THE KODO BLOG

When I'm making things like shakuhachi or shinobue, I need very specialized tools that just aren't available commercially. My choices are limited to either making it myself or having someone custom make it for me.  If I have someone else make it, it's never really exactly what I want so, really,  my only choice is to make it myself.  These small carving knives are essential when I'm cutting an inlay for a shakuhachi mouth piece or widening an emboucher hole or even under cutting a tone hole for tuning. 

I keep my most used planes at arm's reach from my bench.   I think my last tally was 25 hand planes in my shop but I only use half a dozen regularly and only two or three on a daily basis. 

I bought this mallet years ago for 3 bucks (plus a 20 percent coupon) at harbor freight.  It came with this crappy, small rubber handle that, not only looked cheap, but had terrible ergonomics.  I cut it off, drilled out a piece of iron bamboo and attached the iron bamboo with regular wood glue as a new handle.  Wow! Completely different look, feel and performance!  I'm completely happy with it now and use it daily!  I highly recommend picking one up and modifying the handle.   For just a few dollars, you'll have an effective and efficient tool that will serve...

So, I was on reddit talking about my favorite hammer and someone asked how I attached the new handle.   I figured I might as well show some pics of it. It's basically a wedged mortise and tenon.  I didn't even use glue.  It hasn't budged even though I wail on stuff with it on a regular basis.