Try paring cut's with a Japanese chisel. You will never go back to western
style chisels again ! They have there place in Woodworking. Might not buy
more than 3-4 though.I just happen to own 2................1/8 in and a 1/2
in. one. NOT real good one's but medium grade. They are not meant to BANG on
with a big hammer ! More like tapper hits, if ever. Try a 1/4 to a 1/2 in
one first to see if you like the way they feel, before commiting to a full
set.
"Andrew Barss" wrote in message
...
Steve Knight wrote:
: O
:You either tap it out with a hammer, or else you have to hone the back
:every time you sharpen (essentially making the chisel thinner, and thus
:the hollow shallower). Advocates of Japanese chisels say it's worth the
:hassle. Others, like me, like to use a very good quality Western
chisel,
:hone and polish the back once, and be done with it!

: you have to hone the back of anything you sharpen. atleast the final
grit.

Only to remove the bent-over wire edge produced by sharpening/honing
the primary face of the bevel. What makes the Japanese chisel
different, and disadventageous in my opinion, is the need to
remove metal from the entire back every time you sharpen. No Western
chisel, including laminated ones with very hard steel on the
cutting surface, have this drawback.

The Japanese-style chisels sure look cool, but I think the
hollowing is a quirk, not a needed feature.


-- Andy Barss

Layne writes:

Also, Japanese paring chisels are slightly curved along the
length which allows it to have a shorter blade. Western chisels are
straight down the entire length, hence the longer blade(?).

Not arguing with you, but the statement loses me. Why does a slight curve make
any difference?

Charlie Self

Facts are stupid things.
Ronald Reagan

leah (Charlie Self) wrote in message ...

Layne writes:

Also, Japanese paring chisels are slightly curved along the
length which allows it to have a shorter blade. Western chisels are
straight down the entire length, hence the longer blade(?).

Not arguing with you, but the statement loses me. Why does a slight curve make
any difference?

I'm guessing it's like the way the handle on a slick curves away
from the back of the blade. That way you can keep the whole of the
chisel back referenced on the work without having the handle in the
way (or having to have an extra-long blade so that the handle never
contacts the wood).

An extreme version of the same principle would be a crank-neck
chisel.


Chuck Vance