Japanese Fishtail chisel

[Harry Page]

I was at a garage sale recently, and I picked up a 1/2" Japanese Fishtail chisel for $20.  I really never had any desire or intention on buying one of these chisels, but this one was in pretty decent shape, so I picked it up.  I don't have any Japanese chisels, so I have no clue how to go about sharpening the chisel.  I use water stones for all my sharpening, so I'm assuming I can use these for this chisel.  I would appreciate any advice and recommendations on sharpening.  

Harry

[Hank Knight]

I was at a garage sale recently, and I picked up a 1/2" Japanese Fishtail chisel for $20.  I really never had any desire or intention on buying one of these chisels, but this one was in pretty decent shape, so I picked it up.  I don't have any Japanese chisels, so I have no clue how to go about sharpening the chisel.  I use water stones for all my sharpening, so I'm assuming I can use these for this chisel.  I would appreciate any advice and recommendations on sharpening.  

Harry

Your water stones should be fine. I don't know how you sharpen, but most Japanese chisel owners hone the entire bezel rather than using a micro bevel. YMMV

[JimReed@Tallahassee]

I use my Japanese chisels all the time and sharpen them frequently. I use a Norton pink stone to grind out nicks and AO sandpaper to sharpen and hone. I flatten the backs just like western chisels and I put micro bevels on the front. I beat on the chisels with a Japanese hammer and don't hold back. These chisels hold up well without all the fuss and babying that some people think they need. Steel is just steel.

But I think I might be a little more gentle with a fish tail chisel because it gets more narrow with every sharpening.

[AaronR]

I use my Japanese chisels all the time and sharpen them frequently. I use a Norton pink stone to grind out nicks and AO sandpaper to sharpen and hone. I flatten the backs just like western chisels and I put micro bevels on the front. I beat on the chisels with a Japanese hammer and don't hold back. These chisels hold up well without all the fuss and babying that some people think they need. Steel is just steel.

But I think I might be a little more gentle with a fish tail chisel because it gets more narrow with every sharpening.

Responding (6 years later!) to JimReed's post, I didn't know Norton made a pink stone.  Did you mean to say a pink brick from Imanishi or Naniwa or Japanese Knife Imports or ??

Thanks!  Hope you see this Jim!

Aaron

[AaronR]

Responding (6 years later!) to JimReed's post, I didn't know Norton made a pink stone.  Did you mean to say a pink brick from Imanishi or Naniwa or Japanese Knife Imports or ??

Thanks!  Hope you see this Jim!

Aaron

Oops! I chatted with Jim and it turns out he's using a Norton pink stone *wheel* on a bench grinder.  He cautions that a light touch is needed because the hard steel at the tip of japanese blades burns easily.

Aaron

[Derek Cohen]

Koyamaichi (actually, it was a prototype from Mr Koyama) ...



All my Japanese chisels are honed the traditional way - flat bevel at 30 degrees ...



Regards from Perth

Derek