The Kobiki Nokogiri and Temagari Nokogiri

In ancient Japan, the Kobiki-shokunin were those whose hard daily life involved sawing logs lengthwise to provide the carpenter and joiner with the material they needed to create their works.

In contrast to Europe, where two men used the so-called crane saw to split logs, these saws were purely single-man saws. These saws, known as Kobiki Nokogiri or Maebiki Nokogiri, were unusually wide compared to other saws. This allowed them to maintain good guidance during the very long cuts. These saws were roughly made, and some of the hammer marks from forging are still visible on the blade. The blade thickness tapers towards the back to avoid jamming in the wood. This blade tapering is achieved by hand forging, a very labor-intensive process.

Unfortunately, with the technological revolution, these saws gradually disappeared. More readily available, however, are the Temagori Nokogiri, which are very similar to Kobiki but not nearly as wide and stable. They are primarily used for felling trees and cutting thick branches. We have Temagori Nokogiri in stock, specially made for us, as these saws have become uncommon even in Japan.

In the picture:
Japanese sawyers splitting a log.
Woodcut, ca. 1870, from:
Japanese Woodworking Tools - Selection, Care & Use,
by Henry Lanz
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 1985