I took the day off to get dental work and found that my dental issues were not as bad as I feared. So there was nothing for it, I went to the Dallas Lie Neilsen Tool Event.
It was a very important day for me. As a woodworker, I have suffered from the inability to make anything like a reliable cut with a Western Style Saw. Not the worst handicap, since I have no issue when using a Razorsaw(Gyokucho) 650 Royoba. Sometimes however it would be nice to push a blade and not have sawdust covering the line.
At this event I met Frank Strazza, from the Heritage School of Woodworking.
Frank managed to teach this old dog a new trick.
I was missing four things. The first clue is the sound of the saw. I can’t really show that.
The second is the grip, solidly held with absolutely no pressure or tension.
The third was the stance.
The fourth thing I was missing was how to hold my other thumb when starting the cut. When drawing a Japanese saw, I am pulling, and I guide with the side of my hand. For starting a push cut I needed to see the other side of the saw clearly. By using the tip of my thumb as a guide I was able to manage a decent guide when I needed it. I practiced without my thumb to get the method clearly, but I can assure you when I cut a line that matters, I will be using Frank’s method from here on out.
Frank is a brilliant teacher with the ability to watch for a while and figure out better approaches for a task. I would love to take several of his classes.
Lie Neilsen’s crew was wonderful as always, and I had the pleasure of meeting Lynn Dowd!
Lynn Dowd is the person to contact if you are looking for fine vintage tools in Texas.
Dallas is quite a bit out of my way, but getting to go to this event really helped justify the time and expense.
Bob
A page Dedicated to My Writing
I went to the LN event as well. Had a great time with all those tools, but the best part was Mrs. dowd’s Jalapeño Cherry pie. I took two classes from Frank and it was tremendously helpful in learning handtool woodworking. You will never meet a more patient, and more gifted instructor than him. Having said that, Shawn has a school down in San Marcos that is pretty amazing. I took the Dutch tool chest class form chris schwarz down there last year. Chris was the one teaching the class, but I have a feeling Shawn is actually a better teacher. Chris is a great lecturer, and is quite entertaining however. Shawn is hosting a handtool boot camp in about a month with Shannon Rogers that I plan to go to if I can convince my wife….
Great Woodworking job
I saw a exterior-grade milk paint recipe you offered several years back, leveraging different pH in a 2-coat process. I want to paint a large nut and bolt to prevent rust, and am wondering if the acidity or alkalinity of either coat will degrade the metal at all? Thank you!
Testing it would be the right thing to do. I have not data either way.
I am not sure, testing would be the only way to be sure.