The Japanese tradition of Sashimono joinery dates back over 1000 years and is now a protected craft. The tools associated with the craft have also been refined and developed over a similar period, but in the last 80 years Japanese toolmaking has seen an influx of skills as many of the old Japanese sword smithing families have switched to making woodworking tools.
One of the fundamental elements of sashimono is reliance on the mechanical strength of the joinery rather than adhesives or fixings. The differences are what make Japanese tools so fascinating to learn about and rewarding to use.
Because the steel that forms the cutting edge of Japanese chisels is so hard, the backs of the blades are hollowed to ease preparation and maintenance. The hollow is very shallow so with very little work on the back it will naturally recede ahead of the cutting edge.
Because of this hollow, it is especially important to use the correct sized chisel for the job, you can't hang a wider blade out over an edge as far as you can with a western chisel. Thankfully there is also quite a significant price advantage to be had when buying a set.
If you have already invested in one or two individual chisels from us and would like to upgrade to a set we are happy to credit your original purchase against the set price and then send you the remaining sizes.
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