flat chisel back - only at cutting edge or along entire length?

[cornytheclown]

I would have just taken the chisel set back to the store and asked them to provide me with a better set....opening up the packages till I found a set I could be happy with. Most stores with a reasonable and educated staff would be willing to do this.

[Hitch]

"P van Rijckevorsel" wrote in news:40853460$0$72210 $ [e-mail]:

Japanese chisels typically are hollowed on the back, either ground or hammered. The back is then flattened so that there is a flat surrounding the hollow. I've read that this is for easier flattening in the future as the chisel is sharpened (and thus shortened), and for less friction during use. After many flattenings the back may need to be rehollowed with a little hammering.

[P van Rijckevorsel]

Mike schreef

• + + It seems to me that having a slipping chisel (convex), shooting off to wherever, is worse than a chisel digging in (concave). In both cases you will have to correct and orient the chisel by feel, but I'd say that a chisel that tends to dig in is safer and and easier to correct than a chisel that loses its grip? PvR