Oire-Nomi Japanese Hand Made Bench Chisel Set By Kunikei

Smith name: Ikeda Yoshiro  (1941~2022)

Steel: White Steel #2

Blade width: 42/36/30/24/18/15/12/9/6/3mm

Weight: 218/191/171/157/132/127/114/99/93/79g

Manufacture Era: around 2010

Blade Angles: about 30°

Total length(42/36/30/24/18/15/12/9/6/3): 

220/220/220/220/220/220/220/220/220/220/220mm

Neck length:  about 45mm

Blade length(42/36/30/24/18/15/12/9/6/3):

58/58/58/58/58/58/58/58/58/58mm

Blade thickness(Blade Bottom/The blade near the bevel): 

42mm(about 9.2mm/6.5mm）; 36mm(about 8.6mm/6.2mm）

30mm(about 8.6mm/6.4mm）; 24mm(about 8.7mm/6.7mm）

18mm(about 8.4mm/6.5mm）; 15mm(about 8.8mm/6.9mm）

12mm(about 8.5mm/6.3mm）; 9mm(about 8.4mm/6.0mm）

6mm(about 9.9mm/8.6mm）; 3mm(about 10.1mm/9.2mm）

Types of wooden handles：Japanese white oak (Shirakashi)

Accessories：—

Additional Information:  This chisel set is completely unused and in mint, like-new condition. It comes from the private collection of a retired carpenter in Chiba Prefecture, who originally purchased it around 2010.

Crafted with exceptional precision and flawless lamination, the set features the characteristically thick blades Kunikei is renowned for. Combined with Shirogami #2 (White Paper Steel #2), this hefty build makes them particularly well-suited for working hard woods. Furthermore, unlike many Sanjo-style chisels with bulky handles that can hinder direct force transfer, these chisels feature slender wooden handles for improved energy transmission.

Among the blacksmiths of the Sanjo region, Kunikei remains my personal favorite. It isn’t just the solid, reassuring feel of his thick blades—it is the remarkable consistency in shaping, finishing, and attention to detail maintained throughout his entire career.

On a personal note regarding how I evaluate chisels: I typically gauge a smith’s technical mastery by examining the smallest size in a set. For that reason, I have included two dedicated close-up photos of the 3 mm chisel.