Yesterday Darren the blacksmith brought my gate back. It took him a lot longer than he expected but I am very pleased with the result. Today I have been working on a bench. This is for a local National Trust property, it started as a an order for a copy of my Charlton on Otmoor bench but when I visited…
We don’t have a TV but several folk told me I should watch the BBCs “Victorian Farm” on iplayer. Most of the presenters are friends, Ruth Goodman a Tudor expert has used my bowls for years, the latest episode featured two other friends Owen Jones my all time craft hero and in my opinion a “living national treasure” this is…
This interesting article appeared in the Telegraph 14/01/09 “England’s last remaining master cooper Alastair Simms has predicted that the nation’s barrel-making trade will go to the grave with him. “ Mr Simms said his “only regret” is that no one will carry on the trade when he retires Mr Simms, 45, began working as an apprentice cooper on his sixteenth…
I have just been sent a lovely letter from Stanley Clark a retired ladder maker. He is 70 in April and no longer capable of making ladders but wishes to share some of his extensive knowledge of the craft. He was apprenticed in 1954 straight from school to John Ward and Son Ladder makers, Bugbrooke Northampton. His letter tells how…
I have been working on a commission for a commemorative gate made from oak. I cut the oak and had my friend Andy make the gate up since he does tighter joints than I do, then I carved it to give it nice organic flowing lines. Today I took it to my blacksmith friend Darren Ainsworth. He is very much…
Having worked the last two weekends it would be nice to have a day or two off this week but I have quite a lot on so a day off will have to wait till the week after next when kids are on half term. I do have some really nice inspiring work on though so it does not feel…
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.…
