[Tasai]

Right 3 are for female (9mm, 12mm, 15mm). Left 3 are for male (6mm, 9mm, 12mm). 6mm female is impossible due to toughness problem around the neck. 3mm male is now available.

The handle is Japanese boxwood. Rare timbre handles are $10 plus each. You can choose from ebony, rosewood, boxwood, gumi. Refer to handle material page for the detailed description of each timbre's characteristic.

[On Handle Material]

This kind of joint is called half blind joint, and the chisels shown here are specially designed to make this joint.

These chisels replace the pair of paring knives to finish the corner of the half hidden dovetail's female socket.


This special shape is difficult to make. Since the body of the blade isn't square, the steel is hard to be wrapped around the iron. I've checked with several other blacksmiths but so far Michio and Kunikei are the only ones who can make these. I will be receiving Kunikei's in 5 months. His price is a bit less expensive. From $144 for Female nomi, but the Male Nomi was about the same from $160. I'll make a page for Kunikei as soon as I receive them.








These male chisels are specially ordered as well, because normal Shinogi Nomi doesn't have a sharp edge on the sides, they cannot be used to make dovetail males.