Dieter Schmid/fine-tools.com your experience with the tools they sell

[Andreas87]

Hi
I am thinking of buying some white steel chisels and a Japanese smoothing plane at dieter schmid/fine-tools.com (Homepage of Dieter Schmid's Fine Tools) I have been looking around the web for reviews of the tools or the blacksmiths that makes these tools but no one have written about them as far as i know. I was wondering if any of you guys have purchased some of your tools from this shop. If you have are they good? Any comments on the shop or its tools at all are greatly appreciated. Also buying Japanese saws, clamps and some special chisels from the store.


These are the items:

Smoothing Plane "TORYO HOMARE"
with White Oak body (Japanese Planes: Smoothing Planes, Jack Planes, Jointer Planes, Yarri Kanna)

Set of 6 KOSHIMITSU Chisels in canvas tool roll (Japanese Chisels "Oire Nomi")

Orthodox Hammer "Daruma" (Genno - Japanese Hammers)

The names of the blacksmiths that have made these tools are :
Master smith Aida Hirok (hammer)
Master blacksmith Matsumura in Yoita, Province Niigata. (chisels)
master smith Takeo Nakano in Yoita, Niigata Province (plane)

Thanks for any reply at all!!!!!

[Sheets]

Hi,

I haven't got any of the tools you've listed nor have I bought anything from Fine Tools, but I've heard of the them before on other forums and have heard good things (no complaints) about them. Judging from the variety they offer and the decent amount of info, I'd not hesitate to purchase were I in the market. They seem like a reputable company and I'm sure would deal fairly with any problems should they arise.

Looking at the tools you've selected, I'm sure they will be of excellent quality and perform well.

Just my opinion. Hopefully others will jump in and offer some advice as well.

Welcome to the forum!

Steve

[Andreas87]

Thanks Steve!
They do have a really good web page with a lot of info. I’m going to Germany in 3 months to buy the tools( that is if no one posts some negative stuff about them) After testing them i will post a review of the shop and the tools. If anyone know of a different web shop that sells similar handmade tools feel free post a link

[cassca]

no problem with dieter ;-)
you have this one too: Homepage | DICK GmbH - More Than Tools

realy good !

[Sheets]

Great. You'll be able to see the items in person and ask questions. Enjoy.

[Andreas87]

Wow cassca that was a gr8 site!
Wish i could take that course with Toshio Odate. At my current skill level it would probably be a waste of money though, he would probably beat me with a genno. Really nice tools there, and with a wide price range to bad I’m only visiting berlin

[Pam]

I've bought a fair number of tools from Dieter with no problems, both western and Japanese. He's a very reliable vendor. I haven't bought any for 3 or 4 years, but that's due to increased shipping costs and the tools he's offering (I now buy most directly from Japan, lots of custom stuff, and ebay).

Pam

[ravna]

Hi Andreas.....Have a look here on Schtoo's site....Tools from Japan, there are all the tools and info you could ever need and a chance to compare pricing.

Schtoo's having a sale at the moment so you may be lucky.

[Volute]

Derek Cohen tested 5 steels recently including a certain Japanese white steel you'll be familiar with. Check out under Hand tools, unpowered. f152/

Better act before Dieter Schmid sees it!

Cheers,

Rob

[Andreas87]

I cant find the post =( could you get a link for me? I whould be super happy!

[Volute]

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/c...steels-135293/

Every time I read something by Derek I feel guilty that I can't organize myself to do super-cool stuff like that.

Rob

[Andreas87]

What a great article!
Thanks for the link that really helped a lot, definitely getting the white steel koshimitsu!

[Artesano]

Hi. I'm a customer of Dieter Schmidt , and a happy one!- fast shipping (I was buyng from Spain) , discount for orders of over 100 euros , great tools. Of all tools you posted , I only have the daruma hammer ( the much cheaper model, that is - a hammer is a hammer , you know...)I bought the 225 gr. vesion , and had a laugh , definetly not for working with chisels , so I ordered the 375 gr , that's a tool for business

[Schtoo]

What a great article!
Thanks for the link that really helped a lot, definitely getting the white steel koshimitsu!

Umm, you might want to rethink that plan.

Koshimitsu are made by Matsumura, and ask Derek how his Matsumura chisels fared against the Koyamaichi.


I fear that you'd get the Koshimitsu/Matsumura expecting them to be like Derek's Koyamaichi, and they're not the same. Not by a long way.


You may get the Koshimitsu and have no troubles at all, and that would be great. But you might get trouble with them, and that would be terrible because then you'd be inclined to think ALL Japanese white steel chisels were like that, and they're not.

Stu.

(Has Mr. Koyama(ichi) on speed dial.)

[Andreas87]

But the chisels that I'm thinking of buying, are probably much cheaper then or? I have looked around and the white steel chisels are a lot cheaper than the blue steel, but overall white steel is priced much the same (about 2oo EUR for 6 chisels). Could you recommend another set of chisels that I could buy if these ones aren’t good?

Thanks for all the great replies it really helps a lot!