Comments on: Ron Herman: Mojo and Thousands of Hand Tools

By: www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawn5kzK2gzVbHAitiFsMiSfh7qPHCTviU2o

www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawn5kzK2gzVbHAitiFsMiSfh7qPHCTviU2o — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:40:39 +0000

Ron’s son is an assistant scoutmaster with my son’s boy scout troop. My son and I visited Ron’s shop on a Saturday afternoon and listened to him talk about tools and woodworking for at least an hour and a half (i.e. until my wife called to see why we were late). Absolutely fascinating.

Al Magnuson

By: Jonas Jensen

Jonas Jensen — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:40:24 +0000

OK, as long as you have kept the spare parts. I have gotten over it, so I was just trying to tease you a little.

Have a nice weekend
Jonas

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:24:40 +0000

Jonas,

I’m not Ron Herman.

As I stated on WoodNet, the plane’s casting was beyond repair before I hit it. I still have all its parts in a box in the shop — along with all the other irons, breakers, frogs and totes from pieces of junk that have passed through here.

So I’m fine with it.

Chris

By: Jonas Jensen

Jonas Jensen — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:21:57 +0000

Chris
How does this sentence sound knowing that you have smashed an innocent Stanley plane?
"Tools all have life left in them if they fit your hand. Strip the handle. Salvage the parts. Whatever you do, don’t s*&tcan a tool."
Brgds
Jonas

By: John Cashman

John Cashman — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:52:47 +0000

I have a hard time believing he uses all of those braces as well. But he does use a gazillion saws. He really has it down to a science. Because of the kind of work he does, he has saws set up for every conceivable type of wood — even plywood! — and moisture content. When you make your living sawing by hand, I suppose you’d have to. I never saw so many saws, with sets in different wheeled cases, ready to use at a jobsite. Not this century, or the last for that matter. Sheer wizardry.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:26:03 +0000

"The fact that Herman sets up all these tools and uses them is mind-blowing."

Come now, there is no way that one man could possibly meaningfully use that many braces, or planes or plumb bobs, for that matter. He sounds like a very cool dude, but I really don’t buy that he uses a different brace on each day of the year, which it looks like it would actually require to give them all some "use."

I have to say that I sympathesize. I often indulge in "back-ups" and double back-ups etc. of some of my favorite vintage tools because second examples came my way and I am so fond of the originals. One eventually becomes a sort of collector/steward even without the intent to become so and even with a very user mindset.

I also agree about the karma/mojo thing. I’d love to spend some time around Herman.

Thanks for the post.

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:12:12 +0000

Tony,

Thay aren’t for sale. Those are just the details of the brace – its type and year of manufacture etc.

Chris

By: Tony Z

Tony Z — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:09:04 +0000

Why all the tags on the braces?

T.Z.

By: Bjenk

Bjenk — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:05:24 +0000

Chris,

What a pleasant surprise that you would speak of Ron Herman. I have been very interested in him recently. My interest in contemporary "trad" Housewrights is growing and I want to know more about them and their trade. I found that I am more interested in Roubo’s menuiserie related to houses and apartments than furniture. Maybe we have focused so much on furniture and forgotten that the crafts are deeper and more complex than that. I’d like to see a traditional Housewright column appear in PW some day.

By: John Cashman

John Cashman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:38:22 +0000

At the conference, he also said that he would never sharpen and use a saw made before 1880. I think it was 1880. "There’s just too many saws out there," he explained, to use something especially rare. So there is a balance to his approach, but for the most part, a tool is meant to be used. I’m glad Chris brought Ron into the light for us to see.