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.
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?
THIS SIMPLE WOOD FINISH WILL SAVE YOU DAYS OF SHOP TIME! (SHELLAC)
or centuries, shellac was widely considered the best wood finish in the world. Then, modern finish manufacturers convinced us that shellac was old-fashioned. “That’s what your grandfather used! The modern woodworker uses polyurethane!”
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.
A 5000 YEAR OLD WOOD FINISH FORUMLA THAT CAN NOT BE MESSED UP!
Wood finishing can be a very intimidating subject for a lot of woodworkers, and I am often asked if there is a simple, effective finish that can't be messed up, doesn't take a lot of time, doesn't cost as much as the wood itself, and which looks great to the eye and is pleasing to the touch.