4/11/2024 0 Comments Adze and other woodworking tools![]() One of the first was the watchtower project, which took place early on in my time in Japan. I did a little bit of chouna shiage when I was back in the US, but it was working with Somakosha that really opened up some unique opportunities to put the tool to use. Better yet, buy two chouna so you can see how they compare in use, and start to develop a sense for what works for you. ![]() I’m sure with enough time and experience I will develop a deeper understanding and stronger opinions about chouna setup, but for now I’m in the camp of just buy the tool, try it out, and try to develop a feel for it. I’ve gotten little bits of advice here and there from folks who have been using them longer than me, and I’ve made a couple of modifications to improve performance, but I’d say more than anything I’ve developed a feel for the tool by trying out different chouna, and seeing which handle shape, blade shape, etc. I don’t have a ton of advice to offer when it comes to setting up a chouna. You can’t start over-thinking things, you just have to start using the tool and adjust you body and swing until you start getting results. In other words you have to let your intuition be a guide. When you’re swinging a sharp piece of steel that is wedged onto a bent wood handle, chipping away at wood inches from your feet, you must develop a sense of control and fluidity with the tool. But more than other tools, I think using a chouna really embodies that statement. You often hear woodworkers and carpenters talking about tools becoming an extension of their body, and I don’t disagree. After a bit of cleaning and sharpening I got the blade back in shape, but my first attempts at using the tool were pretty crude. The handle was split and wrapped in some kind of tape to keep the splitting at bay, and it was rusty as can be. My first chouna was a gift from a retired carpenter who we just happened to meet on our second trip to Japan around 2017. That does seem to be changing though, with a trickle of information slowing making it’s way to the internet and youtube. I’ve been fascinated with chouna and the finishes they can produce for a long time, but there’s really very little information about how to use them. As carpentry tools go, adzes are certainly not unique to Japan but the level of refinement and variety of finishes that carpenters in Japan have developed using these tools, is something I’ve never seen anywhere else. One of the more unique tools used in Japanese carpentry is the chouna (adze).
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