Woodworking

Woodworking
It may come as surprise to some that not woodworking is done the way your father did it! In fact it there are two main woodworking cultures (that I’m aware of ); the one you are most familiar is call the western style it uses western style tools and the other is Asian most closely associated with the Japanese however most Asian countries follow this school of craftsmanship. The primary difference “seems” to have evolved from cultural tradition where as they do not use chairs for activities such as eating. They perform their woodworking tasks in a similar manner, using a minimalist approach. Their work bench is very low, approximately 12-14 inches high, it’s formed with two interlocking support blocks and beam; a trestle. They have some of the most ingenious methods of holding and supporting materials that are being worked; often it includes the nothing more than the use of the body in what may seem as first blush to be peculiar, but in effect, very efficient. Traditionally they work with a type of split toe moccasin that allows them to grasp items with their feet – a process that is never seen in Western Shops. They fabricate clamping devices with nothing more than jute and a small block of wood, in action; the wooded block has two holes bored through it to which the rope is threaded and through a similar arrangement on their work bench, the item to be worked is set beneath the loop of rope and foot pressure on the stick of wood becomes a superior clamp – the body quickly adjusts the clamping pressure or releases it for repositioning the work piece – a truly fantastic device! It can be made in minutes with minimal experience and adjust to any shape and needs no explanation on it function. Another truly fascination aspect of Japanese woodworking are the tools; quite unlike their western counterparts they are pulled, yes, a pull-saw, and pull operated plane. Why have pull saws become so popular among Westerners? Simple, they work better. Let me explain; the Japanese pull-saw is also known as a Razor Saw because of its razor thin blade. The thin blade cuts cleanly and precisely through with great speed and accuracy, a thin blade offer much less resistance an pull stroke follows a line easier because as the blade is being pulled similar to pulling a rope the blade is drawn taut (therefore straight), whereas a western saw is pushed and blade encounters resistance the blade tends to bend under the load and will veer off course. Pull saw have and addition advantage the thin blade is sharpened to with a different (sharper) tooth geometry, that can only be accomplished with a thin blade. Wood cut with a pull stroke is set on the bench where gravity acts as a clamp, what could be simpler and more efficient- no clamps needed; they simply pull the saw blade down and force the work against the bench! A pull plane works much the same way – it is set on a sloped beam with a stop block at the lower end, the work is rested against the block and gravity does the rest.
Traditional Japanese woodworkers create some of the finest joinery the world has ever known - my hat is off to them.