unpacking were true light weight as described (tools from japan) mostly for cabinetry use. The unique quality is that they are ideal for working flush to the surface similar to paring chisels but for smaller dimensioned projects which don't demand the long neck of the regular Usa nomi paring chisels. The seller had beautifully sharpened the chisels so they are ready to use, so no use for all my sharpening gear right off with these.  ::)

MY Chisel list getting longer.
I end up with these 8 cabinet grade chisels, 5 normal grade oire nomi grade and a small selection of 3 Tataki Atsu Nomi One muchomaki mortise chisel. I also have a set of 4 Two Cherries stubby type chisels and at few english style mortise chisels. 5 baco red handled swedish chisels main set for 20yrs chisels seems like a lot but they will all find there uses, and space wise they don't crowd the shop. The main thing though is to get out to the "shop" and get using them. I plan on getting a few other chisel styles when I get into dovetails and such. The great thing is even a large selection of chisels weighs little but gives an awesome versatility.

 
Well I tired of waiting for some Chisels from Japan and lo and behold got a refund on my long awaited Koyamaichi chisels.

Now I'm reduced in my chisel list by those three sizes of standard Oire Nomi chises 6, 12, 24mm but have the 6 and 24mm  sizes in my Hara machi nomi chisel set will pick up the missing 12mm i Ouchi brand, The Hari Machi are made by a maker called NOBUHIDE edit, not the sword maker likely the Ouchi brand chisel maker.

I added another  2 chisels Tataki atsu Nomi 12mm fra dieter schmit Fine Tools and an 18mm from a reseller of Japanese tools based in the UK, and 2 Genno's 225g and 550g from an australian reseller, these last three things at a considerable savings from new but mostly because I'm irked by the long waiting times at various sellers of newly made tools so lower prices and speedy delivery sells.

Did also get measuring gear a mini japanese acrylic level, crown marking gauge with blade instead of pin and two sliding bevels one with a tiny 10cm blade and the 19 cm version both by crown.

Will be putting these tools to work on some projects in the next few months..Planters, birdhouses, small tables all for outdoor use.
 
Even though I mostly will be doing projects in wood that will be outdoors year round, which means dovetail work isn't high on this list, I'm fascinated by the technique so I've added a few tools to make dovetails on some boxes drawers etc. I will practice the technique on some birdhouses using leftover materiels in 28mm 120mm larch. I'll seal the dovetail ends with some epoxy so they have increased weather resistance.

My short tool list  some dovetail suitable chisels made by MHG with with sidelands that go almost right down the bevels bottom edge and short in length for more precise control just 210mm. . These are nicely priced for around 75 euro for five sizes 6,12,16,20,26mm I'm also getting MHG fishtail 16mm. 36 euro

Also am getting a Fret Saw with Cam-Lever and Swivel Blade Clamps Frame Height 3 inches - 75 mm  by KNEW CONCEPTS.

I'll use the fret saw for cutting out some inlay materiel for my first decorative inlay attempts as well.

So to dovetail school  I will go!
 
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