The Splinter Report: September 26th

Welcome to The Splinter Report, where I gather the assorted interesting and amusing things I’ve seen in the woodworking world. This week we’re looking at old-school sharpening, the “death” of Metabo, and seeing something familiar in the real world.

Tool News Quick Bites

Metabo HPT becomes one with Metabo: Reports say that the Metabo brand will be going away entirely (in the American market), with the tools folded in the Metabo HPT name and battery platform. Metabo will still sell replacement parts and batteries here for the foreseeable future though. So far Stuart over at ToolGuyd is the only legitiment source I have for this, but his info tends to be spot on. As for the change in strategy, this is probably an overdue move — Metabo HPT has always been the more popular brand here, and the matching name situation was confusing for consumers.

Déjà Vu: Spool Cabinet Edition

There’s always something fun about spotting a piece that you’re familiar with out in the wild. Certain things are so ubiquitous that they almost go unnoticed, like a Morris Chair or a candle stand. Less common though, are pieces like this spool cabinet I saw at my favorite local antique shop. I immediately recognized it from the Watchmaker’s Cabinet project Logan did a few years ago.

Unlike some other vintage spool cabinets that I’ve seen, this one is unrestored and has clearly gotten a lot of use over the years. It was interesting to see both the similarities and differences as well, like the dual bottom drawers in this example, which I think I like more. For those curious, they can learn more about the Merrick Thread here and here.

Out of Context Christopher Schwarz Quote

“Then the attendant said: ‘I know you. You’re on Ray Underwood’s TV show – ‘The Woodsmith’s Shop.’ I love your work.’ I thanked him. And for two seconds I thought he was going to upgrade me to first class for the coming nine-hour flight. But no joy.”

Video of the Week: Old School Sharpening

I honestly can’t quite decide how I feel about this video. Youtuber and hand-tool woodworker Richard Maguire has an incredibly dry delivery. Dare I say too dry? But damn if I don’t love the content and knowledge he’s sharing here. The armchair chat at the beginning is also something totally different from what most videos are like these days.

Anything interesting I missed this week, or that you want me to highlight in a future Splinter Report? Let us know on social media or drop me an email at cknoff@aimmedia.com.