[Kondo] Flat Chisels and Bolster Chisels are professional-grade masonry tools featuring straight tungsten carbide edges engineered for precise alignment lines, surface leveling, and broad material shearing. Used primarily after initial rough point work, these straight-edge tools are highly essential for scoring straight splitting lines or dressing coping stones in Dry Stone Walling (DSW), shaping and refining foundation elements in Japanese Gardens, and defining clean borders or flat planes in architectural masonry and historic restoration.
Structural Variations & Field Applications
To meet different working requirements across these diverse disciplines, this collection includes two specific structural designs, both featuring a specialized brass-wrapped carbide tip that acts as a structural cushion to reduce hand fatigue.
The Flat Chisel (Hira Nomi) utilizes a comfortable round steel body for agile control, operating effectively as a traditional stone tracer to score deep straight lines before cleanly splitting building blocks, as well as executing detailed surface adjustments in fine stonework. Alternatively, the Bolster Chisel (Habahiro Tagane) is built with a wide flat handle to withstand heavy hammer blows during broad shearing, making it ideal for uniform material removal, flattening bed joints, and dressing structural corner stones (quoins). ⚠️ WARNING: Because both tools feature a thick brass layer for shock mitigation, proper technique is essential. To prevent premature tool damage, you must lift the chisel slightly between each strike. Continuous dragging along the stone or exposure to lateral impacts (striking from the side) can cause the brass joint to fracture.
Handcrafted using centuries-old traditional forging and shaping techniques by skilled artisans in Okazaki, Japan, these tools deliver the reliable performance and structural integrity required for professional stonemasonry. Explore our lineup below to find the perfect match for your workshop.
[Kondo] Flat Chisels and Bolster Chisels are professional-grade masonry tools featuring straight tungsten carbide edges engineered for precise alignment lines, surface leveling, and broad material shearing. Used primarily after initial rough point work, these straight-edge tools are highly essential for scoring straight splitting lines or dressing coping stones in Dry Stone Walling (DSW), shaping and refining foundation elements in Japanese Gardens, and defining clean borders or flat planes in architectural masonry and historic restoration.
To meet different working requirements across these diverse disciplines, this collection includes two specific structural designs, both featuring a specialized brass-wrapped carbide tip that acts as a structural cushion to reduce hand fatigue.
The Flat Chisel (Hira Nomi) utilizes a comfortable round steel body for agile control, operating effectively as a traditional stone tracer to score deep straight lines before cleanly splitting building blocks, as well as executing detailed surface adjustments in fine stonework. Alternatively, the Bolster Chisel (Habahiro Tagane) is built with a wide flat handle to withstand heavy hammer blows during broad shearing, making it ideal for uniform material removal, flattening bed joints, and dressing structural corner stones (quoins).
⚠️ WARNING: Because both tools feature a thick brass layer for shock mitigation, proper technique is essential. To prevent premature tool damage, you must lift the chisel slightly between each strike. Continuous dragging along the stone or exposure to lateral impacts (striking from the side) can cause the brass joint to fracture.
Handcrafted using centuries-old traditional forging and shaping techniques by skilled artisans in Okazaki, Japan, these tools deliver the reliable performance and structural integrity required for professional stonemasonry. Explore our lineup below to find the perfect match for your workshop.