Towards the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, Miki Castle was attacked and fell to Hashiba Hideyoshi, and the town of Miki was destroyed.
Later, when Hideyoshi exempted the townspeople from various taxes and attempted to revitalize the town, carpenters gathered from all over to rebuild shrines, temples, and houses, which led to the development of Miki's carpentry tools.

• Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques/raw materials

  Technology/techniques

  1. The blade steel for chisels, planes, and knives shall be made by heating iron and carbon steel in a furnace and forge-welding them by hammering. In this case, knives shall be made in two pieces.

  2. The shaping process involves heating the blade steel in a furnace and then hammering and widening it.

  3. For hardening chisels, planes, and knives, apply a "mud coating" and then rapidly cool them.

  4. For saws and trowels, after hardening, press them down to remove any distortion.

  5. "Removing distortion," "sharpening," "polishing," and "finishing" must be done by hand.

   

  raw materials

  1. The materials to be used shall be iron and carbon steel.

  2. The handle and the base of the plane shall be made of wood.

• Work scene

  Work scene

  "BANSHU MIKI Uchihamono (Forged Blades)" is the ultimate carpentry tool chosen by professionals. Currently, saws, planes, chisels, trowels, and small knives are designated as traditional crafts. Here, let's look at the main steps in the manufacturing process of a chisel.

  Process 1: Forge welding

  The soft base metal, heated to 1100°C to 1200°C, is joined to the hard steel that will form the blade using a welding compound. The steel used for the blade is carbon steel, and because it contains carbon, it is hard enough to form a blade.

  

  Process 2: Forging: Shaping the blade

  The joined blades are forged by hammering the base metal and steel together so that they become one piece. At this stage, the steel is forged so that it wraps around the base metal to the sides. This is called forging the tip (the end part with the blade), and is therefore called forging the tip. Finally, it is cut into pieces the size of one chisel.

  

  Process 3: Forging: Pinning

  Next, we forge the stem. While being careful not to overcook the tip, we begin forging the other end of the stem. Then we create the tang that goes into the handle.

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  Step 4: Forging

  To further refine its shape, the chisel is placed in a fire. Because the tip of the chisel is thin, temperature control is crucial to avoid overheating and compromising its strength, so it is placed in a fire between 950°C and 1000°C. After removing it, it is shaped by hand, adjusting the width, thickness, and overall form.

  

  Step 5: Annealing

  After shaping, the chisel is heated again to anneal it. Traditionally, straw ash is used for annealing, and the chisel is cooled gradually at a temperature of 740°C to 750°C. This is to make it easier to process. Through these steps, the crystalline grains of the chisel's steel have changed from coarse to fine and uniform crystals.

  

  Step 6: Polishing

  Next is polishing. First, the shaft is rounded with a coarse file, and then the back is roughly sanded. Finally, the surface is buffed to make it smooth.

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  Step 7: Hardening

  After polishing, the piece is hardened. Before hardening, polishing powder is applied to eliminate unevenness and make the hardening process easier. The piece is then hardened in an electric furnace at 780°C to 800°C for 2 to 3 minutes. After that, it is quickly cooled in water.

  

  Process 8: Tempering

  After removing the distortion caused by the hardening process, the metal is tempered. First, it is tempered in oil, then rinsed with water, and finally tempered again in salt at a temperature of 150°C to 180°C. This process gives the metal a black sheen.

  

  Step 9: Finishing polishing

  Now it's time for the finishing touches. We'll polish the back of the blade, the tip, and the steel. This is how a sharp chisel is completed.

  

   

• Close-up

  Close-up

  The true strength that transcends the times: the blacksmiths of Miki

  The history of Miki metalwork dates back 200 years. We asked Kazumi Takahashi, a chisel craftsman with 55 years of experience, about the secret to the enduring strength that has allowed their products to survive to this day.

   

  Products that change with the times

  It's surprising to hear Mr. Takahashi say that he used to make only chisels for wooden clogs. When we think of chisels, we usually think of chisels used in construction, but back then he was making chisels to finish the spaces between the teeth of wooden clogs. He also said that when bear figurines from Hokkaido became popular for a time, he was busy making chisels for carving, but there is no demand for those now. Instead, he started making specialized chisels for professionals to make Buddhist statues and transoms. "This was a good decision," Mr. Takahashi says with deep emotion. Now he receives orders by name. For example, he has been receiving orders for 15 to 16 years from Inami Town in Toyama Prefecture, which is famous for its transom making. His words, "I'm really happy that real craftsmen appreciate the quality of my chisels," are filled with genuine feeling.

  

  Kazumi Takahashi

  Having specific preferences is normal.

  Each chisel made by Mr. Takahashi is handcrafted, one by one, and they are all unique. The orders from craftsmen who make Buddhist statues and other items are very detailed. Some even provide detailed blueprints when they place an order. When asked if it must be a lot of work and effort, he gave a strong reply: "That's just how it is. It's because of my dedication that I've been able to continue for so long, and I want to continue to be even more dedicated in the future." There is no doubt that he will continue to meet the demands of fans all over the country who refuse to use anything but his chisels.

  

  A scene of someone working with a serious expression.

  The successor is his son, who will be creating the website.

  A lack of successors is a major headache for traditional crafts. However, Mr. Takahashi has a fine successor. Yet, he had initially given up on the idea. His son, Norizo Takahashi, became the successor after six years working as a salaried employee. When asked about his motivation, he said, "I happened to draw a fortune slip at New Year's that said, 'It would be good to take over the family business,' so I started it on a whim." "I underestimated it, thinking it would be easy, but for the first three years I couldn't do anything at all. It wasn't until the fourth year that I started to get the hang of it little by little, and it became interesting," he said. "I'm still in training, but I've set up a website, and along with acquiring skills, I want to pass on the wonderfulness of traditional crafts in the future," he said with sparkling eyes. On the one hand, they are a strict master and on the other hand, but their close father-son relationship was heartwarming.

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    Norizo Takahashi (son)

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    Traditional craft: Chisel

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    Unusually shaped chisel for wooden clogs

  Craftsman Profile

  Kazumi Takahashi (3rd generation)

  Born in 1931. 55 years of experience as a chisel craftsman. Certified as a Traditional Craftsman in 1998. Beneath his gentle demeanor lies a strong core and unwavering commitment to creating authentic craftsmanship.

  Anecdotes

  Miki cutlery has overcome all obstacles.

  The history of BANSHU MIKI Uchihamono (Forged Blades) is ancient, dating back approximately 1500 years. The Yamato blacksmiths of this region, whose ancestral deity is Amenomahitotsu-no-Mikoto, exchanged techniques with the Korean blacksmiths, a group of skilled craftsmen brought with them when Prince Hye of Baekje fled to Mount Niu. The Korean blacksmiths, possessing exceptional skills, settled in Miki and began their blacksmithing career. Subsequently, along with the development of blacksmithing, many highly skilled carpenters were produced. From the time of Heijo-kyo and Heian-kyo, it was the carpenters of this region, known as Hihara carpenters, who worked on national treasure-class buildings. However, the road to the present day has been by no means easy. Kenzo Watanabe, Secretary-General of the Miki Industrial Cooperative Association, and Shinichi Onishi, Chief of the Commerce and Tourism Division of the Miki City Economic Department, shared their history with us.

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    Kenzo Watanabe, Secretary-General of the Miki Industrial Cooperative Association

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    Scenes from traditional training