Replies

1. 
   noviceneil | Mar 04, 2010 11:43am | #1

   As long as the hoops don't fall off when you invert them they should be fine.

   Neil

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Mar 04, 2010 01:03pm | #2

   Justin,

   As Neil stated, as long as the hoops stay on, you're okay.  But if the looseness bothers you, you can tighten them.  In Toshio Odate's book, Japanese Tools, he says to soak the end of the handle in water to swell it, then mushroom the end by lightly striking it with a hammer held at an angle (30-45 degrees seems right to me).  I don't have anywhere near the experience with this as Odate, but it seems to me that soaking a handle in water would cause the wood to swell, but as it dries, it would return to its too-small state.  If that happens, you could try using something like Veritas' Chair Doctor Glue which is made to swell wood, then dry to hold the swelled shape.

3. 
   clinton66 | Mar 04, 2010 01:53pm | #3

   I bought two of the grizzly japanese chisels after reading that article and I wish I had bought a whole set. I honed the back and sharpend them with no seconadry bevel. I have never sharpened them again and used them to chop countless dovetails and they will still shave hair off my arm. They excell at chopping, not so great for paring because of their shape, but well worth the money. My only complaint was having to mushroom the handle which is really my fault because I did a poor job.

4. 
   clinton66 | Mar 04, 2010 02:30pm | #4

   I followed the instructions on this link http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=NEXT&StoreCode=toolstore&nextpage=/extra/setting_hoop_guide.html

   The hoops are still loose and one will come off if i really pull on it. Like I said it was my first attempt and I think the instructions are good, my execution was poor. The chisels still work extremely well so I'm not worried.

1. 
   GoYouSalukis | Mar 05, 2010 09:41am | #5

   Great link! Thanks

5. 
   RalphBarker | Mar 05, 2010 11:56am | #6

   In my view, a loose hoop suggests that the wood used for the handle wasn't dried sufficiently before the handle was formed and the hoop added. If the hoop is loose, it can't actually do its job of preventing the end from splitting.

   I'd suggest removing the hoop, adding a loop of veneer around the end of the handle, and then tapping the hoop "home" again using a drive-pin punch with the chisel held in a vice. Soaking the very tip of the protruding handle will help soften the wood fibers a bit, making the edges easier to mushroom. I use a metal hammer to mushroom, and strike just the edge of the handle end with a glancing blow, working around the circumfrence.

   I'll admit, however, that I can't imagine striking a chisel so hard that it would cause the end of the handle to split.