Michelle_K
Established Member
Does anyone have any Japanese chisels or gouges they are not using that they’d be willing to sell.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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Wanted Japanese chisels or gouges.
- Thread starter Michelle_K
- Start date
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pgrbff
Established Member
Can I suggest you try the nomi shop
It's an English guy who has a Japanese wife, lives in Japan and works in a workshop making nomi. He sells both new and old and even with the ridiculous charges made by the Italian authorities named brands cost significantly less than in the UK and Europe. I have had some fantastic bargains, he is very helpful and it is best to contact him through the site and tell him what you are looking for. I buy my sharpening stones from Amazon.jp, agai, much more economical, and for Italy at least, shipping via DHL is quick and all charges prepaid.
It's an English guy who has a Japanese wife, lives in Japan and works in a workshop making nomi. He sells both new and old and even with the ridiculous charges made by the Italian authorities named brands cost significantly less than in the UK and Europe. I have had some fantastic bargains, he is very helpful and it is best to contact him through the site and tell him what you are looking for. I buy my sharpening stones from Amazon.jp, agai, much more economical, and for Italy at least, shipping via DHL is quick and all charges prepaid.
I would sign up for something like buyee (a proxy shipper that will ship items from japan's auction site) and buy a used set of chisels or a NOS set.
I think I've paid on average about $200 for full sets. I have and have had other chisels that I bought new aimed at americans and if you know how to judge surface finish, translate the page (to make sure you don't end up with high speed steel if you don't want it) ....there's no real quality difference between the makers for practical purposes.
I browsed it briefly and would suspect the $200 figure is about right for 10 chisels (in the US, add $50 for proxy fees and shipping, there's no import duties here on tools, but there can be on other things, like guitars).
One of the sets that I had in the past was "dad ouchi", the original guy. They were a little over hard, which gives bragging rights, but they were chippy. If I still had them, I'd temper them back.
There's a 10 piece set that is "used" but appears to be unused ouchi oire nomi on buyee for about $540 starting price and getting no bids. Not sure what a set of ouchi chisels brings now ordered in white steel, but it's probably well over $1000.That's what they sell for *new* from a dealer to a buyer in the US or europe, but that's not what they resell for. I got the "dad" site from probably a deceased collector, unused, and I think it was 14 chisels - $450 plus auction fees (maybe $550 total).
Having bought and then sold most of several other sets where I didn't recognize the maker, I would put more stock in the finish of the chisel and the quality of its make than the price and name. I couldn't tell you who the maker is of my two favorite sets because I don't know who it is.
I think I've paid on average about $200 for full sets. I have and have had other chisels that I bought new aimed at americans and if you know how to judge surface finish, translate the page (to make sure you don't end up with high speed steel if you don't want it) ....there's no real quality difference between the makers for practical purposes.
I browsed it briefly and would suspect the $200 figure is about right for 10 chisels (in the US, add $50 for proxy fees and shipping, there's no import duties here on tools, but there can be on other things, like guitars).
One of the sets that I had in the past was "dad ouchi", the original guy. They were a little over hard, which gives bragging rights, but they were chippy. If I still had them, I'd temper them back.
There's a 10 piece set that is "used" but appears to be unused ouchi oire nomi on buyee for about $540 starting price and getting no bids. Not sure what a set of ouchi chisels brings now ordered in white steel, but it's probably well over $1000.That's what they sell for *new* from a dealer to a buyer in the US or europe, but that's not what they resell for. I got the "dad" site from probably a deceased collector, unused, and I think it was 14 chisels - $450 plus auction fees (maybe $550 total).
Having bought and then sold most of several other sets where I didn't recognize the maker, I would put more stock in the finish of the chisel and the quality of its make than the price and name. I couldn't tell you who the maker is of my two favorite sets because I don't know who it is.
https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/d1068443686
This will be over in an hour, not suggesting you buy these - I think even though they're obviously much less expensive in japan, you're still paying for a name.
Another example of a more typical listing:
https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/k1071371700/detail
Most things, unless they are collectable, are bid up at the last second, but the proxy services (buyee is only one of many) usually have an automatic bid function that ebay *ought to* with last minute proxy bidding so that you don't get stuck leaving bids on things you don't need after winning something else.
The category of chisels is here:
https://buyee.jp/item/search/category/2084211479
If you're going to buy much of anything japanese, it makes sense to get away from the dealers early. There's not a great deal of regard for used tools in japan in 90% of cases, and sometimes if you don't know who owned something used, it's assumed to be potentially unlucky.
This will be over in an hour, not suggesting you buy these - I think even though they're obviously much less expensive in japan, you're still paying for a name.
Another example of a more typical listing:
https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/k1071371700/detail
Most things, unless they are collectable, are bid up at the last second, but the proxy services (buyee is only one of many) usually have an automatic bid function that ebay *ought to* with last minute proxy bidding so that you don't get stuck leaving bids on things you don't need after winning something else.
