Kiyohisa

Watanabe Kiyoei is a very gentle person who looks more like a University professor. His tools are as gentle looking and very handsome as the creator himself. Very fluid in the line around the neck, and the back hollow meticulously crafted. Kiyohisa specializes in White Steel #1, the toughest Japanese steel to forge. WS#1's range of temperature when hardening is only about 5 degrees. You go above or below and the hardness will dramatically decrease. You could say Kiyohisa is the next generation Hidari Ichihiro. They are similar in many aspects. The steel, the fineness of the finish, and overall aura you feel from his tools. Since his tools are very reasonably priced, there are many users who orders his tools repeatedly, thus there is a bit of a long waiting list, half year to one year. He is a quite talented calligrapher as well, so you can have your box signed and stamped by Watanabe-san himself. His tools will be more expensive as his name spreads. Definitely one of my most recommended White Steel #1 chisel brand.

Kiyohisa tools can be ordered by the piece as well. Bench, timber, slick, crank neck, kiridashi, etc. He basically makes everything but saws and hammer heads. He makes plane blade in very limited quantity as well.

I would say, Kiyohisa chisels have now become the best quality wise in Japan. At least one of the best. The tang of the chisel where it will be hidden in the handle, is also meticulously made. This is the kind of attitude seen in Ichihiro chisels as well. When I told Kiyohisa-san, his tang is very well made, he said with humility, "Ichihiro's tang was much better, but I could never do that...."

Anyway, Watanabe-san makes great chisels. Do try them once if you get the chance.

From AU$ (3mm) ~ AU$ (18mm)

Dovetail female socket making chisels (Bachi nomi) with Gumi handle. Can be ordered with and without the strike hoop. The side edge is about 0.5mm thick. It should be thin enough to make the edge of the dovetail socket sharp enough. As you do uraoshi, the edge will be come zero thickness.

You can use the Shinogi-nomi with 0.5mm side thickness to make the male of the dovetail. I'll be listing the photos of them soon.