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On Steve Shanesy’s Last Day

Christopher Schwarz — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:48:27 +0000

All woodworking stories are – by definition – somewhat sappy. This one is even more so. The day I met Steve Shanesy I was a burned-out writer, designer and editor. I was managing a newspaper that was swirling around the rim of the toilet bowl. I was writing about politics – something I didn’t care … Read more »

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Lessons from Tools on High (the High Shelf, That is)

Christopher Schwarz — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:07:12 +0000

For the last three years I have been paring down my working tool set to the bare minimum by selling off or giving away many of the tools that I amassed while working at Popular Woodworking Magazine. It was so cathartic I wrote a book about it called “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” which is available … Read more »

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Highland Woodworking: Hand-tool Stalwarts of the South

Christopher Schwarz — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 02:52:59 +0000

If it weren’t for Highland Hardware in Atlanta (now called Highland Woodworking), my life would be a lot different. 1. That’s where I first met Roy Underhill. Well, “met” is not the right word. I was too shy to introduce myself. I just watched him for about an hour until it reached the point that … Read more »

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Arno Burnisher: The One True No-fail Burnisher

Christopher Schwarz — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 15:18:28 +0000

Sometimes it’s not you. Sometimes, it is the tool that is causing the problem – especially if we are talking about burnishers. The following scene has been repeated so many times during the last seven years that it is beginning to feel like “Groundhog Day” for me. Woodworker: I can’t turn a hook on a … Read more »

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New DVD of 1995-2012 Magazine Issues Catches You Up

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 14:33:09 +0000

While I love printed magazines and books, I am a huge fan of electronic books and magazines – especially when doing research on a project or technique. Plus, pdfs allow me to carry an entire woodworking library on my laptop, which is handy for traveling. So I am eager to get my hands on a … Read more »

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DMT’s Dia-Flat Takes a Crazy Beating

Christopher Schwarz — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 16:50:57 +0000

I don’t get too worked up about sharpening equipment. With a few exceptions, any abrasive gets your tools sharp. And I find that the less I write about abrasives, the happier I am. But I’m going to break my silence to talk about DMT’s Dia-Flat lapping plate. It is awesome – practically perfect. Yes, it … Read more »

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For Fun: The Song of ‘Rooney O’Chisel’

Christopher Schwarz — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 16:36:18 +0000

This morning, I’m listening to the newest album from The Avett Brothers, “The Carpenter.” It’s a delightful acoustic and folky album, and as a bonus the CD cover looks like a traditional seal of a brotherhood of carpenters. (Listen to them perform the song here.) I’ve always liked songs about the craft, like Guy Clark’s … Read more »

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Learning to Speak ‘Studley’

Christopher Schwarz — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 05:46:42 +0000

Today we inched our way through the process of documenting the tools in the H.O. Studley chest with high-resolution, for-publication photographs. It is grueling work that’s done in the dark, punctuated by blinding flashes and always coated in the fear of dropping one of the tools to the floor below. All told, there are more … Read more »

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H.O. Studley by the Numbers

Christopher Schwarz — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 05:18:24 +0000

It takes a long time – months, really – to recover your senses after spending time with the tool chest of H.O. Studley. During our first visit with the chest in 2011, we spent about an hour taking random shots of the thing, as if it might just disappear from the wall at any second. … Read more »

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‘The Woodwright’s Shop’ Renewed for 2 More Seasons

Christopher Schwarz — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 01:58:24 +0000

Good news, fellow knuckle-draggers. Roy Underhill’s television show, “The Woodwright’s Shop,” has been renewed for two more seasons – State Farm Insurance has agreed to fund seasons 33 and 34 of the show. Personal note: I have my home insurance through State Farm for this reason alone. My wife thinks I’m nuts for this. And … Read more »

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