The category of chisels is here:
https://buyee.jp/item/search/category/2084211479
If you're going to buy much of anything japanese, it makes sense to get away from the dealers early. There's not a great deal of regard for used tools in japan in 90% of cases, and sometimes if you don't know who owned something used, it's assumed to be potentially unlucky.
pgrbff
Established Member
I have bought a few new Ouchi recently from the person I suggested. 3, 6 and 12mm dovetail and mentori oire nomi with white oak or boxwood handles, whatever Ouchi has in stock when I enquire,they have cost around $65 each, very approximate and airmail is incredibly inexpensive from Japan if they are delivering to your country.
My first Japanese chisel was also a lucky buy but from the UK. A 36mm Tasai for around £25. I had no idea who Tasia was at the time.
I believe that is the son, making chisels in white 2. The older chisels were claimed to be white 1, which is technically better (higher hardness potential), but in my experience, often left undertempered to emphasize the hardness.
At old exchange rates, I believe Stu used to sell ouchi sets for about $800 or $850 new (10 piece oire - the larger chisels drive the price up vs. 18mm and below, and I doubt that most people use chisels over 30mm often, and not even that, but they look nice, I guess).
It looks like they have stayed about the same in price.
It's hard for me to tell what ouchi's reputation actually is in japan - not that it's bad - but that it's a well known name in the states because 40 years ago, an enterprising individual put together a video promo of smiths (chisel, plane, daiya) and promptly declared each maker he had the rights to sell "the best", but it was in truly 70/80s superlatives and much more cheesy.
The old ones being overhard is not that uncommon - I think the makers assumed that the buyers could temper them back, but going the other direction wouldn't be so easy, so the top makers left them hard.
When you need something like you're talking about (dovetail chisels, etc), then going new starts to be a lot easier than trying to find something that looks perfect.
http://japantool-iida.com/chisel_bench/index_3.html
iida also sells ouchi - i'm somewhat surprised he hasn't dropped them. His customers like him, but I'm not one of his customers. I can't get over the fact that everything is doubled in price, and sometimes, at least in the past, he'd dump what was probably old stock (not the listed items, but sometimes the same makers) for very cheap. A slightly different version of an $800 plane would sell for $150 on ebay - and in a couple of instances, gauges and things that I purchased off of those castoff auctions came with cheaper components than showed.
if this question were being asked in the states, I'd just offer one of the older sets of chisels that I have in tow from getting a few too many off of buyee. but shipping to the UK makes that prohibitive - better to just order from japan.
Economy air shipping from japan (about 6 days to here) should be around $30-$40 for a set of 10 chisels. I've paid less than that, but would imagine things have gone up with air shipping there, too.
At old exchange rates, I believe Stu used to sell ouchi sets for about $800 or $850 new (10 piece oire - the larger chisels drive the price up vs. 18mm and below, and I doubt that most people use chisels over 30mm often, and not even that, but they look nice, I guess).
It looks like they have stayed about the same in price.
It's hard for me to tell what ouchi's reputation actually is in japan - not that it's bad - but that it's a well known name in the states because 40 years ago, an enterprising individual put together a video promo of smiths (chisel, plane, daiya) and promptly declared each maker he had the rights to sell "the best", but it was in truly 70/80s superlatives and much more cheesy.
The old ones being overhard is not that uncommon - I think the makers assumed that the buyers could temper them back, but going the other direction wouldn't be so easy, so the top makers left them hard.
When you need something like you're talking about (dovetail chisels, etc), then going new starts to be a lot easier than trying to find something that looks perfect.
http://japantool-iida.com/chisel_bench/index_3.html
iida also sells ouchi - i'm somewhat surprised he hasn't dropped them. His customers like him, but I'm not one of his customers. I can't get over the fact that everything is doubled in price, and sometimes, at least in the past, he'd dump what was probably old stock (not the listed items, but sometimes the same makers) for very cheap. A slightly different version of an $800 plane would sell for $150 on ebay - and in a couple of instances, gauges and things that I purchased off of those castoff auctions came with cheaper components than showed.
if this question were being asked in the states, I'd just offer one of the older sets of chisels that I have in tow from getting a few too many off of buyee. but shipping to the UK makes that prohibitive - better to just order from japan.
Economy air shipping from japan (about 6 days to here) should be around $30-$40 for a set of 10 chisels. I've paid less than that, but would imagine things have gone up with air shipping there, too.
Michelle_K
Established Member
Thank you all for your suggestions I will do some research.
DannyxJones
New member
Hello Michelle I have two Japanese saws that have never been out the packs, Nakaya is the brand
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Michelle_K
Established Member
DannyxJones
New member
I’m looking for offers around £100
