Oire Nomi Chisels feature a specialized Japanese design that has made them highly valued by woodworkers worldwide. Similar in function to a Western bench chisel, the oire nomi is versatile enough for most shop tasks. However, it differs in its shorter, thicker blade and slimmer handle, which provide greater control, making it especially well-suited for intricate joinery and detailed work.
Manufactured in Japan using high-quality materials, Temple Tool Co. oire nomi chisels feature a durable handle and blade with excellent edge retention. The blades are hand-forged, with a No. 2 White Paper Steel edge laminated to a softer, shock-absorbing layer. The red oak handles include a steel hoop to prevent splitting when used with a mallet. The hooks require proper setting before use with a mallet. Once set, they can be used with a steel hammer without concern of splitting.
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. Hollow grinding varies by size — the 36 mm chisel features a triple hollow grind, the 24 mm, 18 mm, and 12 mm sizes have a double hollow grind, and the 6 mm and 3 mm sizes have a single hollow grind.
Available individually, or in a 5-piece set, which includes the 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 mm sizes in a wooden display box.
Sharpening:
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.
