To my friends, the American millionaires, to whom I have given the proceeds of many years of toil on a Nebraska farm, all of whom have leisure, and some of whom have brains enough to comprehend political and social science, this work is respectfully dedicated.
— T.G. Tibbles, Bancroft, Nebraska, July 4, 1892
Put some wax on it and the cutting will be easier.
it could have been oak…
How true,but not just Nebraska.
not much has changed!
Brilliantly said…and just as true today as it was in 1892.
I’ve noticed that my projects get stalled just as I come to the hardest part!
the interweb says this is:
THE AMERICAN PEASANT A Timely Allegory.
By T.H. TIBBLES AND ANOTHER.
For those that were curious as I was: http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/peattie/ep.nov.tap.html
Great stuff.
Sometimes I ask myself, if the hand tool is not faster, or easier, or gives a better finish, or makes better sounds, or creates a better pile of sweet shavings, would those old craftsmen from the 1700’s have preferred to use the power tool solution had it been available to them? If it’s really likely they would have, maybe I will too without feeling any guilt. Great post though! I like the quote and the image and how, together, they evoke a real feeling we all understand. Thank you!
There should never be any need to feel bad about doing hand wood work, nor with machining wood. It’s a choice, that’s all. The choice may have to do with making a living, or with enjoying hand wood work for its own sake; many very talented people do successfully choose their own way, in either case.
Love the quote! Everyone under thirty where I work seems to put exclamations on everything! MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I’M BEING YELLED AT!!! I don’t want to guess, but what is that chunk of wood and how wide was it after you cut the knots off?
Sugar pine for a tabletop. Started as 18” wide. Ended up 15”
“I do not love the bright [hand saw] for its sharpness, nor the [table saw] for its swiftness, nor the [lad/lass] for [their fanciness]. I love only that which they [create].”
– Faramir, The Two Towers.
This reminds me of using my #8 jointer the other day. I was damned sure my arms had gotten shorter, couldn’t be that I need to use my hand tools more.
Curious as to why you are using the handsaw instead of your bandsaw or table saw.
“I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” — Bilbo Baggins
i lol’ed at feedly’s interjection when i encountered the update: “Is this article about Political Science?” i’d embed an image,but the text entry here honors no graphic paste buffers (probably for the better)
Many years ago man made with hand tools what we attempt to make with power tools. Which ones will be around in the next century.
Ha! And a message so relevant to where we find ourselves today.