This is an absolute gem. Sent to me by blog Reader Tim Marshall, recorded in 1984 two “bushmen” Bill Boyd and Mark Garner fell a tree, split “slabs” off it and hew them to make house timbers. I have worked with some seriously talented hewers in Japan, Germany and the best from the UK, when I watched the first few seconds of this film with these two chaps sat on the porch sharpening their axes I thought it all looked a bit hammed up for the cameras but just stick with it, they are as skilled and effortless as anyone I have ever seen with an axe.
It was uploaded a year ago and has had only 500 views it deserves to be much better known, lets share it and celebrate the skills of these wonderful folk.
Just for comparison I’ll post a couple of vids I made in 2005 of German and Japanese style hewing
I loved the old Australian film, the axe in his hands was just poetry in motion . And the tolerence with the boards amazing:)
I volunteer with the Kosciusko huts association who look after a lot of huts and homesteads including Coolamine. and you'll be pleased to know that traditional woodworking skills are still very much alive in the snowy mountains their were 30+ people at a timber skills and shingle making workshop earlier this year. and thanks to your efforts Robin, a new generation is getting exposed and involved in traditional wood craft, Keep it up
Nice one Robin,I love it .Like you I have done plenty of hewing . I dream of timber that splits that easily! and would love to add one of the Aus felling axes to my collection.You can see what I was up to in the summer here http://mcnorlander.wordpress.com/I am also glad to hear that things are being kept alive in Aus
that's better 24 hours later and its running 866 views, I reckon give it a few weeks and it will be well up the thousands, it deserves to be seen.
WEll I've watched it twice.Heres a newly published video of the Polish Projecthttp://vimeo.com/31510388
That is a wonderful project Kevin and a really well made short film too.
It is a great project . I suspect its the largest hewing project for some time . The building is 36 foot square with a lot of joinery.What impressed me the most was the enthusiasm of the students and their willingness to get stuck in and get blisters ! . the only pitty was that there were no British students. Im hoping to go and do some painting next year hopefully with one of my daughters.
Great video Robin thanks for sharing, if only we could get trees like that here. Those guys have great skill
Stunning! After the fourth time or so that my jaw dropped open watching those guys dress those logs… I just gave up and watched the rest of the video with a big goofy grin on my face.
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