The printing tool that Japanese printmakers have used for centuries is called a Baren. Many have tried to imitate its simple construction and succeeded to some extent, but the nuances that a good printer can give to a woodblock print are truly amazing. The baren is constructed of a coiled rope made from pieces of braided bamboo leaf, held in a disk with curved edges made from multiple layers of thin paper with cloth lacquered over it as a covering, and finally a bamboo leaf twisted and tied over the parts. It takes months to make, and is priced accordingly. Also included in the picture are the primary carving knife called a hangi-toh and a shallow chisel called an aisuki. The printed block can be found elsewhere in my photostream.

playing around with wood carving. I've been wanted to do this for a long time now. Besides for some cheaper Craftsmen chisels I don't really have wood working tools. I used a bandsaw and a belt sander to do most of the rough shaping. The fine work was done with a 1/2" chisel and some Japanese woodblock knives. Going to purchase really carving knives soon... they are quite pricey though, anywhere from $50-$200 per knife/chisel! YIKES