Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending an intensive woodworking class at the Australian National University in Canberra, taught by Japanese craftsman Hiroshi Yamaguchi.
Hiroshi was exceptional at explaining not only how Japanese hand tools are used, but also the thinking and methodology behind them.
I had already been using Japanese hand tools for many years, but I still found myself hanging on every word.
Opportunities to learn this level of detail directly from an experienced Japanese craftsperson are rare outside Japan — particularly if you do not speak Japanese — so being able to spend several days working through the process in person was incredibly valuable.
It Starts with the Chisel
One of the first parts of the course was setting up a traditional Japanese chisel, or nomi.
That meant preparing the tool properly before expecting it to work at its best.
We covered:
- Fitting the iron hoop to the handle.
- Preparing and flattening the back of the blade.
- Sharpening the bevel.
- Understanding how each part of the setup affects the way the chisel performs.
To give you an idea of the level of detail involved, we spent several hours simply learning how to fit the iron hoop correctly.
That might sound excessive until you see the process demonstrated properly.
A traditional Japanese chisel is not simply a blade attached to a handle. The hoop, timber handle and forged steel all need to work together, and small decisions during setup can have a significant effect on how the tool behaves over years of use.
From Chisel Setup to Plane Making
Once the chisel had been prepared, we put it straight to work.
The next stage of the course was making a Japanese plane, or kanna.
There was something particularly satisfying about using a chisel we had just spent hours setting up to make another traditional Japanese hand tool.
It also reinforced one of the things I enjoy most about Japanese woodworking: the tools are not isolated objects.
Sharpening, setup, timber selection and technique all feed into one another. Learning how to prepare a chisel properly improves the way you use it. Using that chisel to make a kanna then teaches you something new about how a plane blade is held, adjusted and supported.
The Tools I Made
Below are the two Japanese planes I made during the course, along with the chisel used to make them.
A Rare Opportunity to Learn
The most valuable part of the course was not simply coming home with two planes.
It was seeing the level of care that goes into preparing and using these tools properly.
Japanese woodworking can sometimes look deceptively simple from the outside. A chisel is struck, a plane is pulled, a shaving comes away.
But behind those simple actions is a great deal of knowledge about geometry, timber, sharpening, body position, pressure and tool setup.
Spending time with someone who can explain those details clearly changes the way you look at the tools afterwards.
I came away with a much deeper appreciation for the craft — and plenty more to practise.
At the time, further woodworking courses were being offered through the ANU's visual arts program. For anyone interested in similar classes, it is worth checking the university's current course listings.
