Professional Japanese Timber Framing Chisel

Chu tataki are light Japanese timber framing chisels — heftier than oire (bench) chisels, lighter than full tataki, and built to be struck. "Tataki" literally means "to beat": made to take mallet blows for mortising and heavy joinery, not delicate paring.

I carry Fujikawa's Yasaku line in white steel, which strikes a balance between price and performance — a hard, keen edge that's straightforward to sharpen. Six sizes from 3 mm to 48 mm; other sizes by special order.

These come set up for striking, but the bevel is yours to grade — lower the angle and you have a paring chisel. The 48 mm is wide enough for real slick-style paring once reground: the closest thing to a Japanese timber slick in this range.

Use them for: timber-frame joinery, large mortises, chopping waste — anywhere you'd reach for a striking chisel over a bench chisel.

• Maker: Fujikawa (Yasaku line)
• Steel: White (shirogami) — hard, takes a fine edge
• Type: Chu tataki (medium striking chisel)
• Sizes: 3, 9, 15, 24, 36, 48 mm