Here, I will show my basic woodworking tools(updated – Oct 18 2023). As I’ve been enjoying woodworking for 2 years, I started to have good numbers of tools but my tools are mostly very reasonable ones. I think tools matter for the quality of a project but you still can do woodworking with what you have as long as you want to try!
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Hand Saws
If you are a beginner, I recommend you to get 3 saws(crosscut, ripcut, Dozuki) and it’s all good.
Crosscut Saw: I use Z-saw 3 265mm (Universal H-265). Z-saw 3 has some variations but this is the standard one and this saw is one of the most popular saws in Japan for its very versatility.
I have no complaints about it and I will continue to use this. It’s usually about $30 and the replacement blade is about $15. I replaced the blade after 2 years of use.
Ripcut Saw: I use Z-Saw RIP FINE H-250. I use this saw when I rip a board all the time.
I have no complaints about it and I will continue to use this. It’s usually about $30 and the replacement blade is about $15. I replaced the blade after 2 years of use.
Dozuki Saw: I use Z-saw Hardwood 240 P1.2. It’s great for detail cuts on Hardwood. I use this saw to cut most joints including dovetails. This saw can do both cross/rip cuts but this isn’t for a long cut. I actually have a mini version of this Dozuki that isn’t specifically for Hardwood, too but it’s not as good as the one for hardwood.
I have no complaints about it and I will continue to use this. It’s usually about $40 and the replacement blade is about $20. I replaced the blade after 2 years of use.
Flush Trim Saw: I use Life Saw S-145 Flush Cutting Japanese handsaw. This is exceptionally great for flush cutting. It’s very handy when trimming the excess parts of a joint as the blade doesn’t have a set. It’s one of the most popular flush cutting saws in Japan as well.
The saw is about $15 and the replacement blade is $10.
Azebiki Saw: I use Japanese Gyokudo AZEBIKI Saw 96mm. This saw can start making a cut in the middle of a board. I rarely use it but it’s a good addition to your tool box.
Hobby saw: I use X-ACTO Precision Razor Saw Set. This is a great cheap saw to cut a small Kumiko pieces. The picture is a HobbyLobby brand one but X-Acto one works better.
Chisels
Irwin Blue Chip Bench Chisels – If you are a beginner and your budget is tight, I recommend Irwin Blue Chip Bench Chisels. There can be a better choice but I use these chisels and I know they are good enough for my needs. The 3 piece set is sometimes around $20-30 range so what can beat the price?
Narex Richter Chisels – I also have 1″ and 1-1/2″ chisels of Narex Ritcher Chisels. I got them as a gift and I like them. However, knowing the price, I’m not sure if I want other size variations. They are actually good for paring though.
Kakuri White Steel No.2 Chisels – I have 9mm and 18mm Kakuri White Steel No.2 Blade chisels. I can’t say they are well made at all but they use Japanese White Steel No2 (People often think the White steel no2 is for softwood but I can cut hardwood without a problem). What I like about the chisels is, they really transfer the pounding power well to the cutting edge just like a mortise chisel.
If you are planning to buy a fancy Japanese chisel, I recommend you to get this one to see if you like Japanese style chisels first.
Hand Plane
For your first Kanna hand plane, please check “Kanna Experience” page that I made.
Flat Sole: I use Kakuri hand planes. They are very reasonable and I think they are more than enough for most hobby uses (although I’ve never used an expensive hand plane from Japan to compare). Please be sure to setup a hand plane correctly before using it or it won’t work at all.
I use 42mm, 50mm and 65mm ones. They don’t sell 65mm one here in the US so maybe you can get 60mm instead. If you are just starting, get 42mm hand plane and 60mm hand plane to begin with and it’s good enough until you know why you want to upgrade your planes.
Others: I use a self made router plane, Bench Dog No. 151 Spokeshave, Round Sole and Kakuri 21mm rabbet plane. They are just okay.
Marking Tools
Marking Gauge: I use 2 western marking gauges: iGaging Wheel Marking Gauge and Veritas Dual Marking Gauge. I recommend you to get one from a well-known brand because otherwise, the replacement cutting wheel would be hard to get or expensive. In fact, the replacement blade for the iGaging(cheaper brand) is $8-10 while for the Veritas(better brand) one is $4.
I also use Fujiwara Japanese marking gauge when I want to make deeper marking lines.
Square/Rulers: I use Shinwa products. They are very reasonable and trustable. I recommend to get ones from Amazon just in case they are out of square(Amazon will ship the replacement right away).
If your budget is tight, please keep an eye on size variations, too. The price fluctuates a lot among the sizes and timing.
Sharpening
Whetstones: I use 4 whetstones and 2 flattening stones. I’m still in the phase of experiencing/developing the sharpening skills but the below are what I use.
Coarse Grit: I use SunTiger Rough Grain Sharpening Stone – #220. I use this stone only when a blade is chipped. I chose this for no particular reason but it works so I didn’t need to upgrade.
Middle Grit: I use Shapton Kuromaku #1000. This stone is a splash and go so you don’t need to soak the stone. It cuts pretty fast and I can recommend this unless you have a specific preference of the sharpening feeling (This one is hard).
Finishing Grit: I actually use 2 finishing stones. I originally had a 6000 stone to finish but I felt the Shapton #1000 was a bit rough so now I use Naniwa Hayabusa 4000 and then Kitayama 8000 to finish. Both of them have a pretty soft feeling (I like harder ones) but they are a splash and go stone and are very affordable stones.
Flattening stone: I use Atoma #140 and Atoma #400. They are pricy but they work well. I originally had Atoma #140 but the thing is, it’s pretty aggressive and I am the person who often flattens the whetstone so I changed it to a less aggressive #400 one. If I need to choose which one to go with, I would go with the #400 one but #140 is a good addition especially to flatten a coarse stone. (Just be careful, there is a counterfeit)
Strop: I use Sharpal stropping compound. This is pretty cheap and works great. I can recommend it to anyone!
Power Tools
- Drill / Makita XPH12Z
- Circular Saw / Makita XSH03Z
- Router / Makita RT0701CX7
I chose them because they were the most available when I wanted the tools. Therefore, there is no particular reason to choose them. Please be sure to get them when they are on sale.
I think the drill driver is a must have and the others are optional.
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