Tools

here is a brief list of tools used to produce mokuhanga

carving

tool sheath - my everyday carry

kogagtana or hangitou

This is the weapon of choice for a carver.

The handle is cut to fit perfectly across the pads of your fingers in an open fist. It is used to cut each side of every line line.

fine clearing chisels

there are 3 ,main types

marunomi (U shaped)

isukinomi (flat)

soainomi (shalow curve)

large clearers

marunomi

To clear around the design before large area clearing.

soainomi

For clearing large sections of shina ply.

isukinomi

For clearing large sections of mountain cherry wood.

genno

kizuchi

toh ishi

This is the supper fine whetstone used to do the final sharpening of your blades or chisels.

nabura

This is a clay that it rubbed on your toh ishi to sharpen your blade, it is the nabura that does most of the work sharpening as the stone is too hard and smooth.

Yamato nori

This kind of nori is what we use to glue our hanshita to the woodblock before carving.

Printing

baren

There are many different levels of coarseness of baren, fine are used for thin lines and coarser are used for large coloured areas.

marubake

Used to spread and mix colour and nori on thew woodblock.

surikomi bake

Used for smaller areas of colour.

mizubake

This brush is used to apply water to paper before printing and also in the dosa (sizing) process.

hikobi

This little brush is used to put pigment onto the blocks.

Tools

carving

tool sheath - my everyday carry

kogagtana or hangitou

​

This is the weapon of choice for a carver.

The handle is cut to fit perfectly across the pads of your fingers in an open fist. It is used to cut each side of every line line.

fine clearing chisels

​

there are 3 ,main types

marunomi (U shaped)

isukinomi (flat)

soainomi (shalow curve)

​

large clearers

marunomi

​

To clear around the design before large area clearing.

soainomi

​

For clearing large sections of shina ply.

isukinomi

For clearing large sections of mountain cherry wood.

genno

kizuchi

toh ishi

This is the supper fine whetstone used to do the final sharpening of your blades or chisels.

nabura

This is a clay that it rubbed on your toh ishi to sharpen your blade, it is the nabura that does most of the work sharpening as the stone is too hard and smooth.

Yamato nori

This kind of nori is what we use to glue our hanshita to the woodblock before carving.

Printing

baren

There are many different levels of coarseness of baren, fine are used for thin lines and coarser are used for large coloured areas.

marubake

Used to spread and mix colour and nori on thew woodblock.

surikomi bake

Used for smaller areas of colour.

mizubake

This brush is used to apply water to paper before printing and also in the dosa (sizing) process.

hikobi

This little brush is used to put pigment onto the blocks.