by Daniel Howell | Dec 15, 2022
The ability to shape wood with a knife is one of the most elemental skills to have, and plays at least a minor role in the vast majority of other crafts. Sadly, knife skills in general seem to be in decline. . . Though that’s something we are encouraging around here!
Brian, from the Carving is Fun channel on Youtube, helps educate and get folks involved in carving, and came on the podcast to chat about carving, whittling, tips, techniques, and suggestions. I found this interesting because I’ve never attempted to whittle small 3D objects (what I classically think of when I think of whittling). Hope you learn something from our conversation!
Resources Mentioned:
And while not suggesting you need a new knife, during this episode Brian does mention a couple different brands he would recommend if you’re looking to buy a high quality dedicated carving knife/knife set:
by Daniel Howell | Dec 6, 2022
In the craft world of the modern age, bone seems to be a rather neglected raw material that is rarely used for much of anything. But that was not always so, and fortunately Dave was willing to come on the podcast and share a little bit of his experience and insight on the craft of working with bones and antlers.
Dave is a re-enactor of the early medieval period and a bone crafter who specializes in replicating artifacts of that time period. We chat about the history, archaeology, artifacts, methodology, and manufacture of bone implements. Overall, I found this to be a very fascinating and informative conversation, hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did!
I also hope we can change our perspective on how bone was used historically, and garner some ideas on what we can make with it now!
Resources Mentioned
by Daniel Howell | Nov 26, 2022
How many of you have ever knitted your own garments from wool you processed and spun yourself? Just the thought intimidates me…. and also draws me in wanting to learn more!
In one of Josefin Waltin’s Youtube videos she shows just that – and since her channel and website showcase a variety of other wool processing and spinning content I reached out to see if she would be willing to talk to us about spinning. We cover a bit about processing wool, the time involved in spinning, necessary tools and how this can be done just about anywhere, experiments with flax and other plant fibers, choosing interesting raw materials over easy to spin fleeces, and more.
Something I’ve been dwelling on since recording this was her comments about intentionally using the least mechanized process for her craft and how she thinks that’s the easiest way to learn.
On one hand I am in complete agreement…. but logically I also look at that and think that things should be easier if my body didn’t have to do the appropriate mechanical movements! I would love to hear your thoughts about this!
Episode Resources:
Josefin’s Website
Josefin’s Online Spinning Courses (also accessible via her website)
Youtube Channel — @josefinwaltin3848
Recommended Books:
by Daniel Howell | Oct 4, 2022
The Folk Craft Revival podcast is back!!!!
If you can’t tell, I’m excited! I’ve really missed putting together this podcast — chatting with guests and getting to know some individuals involved in heritage skills and retaining and reviving the knowledge that was once fairly common. Hopefully you’ve missed it as much as I have! While I’m looking forward to where things are going moving forward I also wanted to give a little bit of an explanation into why I shut the podcast down for the last year.
….. that took about 3 minutes and then you get to put up with me rambling and updating ya’ll with some of the projects I’ve been up to in the last couple months. 🙂
Shoot me an email if you know of anyone who would be interesting to talk with so we can keep this thing going strong!
Mentioned In This Episode:
- Mortise & Tenon — Particularly two books: Joined, & Worked both by Joshua Klein. I mention how M&T’s work has transformed my approach to woodworking.
by Daniel Howell | Oct 4, 2022
I’ve always been fascinated by hand tools, lets just say I appreciate the simplicity and hearkening back to earlier times.
But more than that, I also love the quietness, the slower pace at which the work proceeds, and the knowledge you need to have of wood and how your tool operates. It’s a nice change from working with machinery all day in in a production atmosphere. . .
I also love how approachable building hand tools for yourself can be. For me, the ability to craft my own tools that I will use gives me that sense of gratification and fulfillment that is often difficult to find elsewhere. And I feel like it closes and completes the circle of a craft — knowing how to make something using purchased tools and materials is wonderful, but I feel like I am more knowledgeable and proficient at a craft when I can source my own materials and make the basic tools I will use. Perhaps that’s why I find blacksmithing so much fun, it is an expected part of smithing that you will be making and/or modifying your own tongs, hammers, etc.
At any rate, I didn’t own a spokeshave, never have, and thought it would be a fun project that would result in another useful tool for the workshop! In all honesty, the bug was planted when I followed Paul Sellers’ instructions on making a frame saw. While following his instructions for that saw I noticed that he also had a video series on making a spokeshave and thought that sounded fun as well! (You’ll have to sign up for a free account in order to watch the classes on Woodworking Masterclasses that I linked to, but I think you’ll find it well worth it. Alternatively, you can see some of Paul’s videos on his Youtube channel, also a great place to learn about hand tool woodworking).
What is a spokeshave and why should you make one?
A spokeshave is essentially a different form of hand plane — in use, it could be said that it functions somewhat like a cross between a plane and a drawknife. Traditionally it was used a lot in making curved and rounded items (for example, chair legs and wheel spokes). My immediate plans for it involve making a few more bows this summer. . . and possibly some canoe paddles!
As to why you should make one, if you have any woodworking plans for your future I think it will come in handy for quickly removing material or reducing edges. It’s a welcome addition to the workbench for sure, and I think I’ll be using mine on a frequent basis.
. . . But really, who needs a reason? If you have to ask that then you probably don’t have the same level of interest in old tools that I do to begin with! =)
The actual process of making a spokeshave is pretty simple, but it will help if you have some experience shaping and heat treating metal. Fortunately I’ve been a hobby knife maker for a few years so this one was pretty straightforward.
You’ll start with a small board and a 4 inch long, 3/4 wide and 1/8 inch thick section of high carbon steel. Paul uses 01 tool steel, I did as well because that’s what I have as scrap from making knives. You could use any other high carbon steel (high carbon because it will hold an edge better and stay sharp longer) but if you want to buy 01 tool steel I usually source mine from Jantz Supply
As far as instructions for making spokeshave, I’ll just point you to Paul’s video since this was the first one I’ve made and I feel it might be a little pretentious for me to attempt teaching it at this point! I will say though, as an improvement to his way of holding the blade still while sharpening it (clamped in a vise), I will just mention that I find it significantly easier to screw the blade blank to a scrap block of wood and then place that block in a vise. It is more sturdy, wiggles less, and is less likely to come popping out at you! Ask me how I know…..
I thoroughly enjoyed making one as a weekend project though and highly encourage you all to give it a shot! You’ll get the satisfaction of making something with your hands, an understanding of how spokeshaves work, and a new tool for the workshop!
And is a spokeshave useful? You’re dadgum straight it is! Mine was shaping the handle on a kitchen spoon I was carving within a few hours of being finished! Saved me a lot of effort with a pocket knife!
