Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit and Use

200 Pages·1998·54.746 MB·English

by  Toshio Odate

Japanese
Woodwroking
Too:Tl hseir
TradiStpiiriotn ,
anUds e

Japanese
Woodworking
Too:ls eTihr
TraodniS,tp iirit
and Use
ToshiOod ate
JAPANEWSOEO DWORKINGT OOLS:
THEITRR ADITISOPNI,RI ATN DU SE
by
ToshOidoa te
FrontisWipsiteecflroeiw:ae rtsh,eO datfaem ilsye a(lw oodcbuyEt .M arinIoI I)
DedicaptaigoAenn:i ritsh,eE nglitsrha nsloaftt ihoJena panweosresd ho(bwuo odcbuytE .M arinIoI I)
PhotogrbayBp rhiasGnu licekx,c ewphte rneo teDdr. awibnygT oss hOidoa te
Coveprh otogrJaohpnKh esl:s ey
Alrli ghrtesse rveNdo. p atro ft hibso okm ayb er eproduocrte rda nsmiitnta endyfo rmo rb ya nym eanse,l ectroormn eicch anical,
includpihnogct oopying, recordoirnb gy,a nyi nformatsitoonr aagnedr etriseyvsatlew mi,t howurti tpteernm isfrsoimot nh e
publisehxecre,fop rtt hien clusoifbo rni qeufo tatiionrn esv iews.
© 1984b yT heT auntoPnr esIsn c.
© 1998b yToshOidoa te
6789
ISBN0 -941936-46-5
ISBN9 78-0-941936-46-0
LibraorfCy o ngreCsast aloging-in-PDuabtlai cation
OdatTeo,s hio.
Japanewosoed worktionogl Tsh:e itrr aditsipoinra,in tdu, s e/
ToshiOod ate.
p. cm.
Originpaulbllyi sNheewdt:o nC,o nn.T:a untoPnr es1s9,8 4.
Inclubdiebsl iograrpehfiecraealnn cdei sn dex.
ISBN0 -941936-{4t6r-a5pd aep er)
1.W oodworkitnogo ls-JapaIn.T. i de.
TTI86.0331 998
684.'0 82'0952l- dc2 98-9884
CIP
PRINTEIDNT HEU NITESDT ATEOSF AM ERICA
FirLsitn dePnu blishEidnigt i1o9n9 8
LINDPEUBNL ISHING
LindePnu blishIinncg.
2006S .M ary
FresnCoA, 9 372U1S A
te8l0 0-345-4447
www .lindenpub.com
Tabloef C ontents
DedicatainodAn c knowledgments
vii
Introduction viii
Chapt1e rT heW orksh(oSph itgoo-Ba)
Chapt2e rM arkiTnogo l(sS uimtsuke-Dogu) 12
Chapt3e rS aws( Nokogiri) 34
Chapt4e rC hise(lNso mi) 58
ChaptSe rP lan(eKsa nna) 80
Chapt6e rS harpenSitnogn (eTso ishi) 128
Chapt7e rS harpen(iTnogg i) 140
Chapt8e rA dzea ndA xes( Chanaan dO no) 1.58
Chapt9e rH ammer(s1S uchi) 162
Chapt1e0rG imle(tKsi ri) 166
Chapt1e1rK niveasnd O theTroo l(sK ogtaanaan dK odogu) 170
Afterword 178
Notes 185
Index 187

