Sharp & to the Point

Sharp & to the Point The Hock Tools Newsletter Photo Album: Mark Ketelsen’s Go-To Smoother from #4 — 2015 Sharp & to the Point The Hock Tools Newsletter Advancing Handtools: The European Woodworking Show 2015 from #6-015 he European Woodworking T Show brought in crowds Satur- day and Sunday, Sept. 12 & 13. Cressing Temple’s Wheat Barn’s south door. The brick roof weighs 44 tons. We were thrilled to be part of it all and are already looking forward to next time. Located at (and in) the impressive and inspiring 13th century Cressing Temple Barns between Witham and Braintree, Essex, the European Woodworking Show opened its doors to handtool Wheat Barn interior 2 minutes prior vendors, woodworking exhibitors, de- to 10:00 opening time on Sunday. A cathedral for farm & grain? monstrators, workshops, competitions, Indeed! food carts, woodworkers of all sorts. It was big, it was plenty, and it was definitely worthwhile. The immense farmstead Cressing Temple was granted to the Knights Templar in 1137 by major royal supporter, Queen Matilda. Its Barley and Wheat Barns, which housed many of us woodworking toolmakers, were built in the 13th century and are now among the oldest timber-framed buildings in Europe. These Barns grandly rep- resent the few surviving Templar buildings in England. Tree ring dating suggests that The Barley Barn – the oldest standing timber- framed barn in the world – was built between 1205 and 1235. Hock Tools was located in the A bit of focus on the interior bones in the ceiling of the Wheat Barn at Cressing Temple. I don’t know what a secret notched-lap joint is, but after 800 years and counting, I guess it’s keeper woodworking! On the way to the Barley Barn (left), 50 years older than the Wheat Barn, with a twin 44 ton brick roof and similar, timber framed interior. larger Wheat Barn, which was built 50 years after the Barley Barn—and with newer technolo- gies—of timbers felled between 1257 and 1280. In the U.S., we just don’t get to hang out in buildings that old. Cressing Temple includes a restored Tudor Pleasure Garden. I was able to capture the two Each minute there we felt the roofs of both barns from inside the garden with history of working wood green my cell phone. It was all utterly delightful. And, unlike where we are in California, green as can (the lofty cathedral-style timber be. Essex is statistically the driest section of frame was built of pliable green England. These people do not know dry! wood—bones good to this day!) and felt the strength and craft of the secret notched-lap joints above. Af- ter such an experience, you can’t help but understand what it took to build something absolutely utilitarian that is large, a monument to a be- lief system that would last hundreds of years (800 and counting), and is not a church (well, not per se). Yeah – wow! But, I digress. Not only did we have the great pleasure of being at Cress- ing Temple, we joined and were joined by woodworkers and toolmakers from across the pond and other countries in Europe, a couple of whom Ron has known through e-mails, phone calls, and reputation, yet had never met in person. For instance, David Charlesworth and Ron recog- nized each other right away, and got along swimmingly; two minds melding – the woodworker and the blade guy. Talk, talk, talk. Of course we spent a great deal of time with Mike Hancock and his fab- ulous crew at Classic Handtools, our “stockist” in the U.K.—more a treat then I can ever express. But, we also got to pal around with Dave Jeske from Blue Spruce Toolworks and his delightful wife, Dawn (we spent time with them in Ireland, too – fun and more fun). We David Charlesworth, left, and Ron Hock, right, yuck it up with good English ale had a few special from the UK’s St. Peter’s Brewing Company. moments with our Upon close of the show on Saturday, we were treated to an outdoor dinner. old friend Michel David and Ron, who had been on their feet pretty much all day, quickly found a place Auriou from Auriou out of the way in what is either the Toolworks at Forge plough stable or forge barn. de Saint Juery who flew in from France. We hung out with ready-for- anything Chris Vesper of Vesper Tools in Australia. We visited with Vic Tesolin, who manned the booth for Lee Valley Toolworks/Veritas Tools (more later on Vic, aka the Minimalist Woodworker, and his new book The Mini- malist Woodworker). And, we actually found time to have dinner in the hamlet of Coggeshall with David Charlesworth, and Deneb Puchalski from Lie-Nielsen Toolworks. It’s so nice to sit for a meal and chat. Mike Hancock of Classic Handtools. Our booth was located between Blue Spruce Toolworks Mike and his staff organize the and Philly Planes, so we also enjoyed the ever-smiling, European Wood- working Show. Not a lot of time to take photos, but I took a few and so did Ron. The b&w photo be- longs to luthier Kieran Binnie. Left, top— bottom: Deneb Puchalski packing up the Lie-Nielsen booth; Chris Vesper of Vesper Toolsl; Ron Hock planing with David Charlesworth’s Stanley 5-1/2. Middle top— bottom: Phil Edwards of Philly Planes (right); Kieran Binnie w/ Ron Hock, Michel Auriou, Auriou Toolworks at Forge de St. Jeuery demonstrates stitching a rasp for woodworker Richard Wile. Right top— bottom: Vic Tesolin in his signature red braces; Dave Jeske, Blue Spruce Tool- works; Planemaker Bill Carter enjoys an ice cream; in the Lie-Nielsen booth, Ron Hock pulls a thin shaving using David Charlesworth’s Stanley 5-1/2 David fitted with a Hock blade. good vibes emanating from Phil Edwards, whom I met for the first time. I also met for the first time planemaker Bill Carter as well as luthier Kieran Bin- nie and Crimson Guitar’s Ben Crowe. On top of that, Johan Lyrfalk from Rubank Verktygs in Stockholm, Hock Tools rep in Sweden, dropped by for a chat, as did customer Vincent Lavarenne, teaching member of the very active woodworking group Les Passionés du Bois, who also came all the way across the Channel. (You might like to check out Vincent’s sweet self-made spokeshave in Issue #5 of Sharp & to the Point). Plus, we saw woodworking blogger Richard Wile, of Rich’s Woodcraft; Rich happened to be in London at the time and came out to Braintree – unlike Ron and me, this isn’t even his first EWS; check out Richard’s EWS blog post! If this isn’t enough, we also met Harriet Spriggs! You may not have heard of Harriet; she is not avid about publicity or even having electricity in her home. Yet, Harriet is one of those makers who gets the work done without videos or workshops, without much support at all. She apprenticed as a teenager, learned to make the tools necessary, lived small vil- lage life, and when there were few men about because of war, was the go-to gal who knew how to make windows, boxes, tables, chairs and cabinets. I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to meet Harriet and to be shown a couple of the tools she made in the ‘50’s -- just doing what came natu- Woodworker Harriet Spriggs, center, took time from a rather busy schedule rally, no fuss, no muss, finding a piece of to come to EWS 2015 from Norfolk . Her blade, welding on a handle, sharpening friends furniture maker Michael Knight and plane maker Bill Carter made sure without a book, and moving on with we were properly introduced. things. If I had my way, everyone would know about Harriet Spriggs and what a role model she is for us all, especially women. As much work as they are—I complain to Ron about being on my feet on hard floors and about this and that—at the end of the day woodworking trade shows are really about face-time. And, boy-howdy did Ron and I enjoy face- timing it with customers, colleagues, old and newly made friends at this year’s European Woodworking Show 2015! — Linda at Hock Tools Thank you for Choosing Hock Tools! Hock Tools The Sharpening Blog The Perfect Edge .

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