Long-time carpenter and Popular Woodworking Magazine contributor Carl Bilderback sent me this image a few days back, and said I should come up with a clever caption about it being a baby picture of housewright Ron Herman. But I seem to be fresh out of clever – so I’m leaving it in your hands. Submit … Read more
Whether or not you’re able to attend the Woodworking in America Conference (Sept. 30-Oct. 2 in Greater Cincinnati), you can still learn top-notch woodworking techniques from our expert speakers. Read more
The first time I saw Ron Herman sharpen a handsaw, I learned more about sharpening the tool in 20 minutes than I had learned in all the years I’d been a woodworker. I had been sharpening my saws for years, but I was mostly trying to replicate the saw’s existing tooth geometry. I wasn’t confident … Read more
Traditional housewright Ron Herman has sharpened thousands of handsaws in his career, and now, he shares his expertise with you on a new DVD: “Sharpen Your Handsaws.” Ron starts off by discussing the different parts of typical saws, including handle and sawplate shapes, and talks about the shape of the teeth on ripsaws and crosscut … Read more
Traditional housewright Ron Herman walks you through the steps to achieving accurate and consistent results in sharpening both backsaws and handsaws. [...] Read more
“The Joinery Challenge,” a new DVD from Ron Herman, is now available for pre-order at ShopWoodworking.com (and on sale for $5 off the regular price through the end of June). This exercise is one Ron had to pass when he was in his apprenticeship on his way to becoming a journeyman housewright (he’s now a … Read more
Tools sized to the user lead to more efficient and comfortable work.
By Ron Herman
Pages: 34-37
One of the first things I do with new employees is fit them to a handsaw. And as a woodworker, fitting tools to yourself is one of the first things you should do, too. Why? If a tool is uncomfortable to use, you won’t practice using it – and if you don’t practice, you can’t master a tool or technique. Instead, you’ll look for alternate ways to do the chore. And even if you’ve already mastered a tool, the easier and more comfortable it is to use, the more precise you’ll be. It’s like anything else – if it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t work.
SLIDE SHOW: Take a tour of Ron’s shop.
SLIDE SHOW: Take a tour of Ron’s shop.
BLOG: If you have questions about the proper size of a bench, read Editor Chris Schwarz’s blog.
TO BUY: Ron has sharpened thousands of hand saws. And you can learn how he does it with a new DVD: “Sharpen Your Handsaws with Ron Herman.”
IN OUR STORE: Get “The Joinery Challenge with Ron Herman” DVD.
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