THE FORGOTTEN STORY BEHIND JAPANESE CHISELS
While Japanese chisels as woodworking implements have existed for centuries, it was the makers of the famed samurai swords that may have given us the chisels OF today. In this post, I'll share that forgotten story and help decode the fascinating technology that makes Japanese woodworking chisels so different from modern Western-style chisels. By the end, you'll have a whole new respect for this strange little tool with the dented backside.
THE HISTORY OF SANDPAPER
Every time I talk about sandpaper, someone tries to shame me for not using hand planes and scrapers to smooth every surface like a “real” woodworker. They are under the false impression that sandpaper is a modern invention, which the great masters of the past would never have touched.
BREAKING: THE USA IS SWITCHING TO METRIC!
I do think it's a little ironic that so many of their arguments center around calling a nation of 350 million people arrogant while presuming to tell them what markings should be on their rulers, from the other side of the planet. And I've poked a little fun at that in the past. But truthfully, I can see how people who don’t understand how fractions work may be afraid of a combination square with strange markings on it.
THE TRUTH ABOUT 2X4S: HOW BIG LUMBER IS RIPPING YOU OFF
The internet is full of excuses about why a 2X4 isn't actually 2 inches thick and 4 inches wide. Most of these are complete poppycock cooked up in the dark, smoky back rooms of big-box stores. I, for one, am sick of being made a fool of by big lumber. So in this post, I’m going to tell you the truth that has, until now, been spoken only in whispers. This is the real story of why our lumber is shrinking and what you should do about it.
THE GREAT SCREWDRIVER WARS
It’s been more than 200 years since Canada and the United States fought a war against each other, and if it ever happens again, it won’t be over important issues like who has the best pancakes or the best version of Chris Farley. It will be over something that has divided not just North America, but the entire world for over a century: Which screwdriver is best—the Canadian Robertson head, or the American Phillips head?
A FORGOTTEN TECHNOLOGY FROM THE OLD DAYS OF WOODWORKING!
Many people believe the absence of nails is a sign of good craftsmanship. And I can't say I blame them because they don't make nails like the used to. The modern nail isn’t designed for performance, it's designed for price. They are cheap to make. In this article I'll remind you of the little known, and I think very interesting features that make cut nails superior to wire nails, and perhaps a better choice for your next project.