Japanese Woodworking Tools Explained: A Beginners Guide
Are you interested in learning about Japanese woodworking tools? This article explains the various types of tools available in Japan and their unique features. We will also cover which tools beginners should consider acquiring. Our goal for this article is to deepen your interest in Japanese woodworking tools!
Advantages of Japanese Woodworking Tools
Most countries have a tradition of woodworking. However, just as the styles of furniture and architecture vary by country, so do the characteristics of their woodworking tools.
Japanese tools also have distinctive features, and we will explore some of these today.
What Tasks Are Japanese Woodworking Tools Recommended For?
Japanese tools are particularly well-suited for precision work and finishing tasks. Saws and planes, which are designed to cut or plane with a pulling motion, have blades specifically crafted for this purpose. While tools that rely on a pushing motion are better suited for tasks requiring more force, those that use a pulling motion excel in precision. The key to using pull-stroke tools effectively is to apply minimal force, allowing the tool to do the work.
Blade Construction
Many Japanese chisels and plane blades are designed for easy sharpening and long-lasting sharpness. Tools that feature Haganetsuke or Ura-Suki are prime examples. The laminated structure and the hollow ground back significantly reduces the effort required for sharpening while also ensuring the tool's longevity and performance.
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Note: Haganetsuke - a process that laminates (or combines) a soft iron (Jigane) with a harder steel (Hagane). Ura-Suki - concave shaping of the back of a Japanese chisel or plane blade to lessen the difficulty of flattening the back of the blade when sharpening it. |
Iconic Japanese Woodworking Tools
Let’s take a closer look at some Japanese tools coupled with some explanations and images. For more links to similar articles visit our site and further your understanding of woodworking!
Hand Saws (Nokogiri)
Saws are essential for cutting wood. They come in various lengths, thicknesses, and tooth shapes (pitch, angle, sharpness), each designed for specific materials and purposes. Unlike Western saws that cut on the push stroke, most Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke due to their blade orientation.
This pull-stroke design allows Japanese saws to maintain stability with thinner blades because tension keeps them straight during cutting. As a result, a thinner blade produces narrower cuts and greater accuracy. However, it's important to note that thicker blades offer advantages in terms of durability and ease of applying force. Therefore, always choose the saw that best suits your specific needs and the task at hand.
The image above shows one of the most common types of Japanese saws—a double-edged saw (ryoba)—which features two distinct tooth configurations: one side is designed for rip cuts along the grain, while the other is intended for crosscuts against the grain. This design makes it highly versatile for various woodworking tasks.
Chisels (Nomi)
Chisels are used for carving wood and for creating and finishing holes, with blade shapes varying based on the task. Many Japanese chisels feature a Haganetsuke and often have an Ura-suki, except those with specialized shapes for carving. The handles, typically made from wood (often oak), vary in design depending on the maker. There are two main types of chisels: the "tataki-nomi" and the "tsuki-nomi". The "tataki-nomi" often includes a reinforced iron ring called "katsura" at the end of the handle to prevent splitting.
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Note: Tataki-nomi - (Chisels Designed to be Struck by a Hammer, often with a reinforced handle). *tataki ≐ strike* Tsuki-nomi - (Chisels designed to be thrust or pushed by hand) Tsuki ≐ thrust/push Katsura - a metal ring around the handle of a chisel or tool to prevent splitting. |
Hand Planes (Kanna)
Hand Planes are used to smooth and flatten the wood surfaces, with various types available for different tasks. The most common is the Flat Plane (Hira-Kanna). Modern planes typically feature two blades: the main blade (kannami) and the chip breaker (uragane), which are influenced by Western designs.
Japanese planes have wooden bodies often made from oak. Like chisels, they typically feature Haganetsuke blades and frequently include Ura-suki for easier sharpening.
As the wooden body can warp due to humidity changes, Japanese planes require regular maintenance. These adjustment are made by gently tapping either the blade or the body with a hammer.
While mastering the adjustment and use of a plane can be challenging, the results are worth the effort. A well-used plane can produce a shiny, mirror-like finish on wood surfaces that machines simply cannot replicate. Interestingly enough, the planed surface also become water-repellent.
Hammers (Gennou)
Hammers are used for driving nails and for using chisels in woodworking. In Japan, they are also utilized for adjusting the blades of planes.
Hammers come in various head shapes and weights, each designed for specific tasks. Some hammers have slightly rounded faces to avoid damaging the surface of the wood when driving nails, while others have flat or square sides that allow for versatility in use. Additionally, some hammers feature thin, blade-like striking faces that are specifically designed for modifying the blades of planes without causing damage.
Measuring Tools
In wood working accurate measurements are essential. In the past, bamboo rulers used to be the norm, but nowadays metal rulers have become more and more common. Another useful tool is the Marking Gauge (Kehiki), which can draw consistent lines across materials at the same width from edge to edge. It has a blade that creates a mark in the wood, making it convenient for repeatedly marking the same width.
Other Tools
This is a Bar Clamp (Hatagane). It secures materials by tightening a screw.
This is a Kiridashi (a small, single-beveled Japanese knife), a woodworking knife used for carving small details.
This is an Awl (kiri). It's used to create pilot holes for drilling or driving nails. You rotate the handle with both hands while pressing the tip into the wood.
Choosing Japanese Tools
Now that we've introduced several common Japanese tools, let's look at the criteria for selecting your own!