I giveb otohkti oms y son,
ShobOud atwei,t lho ve,
anda sp arotfh ihse ritage.
Acknowledgments
Many peoplmee v gaalvuea sbulpep ort and
assistiantn hcewe r itoifnt gh ibsoo kI.
woulpda ritculalrilktyeot hanDkr S.a ndra
Newtodnir,e ctAorrt,as n dH umanities,
MattatCuocmkm uniCtoyl leWgaet,er b,u ry
Conn.a,n dH enrKy. L anzv,i cper esidoefn t
GarreWtatd eC ompa,nN yewY orkN,. Y
vii
Introduction
Whilree truninhgo mef roam s eminianAr t lanGteao,r gia, rtehcewe onrtdl y,
shokuncianm et om indT.h iJsa panweosred i sd efinbeydb otJha panaensde
Japanese-dEcnitgiloisnhaa rs"i cersa ftsomr"a anrt"i sabnu,ts" u cahl itled rea­
scripdtoieonsno tfu lleyx pretshsde e epmeera niTnhge.J apanese apipsr entice
taugthhta sth okunmiena nnso to nlhya ivgnt echnsickai,bll u lta lsiom plaine s
attitaunddse o cicaoln sciouTshneessqesu .a liatrieeen sc ompasisnte hdew o rd
shokunbiunt, saerled owmr ittdeownn .
Thes hokundienm onstrkantwoelse dogfet ooalnsd skiltlh ewmti,ht aehb il­
ittyo c reate baenadtu htceya pactiotw yo rkw itihn rceidblsep eeTdh.ev alue
ofa no bjeicstd ependoenna t s ubtcloem binaotfis okni alnlds peetdh;i iss
whatth aep pren'tsmi acsetaenrd h icso lleatgeuaecashn ,dt hiissw hatth esh o­
kunibne lieSvuecsth.e cahinigsb asaincd c otniensut ob es iginciaffnrto tmh e
earlsiteasgtoe fas p pernteiscihpt hroumgahs teorfty h cer aIftns. h ortth,ep ride
oft hesh okuniistn h es imlutaneaocuhsi eveomfes nktia lnlds pe.eO dnew ith­
outt heo theirsn ots hokunin.
Thes hokunhiansa s ocioabll igattowi oornk h ibse sfotr t hgee nerwaell fare
oft hep epoleT.h iosb ligaitsbi ootnsh p iuraialtn dm aetri,ia nlt hanto m atter
what iisit,fs ocierteyq uiirtet,sh es hokunirne'snsps oibiilsti otf yu lftihlel
rqeuiremSeoncti.er teyc ogniforze exsa,m ptlhea,it ti st he aboiflt ihtecy o m­
mont ategouk-usnhi(ns lnigd-idomoark ert)om akeo nes hojsic reoefnh igh
qualipteyrd ays;o cietthyuc so metso e xpetchti ssp eed ftrhoesm h okunin.
Therefforroetm,h eb egninign,J apanaespep rentaircete asu gthhta stp eed is
criatli-ctwhoer sitsn ultto car aftsimnJa anp ainst ob ec allaes dl owwo rker.
Iw aso ncaes hokunIiw no.r kewdi tbho tshk ialnlds peeadsm ys tandaorfd s
cretaioWni.t thh pea ssionft gi maen da ftcehra ngimnygp rofseisohno,w ever,
my understaonfdc irnagf tsamnedtn h etioro blesc ammeo reI mporttahnatn
anytheilnsgIe n.m anyw ayse,v emny v ieowf t hes kill itself changed.
Fore xampaltet ,h es eminianAr t lanItm aa,d ea smalslhj oiI.d idn otl ike
howt hew ork cames oIo d uets,t roiytie mdm ediataefltyce orm ploent.Ii fI
werset ials lh okuntihna,at c wto ulndo tb ep ermit.Tt heeds hokunn'is attitude
woulndo th avael lowmeedt oc ontempsluactahec itona,n dt hes ocicaoln ­
sciouswnoeuslshd a vree quimreet do r etatihnew orki ns piotfem y personal
dissatiiosnfaT.ch timse antsh aeta csht rookfet hes awe,a cshh avgi notfh e
planaen,de acchu otf t hceh eilsi sv tia.Gl reacto ncentriasrt eiqouni forret dh e
shokunbienc,a uesaec h maanrdek a cahs peocftt hew orki sp ermante.n
Ther eliaotnispho fa shokuntiohn itso oilss therveeforcryle o sfeo,ri ti s
throutghhte o otlhsa tth e work sohfo ktuhniiescn r eatEeadc.oh f t hseh oku­
nin'st oolissh ilsie fandp ridIent. h eb ookN ippoNno Tedogbuy Y osiho
Akoikat,h eriesa stortyh aitl lusttrhairtsee lsa sthiiopn.It 1h ougthhta tth e
story vweargsyo ods,oI w ilsli mpyl iitaf littlbei atn dt elilt here.
Ano lds hrine carpheintstw eosr o nlison ts htew arT.h es onwse rcea rpen­
terasn,d b ecauhseeh adn oo ther reltahteoi lvdme asn, dectiods eedlh li s
toolAski.o kpau rchaasle3ld00 pieceevse,tn h e sbmoaxli lnw hicnha iwlesr e
storBeedf.o arded itnhge t ootlosh icso ltleicoAnk,i okdae cidteocd l eaann d
sharpen Btuhtwe hme.n h ep ickuepdt hef ircshti ,sh eels awt hee dgwea s
beautisfhualrlpye Tnheidws.a st ruoefa ll ttohoel s.
Thes hricnaer penwtaesor v e8r0 y earosl da,n di tm ust htaavkeeh ni mo ver
twom onthtsos haroaelntl h et oolWsh.i ldeo ign thijso bf otrh el astmtie ,h e
