How to Fix the Steel Ferule to a Japanese Chisel
The Japanese make their chisels with two layers of steel - one hard layer, to provide the blade, and a second, softer, springier one to carry it. The face of the chisel is hollow-ground, to make it easier to hone. The blade is angled slightly, so that it is possible to take out deeper holes than would appear from the short length of the blade. The steel being so much harder than we are used to in Europe, the
blades are also more fragile than ours. Take care not to use them roughly or as levers.
A Japanese chisel (OIRE NOMI) is traditionally supplied ex-works neither sharpened nor fixed tight in its ferrule. It has always fallen to the user to convert it into a usable tool and thus make it his or her own. Your Oire Nomi is ready sharpened from the manufacturer. You may wish to alter the angle of the blade depending on whether you are working in hard or soft woods.
How to fix the steel ferrule
The steel ring or ferrule which protects the red oak handle from the blows of the hammer or mallet, has only been loosely attached. You should push it in far enough for it to allow about 1 - 2 mm of the tip of the handle to appear at the other end. Movement in the wood may have altered the position of the ring since it was fitted in Japan. If it is too tight you will have to file or plane the wooden a little, to be able to push it on. If it is only a tiny bit too tight, you can also use a hammer it on.
When it is over the end of the handle you can move it back down again a little by hammering. Then work on the edges of the protruding wood with a hammer so that they wrap around the ferrule like the cap of a mushroom and thus fix it permanently. Make this stage easier by putting the handle in water into water for several seconds once the ferrule is on, before you start hammering it. Do not worry about using a metal hammer on the OIRE NOMI - that's what they do in Japan! What is important is that there is enough wood protruding above to prevent the clash of steel on steel.
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