KAKURI Japanese Woodworking Chisel Set

Great value. Just got these last night, so I haven’t had a chance to really put them to the test. But I can say that they’re well made and they were very sharp right out of the box. They need a little extra sharpening/polishing to get them just right, but given that they’re Japanese chisels, it’ll be a lot easier. Tip guards are very sturdy and stay on well. The handles are quite comfortable and well constructed. Overall the fit and finish is very good. The only drawback I can think of is that the overall blade length is short enough that it doesn’t fit in a honing guide very well. But, if you’re using something like a Tormek, it won’t be an issue. I will definitely be buying more Kakuri chisels 👍🏻👍🏻

I have several sets of cheap and moderate quality chisels, and none compare to this set. These were absolutely razor-sharp out of the box, and I used them to make sharp corners on an Oak door that I made and routed for 3/16 glass, see attached picture. They do an amazing job as long as you work slowly, and after one door, 24 corners, the chisel is still as sharp as it was when I started. My only complaint is the plastic chisel guards they provide are junk (one cracked right away) so they’re fairly useless and required duct tape, and the tools also require a bit of prep work before using, but no big deal. The steel is what matters on these tools, and the Japanese certainly have their steel quality down perfectly.

These aren’t going to be very good chisels or last very long as there doesn’t appear to be very much steel laminated to the iron, but to practice techniques and begin learning to sharpen, these are hard to beat. For the best value after you know what you’re doing, consider fujikawa chisels. But these run 30-70 dollars apiece compared to getting these for a third of that. Set up wasn’t too bad and didn’t take long to set the hoops and sharpen. I have chipped one but it was quickly repaired. They don’t hold their edge very long either, but that’s to be expected for high carbon steel. I’ve gotten a day of use making a few joints before they’re almost too dull to pare well. I highly recommend getting or making a kannaban (extremely flat piece of low carbon steel) to really get optimal use from these by having a flat, polished back. Do expect to need a few tools to set these up. Mandatory: 1000 and 6000 or 8000 grit stones, flattening stone/ glass and sandpaper to flatten stones and bevel of chisels, file to remove burr from hoop Optional but very helpful: 3000 and 10 or 12000 grit stones, kannaban (flat steel can be had from McMaster-Carr), diamond stone. Set up: Remove hoop, remove burr if present; file handle until the hoop slides on freely to be flush with top; rolling the handle over anvil or sidewalk etc, hit firmly with hammer evenly all over, compressing the wood fibers until the hoop slides 2-3 mm beneath the top of the handle, “mushroom” the top of the handle around the hoop by striking downwards and outwards around the rim until the wood is mushroomed around the hoop, thus preventing the wood from splitting. Next, flatten the back of the blade on 1000 stone or kannaban until evenly polished, then begin flattening the bevel (if bad, use low grit sandpaper on glass or diamond stone) then sharpen on your stones until there is an even burr across the blade. Then use the highest grit stone to remove the burr. Source: tons of videos on YouTube, Toshio Odate’s book on Japanese tools, and The Complete Japanese Joinery. All of which I can’t recommend highly enough to those looking to learn.

When they finally came, one of the chisels was chipped. In my case it wasn't bad enough to send back, but it takes longer to sharpen if you have to correct a blade. And they did need to be sharpened, as mine were not sharp out of the box. If you're not at ease with putting blades to stones, look for something else.

Great chisels. Ive used them a lot and they take a really nice edge and hold it well. You can do a lot with the three different sizes. Good quality and definitely worth the price.

Originally bought a different set that claimed 60HRc with ash handles(schaaf brand). The quality and craftsmanship is night and day. These Japanese chisels are made nicely, the metal came far sharper and feels much heavier. The handles feel stronger, sturdier and made by real craftsmen. Unlike the other I returned where the metal wasn't even flush with the sticky and rough handles. Density and weight are not the same, but having much heavier chisels usually means they are harder and stays sharp longer. This is one of the better ones to get at this price. Maybe the best at this price, but no one can say unless they bought all of them to compare.

My first reaction was, "The handles are kind of small." But despite my larger-than-average hands, I've found them a delight to use. The price is nice. They sharpen quickly and easily (though they're pretty doggone sharp out of the box). And for the price, I'm quite pleased with my purchase. I like Kakuri's products. Good quality without crazy prices. I have a couple of their planes as well.

Great,please note japanese tool handles come un finished to save cost I'm guessing,they still feel great, if it matters to you throw on some mineral oil or linseed oil

Better than expected for such a budget set. Hoops are nice and snug and easy to set, nice matte black coating on the blades, sharpen up really well, steel seems tempered ok. The decal/stickers are just paper that would fall off easy, I fixed this with a few layers of clear nail polish, they came up a treat. The white oak handles are finished well and have a coat of varnish on them. The thickness of the oak handles gets thicker for every chisel which is nice, but they do not get longer. The chisels are only 22cm long all up, small but nice in the hand to use for carving. They feel a bit like butt chisels in the hand. The lamination is a 2mm sheet, I measured it on all 3 chisels plus a 42mm one I bought separately, 2mm lamination on all, it does the job fine. I'd guess this is how they are able to cut costs and sell these so cheap. I definitely recommend a set based on the price and quality. Cheers

Buen tiempo de entrega. Pero los cinceles están usados, rotos de la protección y dañados de la punta. Obviamente los voy a regresar

Delivered on time, great set of chiesels.

Ils sont très bien et solide

Very good quality, sharp and sharpenable dependable chisels. Well worth the money. Uses for furniture making, including smaller finer work such as jewelry boxes.