We have Derek Jones in the shop this week to teach a two-day class in French polishing, and Derek has generously agreed to give a free short demo on the process at 2 p.m. Saturday at our Covington, Ky., storefront.
Derek is the editor of Furniture & CabinetmakingMagazine and runs the Lowfat Roubo site, where he sells tools and offers courses in the U.K. This is his first trip to the United States, and after the class here he heads to the Marc Adams School of Woodworking to teach two courses.
Derek is a wiz at French polishing and an outstanding teacher. His process focuses more on the results than historical dogma. I think you’ll be amazed.
I know that we are not supplying your headwear needs with our new hats. Two colors? One rim size? And that crown? It’s easily 3/8” too small. I know that your haberdasher chortled mightily when he opened our webpage.
Here’s the solution. Make you own dang hat. Below is a link to the vector file we used to make the embroidery pattern for these hats. The marriage mark cannot be copyrighted any more than you could copyright a question mark. Click here.
Here’s a note you can print out for your local embroider.
Hi,
The vector file you’ve just been handed (it looks like a triangle with fins and a tail) is a mark that has been in use by woodworkers since at least the 1700s. It’s called the “marriage mark” and is used to mark out parts that belong together. It’s in the public domain as much as any historical symbol (the Christian cross, the lotus plant, the middle finger).
I personally drew this image in about 5 seconds in Adobe Illustrator and give permission to anyone to use it as they see fit. Put it on baby jammies, Yoda costumes, thong underwear.
Thanks,
Chris Schwarz, drawer of the triangle thingy.
If you don’t like our hat selections, do the DIY thing and make a hat for yourself. You can support a local business and get exactly what you want. You might even save a few bucks in the process.
Here’s the latest chapter in the Lost Art Press Hat Saga. Book 14, chapter six, verse 12.
Short version: We have new hats in the store now. They fit well, are reasonably priced and are available in tan and (by request) camouflage. Other facts to know: They are embroidered on demand. We make almost no money on these – they are just for fun. We like hats because we sometimes don’t shower in the morning.
Longer version: Finding the right hat to sell has been a long journey. Yes, there are bespoke milliners out there that we have investigated. We love good merchandise, but we just can’t fathom selling a baseball cap for $75 to $100.
We wanted a hat that you wouldn’t cry over if you left it at the baseball park. We wanted a fairly low profile to the crown – the ridiculously tall trucker caps are not for us. And we wanted something unstructured and that would break in quickly.
This hat, made in Bangladesh, ticks all those boxes. Yes, we’d rather have a USA-made hat. But we couldn’t find one that we liked and thought was reasonable in price.
This one is $24.50. It takes a beating. It’s easily adjustable with a friction buckle. It’s well-ventilated. And it survives the washer and dryer just fine. We wish it were less expensive, but this is the best we can do.
When I showed the prototype on Instagram, I also threw in my personal camo hat in the background. I grew up in Arkansas and would have worn a camo tuxedo to my wedding, had Lucy allowed it. My fellow rednecks clamored mightily for us to sell the camo hat as well as the tan. And so we abided.
The Lost Art Press storefront will be open this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is your opportunity to talk with fellow woodworkers, ask any questions about the craft that have been bugging you and perhaps learn a new technique at the bench.
We also sell our full line of Lost Art Press books and will have a few Crucible Lump Hammers for sale (we’re working on a big batch this week). But as anyone will tell you, these open days are not about commerce for us. There is no hard sell or soft sell – not even a medium sell.
As always, there are lots of ongoing projects in the shop for you to examine.
I am finishing work on a mule chest for the expansion of “The Anarchist’s Design Book.” This piece offers scads of storage and is quick to build with rabbets and nails.
I should be building the exterior cases for the Nicholson Campaign Chest, which has been a six-month journey. The casework is done and finished.
We should be in the midst of repairing and refinishing our front door. I cracked the glass while repairing a muntin. So…. new glass on the way. And the exterior needs a new coat of oil.
Megan Fitzpatrick is finishing work on a book by Robert Wearing that should go to press next week. The book is on fixtures, jigs and appliances for handwork. You can come take a first look at the proofs if you like.
Brendan Gaffney is off teaching at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking this week. He should be back on Saturday with a cabinet to show.
Come for the Woodworking, Stay for the Food Many visitors to our shop also make a day of it and get lunch or brunch while in Covington. We have some bad news on that front. Main Street Tavern has closed. We are crushed. And so we offer this list of other great places to eat that you can walk to:
Otto’s: A fantastic brunch (you might want to make reservations just to be sure).
Commonwealth: Very Kentucky (that’s a good thing).
Also worth seeing in town:
The Cincinnati Art Museum has an exhibit on the art of Burning Man that is getting rave reviews. The museum also has an impressive decorative arts collection and general admission is free.
And The Cincinnati Museum Center is now reopened after its extensive and impressive renovation. You can lose an entire day here touring the multiple museums.
Apologies for the unvarnished commerce, but I’d rather sell these books here than on eBay.
Lucy and I are relinquishing as many material goods as possible as we prepare to move above the storefront in early August. So duplicate books have to go.
Here we have three books, all hand-bound in leather by Ohio Book with handmade end sheets. Two are copies of “The Joiner & Cabinet Maker” – one in brown and one in black.The other is “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” in black.
The books are $250 apiece. Domestic shipping is included in the price. International shipping will be at the actual cost.
If you are interested, please read with care: Send me a message through my personal site. Let me know specifically which book you want. The first to say “I’ll take it, gets it.” These books are offered without any apology and have no wear whatsoever.