mushta vhea dm anym emoriAeksi.o kfae lstob aldyt hahte d idne'vtew ra nt
tob uyt oolfsr oma rertiinsgh okunaigani nA.l tohughh ew asc onfidheen t
could preservteh etmhsee lhtveowe oaslsn,s o tc onfidheecn otu ld prtehsee rve
carpentleorva'ens ds entimfeontrth em.
Ic ant ruly undetrhseft eaenldio nftg hse c arpenIttie srt .h ef eeloifn g a
parent wchhoiselendl reave hfooram d es itapnlta cHee.c lothtehsem b eauti­
fullya ndn etaliyn o rdetros ayg ood-bmyeaen inuglflEyv.e inf y oua re na ot
shokuntihnii,s se astyo u ndearns.dt
When wIa sa s hokunwienc ,e lebrtahtete odo elvse rNye wY ea'rsD ay. We
cleantehde m andt oooulrb oaxneds ptuhte im nt het okono(masa p ceiadle,c o­
ratecdo rner of tohrse h ohpoW)ue.s p eu ta small piepcaep eoornfe arcihc e
box,a ndt hetnw or iccea keasn da t anegrinTeh.is si mpglees tuirste h et raid­
toinawla yo ft hanking thet hteohioarlr swd o frokr afonrd the cpraurcti al
thye plaiyn t hes hokunilnie'.fs
Ast heesex ampsil lelusttrhaett oeoo,lf st hse hokuneinjno ya d eep respect in
Int het raditicoenlaelb raotfit ohnet oolhse,r e
Japanessoec tiyeT.h eJ apanceosnes itdheesr h okuntiono'tlsos b es peciaanld, showinn a blacksmiwotrhk'ssh tohpe,t oolbiosx
coverweidt ah s malpli ecoefr icpea petrw,o r ice
notfo r tuhseeo ft heo rdinpaerrys ownh,oi sn everltehspese rmitttoep du r­
cakeasn da tangerTihneep .a peorr namtessn ym­
chasaen du set hemA.m ongt hemo swte lkln owonf t hesteo oalrste h ewo od­ bolipzuer ity.
worikntgo olst hoecfa rpen(tdeari akun)dt het ategu(-sisldhniig -domoark er).
Int hela stte ny earsso,m eof t hesteo oless,p eciallyc hpilsasenalewsass,n, d
sharepninsgt onehsa,ve enj oyead p opulaarmiotnyWg e stewrono dworkers,
buptr obleemxsii sntk nowinhgo wt oa cquitrhebe e spte rformfarnoctmeh e.m
ThougJha panese toolss iomfptwlehene nl ocookm pared ttoo oWless,t ern
theayr ree alvleyrc yo mplaitcetdou sep,e rforimnbge sttho rugthh seh okunin's
preparaatbiiolnai,nt dey x eprienTcheo.u gthh seh ouknink'nso wleidsg eu sual­
acquitrherdo ulgohn yge aorfsa ppernticeisnJh aippa innA, m eriecsap ecial­
ly
knowleodfgn ee wt hnigsi so ftegna intehdr ouegxhep rimaetnito.In ns ome
ly,
countrtiheifssr, e edtooem x perimiesun ntk nowbnu,ti nA meriIcr ae,a liitiz se
natuoruatlg roowfti hn terienas ntdr espfeocprte rsoonpailn inoontr,e ckless­
a
nesosrc arelesTshneea sbsi.lt iott yr nye wt hnigsw ithout ainsax uineitqyu e
naitoniasltqiucla itIyti. si nteretsotn iontge thayte aeiranJ c ahap nt,h earre e
fweers hokunpirna ctitchiencigrr a ifntt raidtniaowla ysI.nt hWee stewronr ld,
howevemra,n y people revcaolgounfeit zhese h tohkeu ntiono'alsns da rucs ing
ing reantuemrb er(shI.e ard afy rooumn pge rsroenc entthlaaytm ontghe
them
Jaapneset,h eraer ea lssoi gnsi nocfrs eianugs eo f tshheo kuntiono'lss .)
havae s pecsieaotlf t ootlhsa Itu sep rmiarliyf odrsi plaayn dd emonstra­
I
rioAnt.t imeIsf eeglu ilfotryn otu sintgh esteo oalsst hewye rmee antto
be
usedI.f eeslo rrfoowtr h eb lackistmwhh oi,n fo rgintghe b ladgeasv,pe a rotf
hisso utlot hteo oYle.t w,h ilIae m d emonsitnrwgai ttthh etsoeo lIss o,m etimes
forgtehtea udeincaen db ecomoen,c aeg aint,h es hokunIiw na sI.ti sa ts uch
thaIta mm osatp precioafmt yisv heo kunyiena rfso,ar l thotuhgweho rk
times
Id ow itthh teo ols insdo iwff erfernottm h weo rkId idth etnh,e rea lsimosu ch
thaitsn ote sesntliyad lifferefnrto am s hokunimna'nsn earn da ttitIundm ey.
tecahinagn dd emonstraIts itloiclna sr,or uytt hseo ciala toiboolfnti hgseh oku­
nin-tow orkh ibse sfotr t heg enerwaell faroeft hep eoep.l
�owI h avteh eop portutnoiw triyt aeb outth esh okunitno'oslI ws .i lplr e­
sentt hei nformataisso inm palnyd a sd iercltya sp ossiJbulseat.si moprtant,
howeveIrw ,i lall ssoh araesm ucha s cIa no ft hep hliosopahnyda ttittuhdaet
inseparfarboltmeh es hokuncinr'asfI tw .i lble v erhya ppiyfy ouu nder­
are
stannodto nltyh teo olbsu,ta l titlbeia tb outth sep itruiarle latiiopan s shhoku­
nin hasw itthh em.
I