One aspect of woodworking that is difficult to explain to non-woodworkers are the physical and mental effects the tools have on us. Sometimes I wonder if I should bring my Lie-Nielsen No. 3 in bronze to the doctor’s office with me. I can promise you that my blood pressure and pulse are lower when my…
Read moreWhen we published “Sharpen This,” some readers were disappointed that the book’s cover wasn’t the slightly naughty “Sharpen This” image we printed on a sticker in 2017. Had we used that image, which I adore, we would have faced complaints from some readers, and I suspect the image would have prevented some people from buying…
Read moreIn an effort to become a more competent/normal/slightly-more-successful company, we are trying an experiment. For the next couple months we are offering free shipping on all orders more than $100. If the math works out and we don’t lose our shirts (like selling posters), then we will make this free shipping permanent. If we start…
Read moreMost professional woodworkers and finishers are guarded about the way they finish their pieces. No matter how many articles or books you’ve read about finishing, that’s only a small part of the knowledge out there. Finishing is still a “black art.” So when Megan and I drove out to John Porritt’s shop in Upstate New…
Read moreSharpening is a necessary evil on the path to making good furniture. I wrote “Sharpen This” in the hopes of putting it in a time machine and sending it back to 1994 Chris when he first learned to sharpen. Like many woodworkers, 1994 Chris bought way too many sharpening systems, jigs and BS sandwiches peddled…
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