Temple Tool Co. Kote Nomi | Japanese Bent-Neck Chisel

The kote nomi is indispensable in situations where the handle of a standard bench chisel gets in the way. Its offset handle and steeply ground sides make it ideal for paring grooves, dados, dovetails, rabbets, and mortises.

Manufactured in Japan using high-quality materials, this chisel features a durable red oak handle and blade with excellent edge retention. The blade is hand-forged, with a No. 2 White Paper Steel edge laminated to a softer, shock-absorbing layer. 

The backs of these chisels have a concave grind that reduces surface contact during sharpening, making flattening much quicker and easier than honing the entire layer. 

Blades come ground, but will require final honing for optimal performance. The cutting edge is hardened to over 65 HRC for excellent edge retention, allowing the chisel to maintain a razor-sharp edge. However, the high hardness can require a bit of extra effort when initially flattening and honing.

These chisels come with a 30° primary bevel. Because of the laminated blade construction, grinding a secondary bevel is not recommended. To avoid removing too much of the hardened steel layer, these should be sharpened by hand rather than with a machine.