Yesterday I received a very exciting parcel through the post, my German Friend Hannes after his carpentry apprenticeship spent his journeyman time working in Japan with traditional temple builders. When he helped me build our timber framed logstore I coveted his beautiful Japanese tools and in particular a gorgeous carpenters axe. Hannes has just been back out to Japan and…
Just to show the European hewing technique as a contrast to the Japanese, here is some video again from 2005 Kesurokai. The technique of hewing by cutting out notches, chopping off the block between and then finishing the surface with a wide bladed axe is the same as was used in Britain to create all our wonderful timber framed buildings.…
I was just discussing axe design and use with folk on the British Blades forum and was reminded of one of the most wonderful exhibitions of woodworking skill I have seen. In 2005 I attended the first european “kesurokai”. This was an event inspired by a German carpenter journeyman spending time working with Japanese temple builders. In Japan the carpenters…