Saws: When selecting a saw, consider factors like blade thickness, blade length, and tooth size. The blade thickness affects the width of the cut, the blade length influences the amount of material cut per stroke and maneuverability, and the tooth size impacts cutting speed and the smoothness of the cut surface. If you're not very experienced with woodworking, we recommend a medium-sized saw, as extremely sized saws can be difficult to handle.
If you don't have a specific use in mind and want to start with one saw, we recommend a Double-Edged Saw (Ryoba). It can handle both large and small pieces of wood to some extent and it's standard size is 240mm.
For more detailed information, please check our How to Choose a Japanese Saw by Type: The Kakuri Difference article!
Chisels: Choose chisels that match the size of what you want to use. Be especially careful when making holes or marks, as a chisel that's too large won't work. The type of chisel also depends on your project. The most versatile chisel is said to be the Oire Nomi, a kind of striking chisel.
Hand Planes: We recommend choosing a plane with a blade wider than your material. If the blade width is narrower than the material width, you'll need to plane multiple times to cover the entire surface, which can make it difficult to achieve an even result without significant experience.
Hammers (Gennou): Choose the head material and weight based on your purpose. For the head material, choose a softer material if you don't want to damage the surface you're striking. For example, when adjusting plane blades, use copper, brass, or wooden hammers instead of tool steel to reduce the damage on the plane head. Additionally, when assembling joints, using a wooden mallet instead of a metal hammer will leave fewer marks on the surface (though using a piece of scrap wood as a buffer might be even more effective).
Do You Know About Urasuki and Hagane-Tsuke?
Smoother and more stable more: Urasuki
The "Urasuki" is the concave shaping on the back of a Japanese chisel or plane blade to improve cutting performance. The back surface of a chisel guides the chisel to cut vertically when drilling holes or to cut horizontally when smoothing wood surfaces. For plane blades, the flatness of the back affects the sharpness - the flatter it is, the better it cuts.
The back of chisels and plane blades needs to be flat, especially for precision work and finishing. By creating this hollow, it reduces the area that needs to be flattened during sharpening, making the sharpening process easier and more accurate.
Combining two types of iron: Haganetsuke
"Haganetsuke" is a technique of making blades by combining tool steel and soft iron. It involves laminating hard steel on the back side of the blade and softer metal called "Jigane" (The softer steel used as the body of a Japanese chisel or plane blade, typically surrounding the harder edge steel (hagane) on the front side.
Steel is hard and resistant to wear but weak against impacts, so the jigane compensates for this weakness. In other words, it gives sharpness and durability to the cutting edge while providing flexibility and impact resistance to the entire blade.
Also, being resistant to wear means it's difficult to sharpen, so making part of the blade from softer iron also improves ease of sharpening.
Essential Woodworking Tools for Beginners
If you're just starting with woodworking, here's a list of tools you should consider acquiring:
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Clamping tools: Used to secure materials in place, this includes clamps and hatagane. Check our Bar Clamps Collection
Check our Japanese Saws Collection
Check our Marking Gauge Collection Shaping tools: Used to further process wood, this includes chisels, planes, and carving knives. Check our Japanese Chisels Collection Check our Japanese Planes Collection Check our Japanese Knives Collection Sharpening tools: Used to sharpen cutting edges. If you're not used to sharpening, it can be difficult to maintain a consistent angle while moving the blade on the whetstone. In this case, a sharpening guide helps hold the blade in place, making the process easier. Check our Sharpening Collection
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These are the general tools you'll need. If you're interested in acquiring Japanese carpentry tools, consider this list along with the tools you already have.
If you're considering our Kakuri tools, we recommend this "7-Piece Carpentry Tool Set"!
This set includes a flat plane, chisels (2 sizes), a double-edged saw, a marking gauge, a hammer, and a tool bag—covering many essential tools for woodworking!
Woodworking Tips
Preparation is key when working with hand tools. While it's not exclusive to japanese woodoworking, it is still of essence, so let's explore why it can make such a big difference.
While using the correct methods is certainly important, if your tools are not in good condition, you will not be able to work accurately.
As such, in this section, we will explain what you should do before starting to process the wood.
Tool Maintenance
Before working, check your tools for any looseness or unusual sounds. Loose parts (handles on saws, hammers, chisels, etc.) pose a risk of injury or accidents. Consequently, you should always avoid using such tools.
Proper care and storage methods are also crucial for long-term use. Get into the habit of oiling and polishing cutting tools after use to prevent rust, and also make sure to sharpen them before storaging them. Also, wood can deform due to moisture, so be careful where you store your planes and chisels.
Clamping and Marking
Accurate marking and secure fixing are essential for precise work.
First, let's talk about marking. As obvious as it sounds, drawing lines as close to the actual dimensions as possible is the most important thing.
Additionally, marking the side to be cut helps prevent confusion during cutting.
Next comes clamping the wood. Firmly clamp the material to the workbench. Holding the material by hand can cause it to shift, making it difficult to work straight and accurately. Furthermore, clamping it in place frees up both hands, improving control and allowing for a smoother process.
Conclusion
In this article we've covered iconic Japanese carpentry tools, their use and common knowledge associated with them.
If this article has been helpful to you please visit Kakuri's homepage. In it, we have many other articles exploring the fascinating world of japanese woodworking and also sell authentic japanese tools you might be interested in!
Check out our other articles for a more in-depth view of Japanese woodworking tools!
· How to Use Japanese Chisels: Tips & Techniques
· How to use a Japanese Hammer (Genno)
· How to use Japanese planes: Tips on how to plane
· Japanese vs Western Chisels: Key Features & Differences
