In the Shop > Hand Tool Woodworking

a note to Steve (and the forum)

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Steve Brown:
Ken,
What I can tell you is that Jeff was right, the blade was in the jig square, but apparently the steel was slightly tapered such that the bevel was not reading square to the stone, if that makes sense.
Interestingly enough, I believe the Japanese steel is actually Damascus steel which came from Damascus, Syria and became popular for making swords during the Crusades and reported by Aristotle as being in use as early as 400BC.
I think I'll buy a Japanese chisel and a Lie-Neilsen chisel and decide which I prefer.
Then I can tell my wife and kids what to get me for my birthday. I'm going to order Leonard Lees' book. Thanks, as always, Jeff and Ionut for your helpful input.
Steve

Ken S:
Steve,

When you are comparing the Japanese and Lie-Nielsen chisels, choose carefully.  Chances are that whichever you choose will someday be passed on to your children and grandchildren.  Tools, both good and not so good, can stick around for a long time.

Perhaps someone else can post good sites for learning more about the Japanese chisels.  The lie-nielsen website has some excellent instructional you tubes, both about usage and sharpening.  The sharpening technique shown is very solid.  Do keep in mind that the instructor travels quite a bit.  The Tormek, while a delight at home, might be like the traveling anvil salesman in The Music Man.

At the same time I ordered my chisel from Lie-Nielsen, I also ordered an extra long handle.  The longer handles are designed for paring.  Using both handles is shown in the L-N you tubes. I would only order one long handle, as the chisels generally use the same size handles.

When choosing your chisels, pay special attention to what your hands say.  Some tools just fit well in your hands.  Some don't.  I would rather have a chisel with less than stellar steel which felt like an extension of my hands than a piece of superb steel which felt clunky.

Choose slowly.

Ken

Ken S:
Ionut,

We were posting at the same time last night.  I believe you are sharing the most valuable knowledge we have, personal knowledge.  Book learning is easily acquired.  Listening to what our hands tell us is more difficult, and more precious.

Ken

ionut:
Hi Ken,

I didn't notice that.
If you are referring to my comfort level in my previous post the things are staying somehow like this, as you probably noticed I am not a diplomatic or politically correct person. I think the politically correctness is the biggest lie ever invented and that is why I am tempted to throw the truth green in the face as I am able to take it myself as well, whether it is about Tormek, chisels or anything else. Japanese chisels and Lie-Nielsen chisels are premium chisel in my opinion, you can't go wrong with any, it happens that I prefer the Japanese ones but I am not an authority in woodworking or tools, so in this particular case Steve should make his mind, there are many things to like or to not like at this tools and he will find out using them. Your earlier suggestion is perfect and as I said in a previous post I have got first two Japanese ones and used them and not long after I started to complete my collection in small steps as neither of them are cheap. There are other things about them that I didn't talk before that may influence someone's actions, for example the machining of the Lie-Nielsen ones is close to perfect, parallel sides, parallel faces, narrow vertical sides, you can almost use any edge as a reference, the Japanese ones are different, as most of them they are made by hand, they may not have faces and sides at the same grade of precision, and this may be important for some users.
I think the best way is to get one of each and try them and when the decision has been made, forget about them and do some real work otherwise one will end comparing the tools all his life and forgeting about what these tools are supposed to do.

Ionut

Ken S:
I agree, Ionut.  Steve, the ball is in your court.  Enjoy.

Ken

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