A Viking Tool Chest
Season 28 Episode 12 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
Welsh chair bodger Don Weber turns his hand to recreating a medieval tool kit.
Aired: 10/29/10
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
Season 28 Episode 12 | 26m 46s | Video has closed captioning.
Welsh chair bodger Don Weber turns his hand to recreating a medieval tool kit.
Aired: 10/29/10
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
(male announcer) MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP IS PROVIDED BY: (announcer) WHETHER YOU'RE HELPING THEM LEARN HOW TO WALK...
I'M SO THERE.
(announcer) OR TEACHING THEM TO DRIVE.
[tires screeching] (girl) SORRY.
OH, YEAH, I'M THERE.
(announcer) WHEREVER YOU ARE IN LIFE, STATE FARM IS THERE.
PROUD SPONSOR OR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
[horns beeping] [banjo strumming] [upbeat fiddle music] HEY, HELLO AGAIN.
WELCOME BACK TO THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
I'M ROY UNDERHILL, AND WHAT AM I GONNA DO?
I'VE TRAVELED HALFWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PAINT LICK, KENTUCKY, TO VISIT MY FRIEND DON WEBER, BUT I FIND HIS CHEST ALL WRAPPED UP IN CHAINS.
DON, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
ROY, WELCOME TO PAINT LICK AGAIN.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A REPRODUCTION OF A VIKING TOOL CHEST.
A FARMER HAD BEEN PLOWING HIS FIELD, AND HIS PLOW PICKED UP ONE END OF A PIECE OF CHAIN, AND ATTACHED TO THE OTHER SIDE WAS THIS CHEST FULL OF VIKING-AGE TOOLS.
YEAH, THIS IS WONDERFUL.
SO A TREASURE TROVE OF TOOLS FROM 1,000 YEARS AGO, FOUND IN 1936, AND HERE IT IS IN YOUR SHOP IN PAINT LICK, KENTUCKY.
THIS IS A REPRODUCTION MADE BY A GROUP OF ARTISANS, BLACKSMITHS FROM THE ABANA CONFERENCE.
AND A GROUP GOT TOGETHER AND REPRODUCED INDIVIDUALLY ALL THE PARTS THAT WERE FOUND IN THIS CHEST IN DENMARK.
WELL, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THEN, I HOPE, AND FIND THE SECRETS OF THE VIKING TOOL CHEST.
AH, YES.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE GOT THIS WONDERFUL LOCK ON THE FRONT, AND OPENING THIS OAK CHEST THAT WE FOUND HERE, WE FIND TREASURES SUCH AS-- LOOK AT THAT-- FULL OF THESE THINGS.
THESE ARE ALL REPLICAS BUT BASED ON THE ORIGINALS.
A CARPENTER'S SAW FROM 1,000 YEARS AGO, AND WHAT DO THESE TOOLS TELL YOU ABOUT THE ARTISAN WHO OWNED IT?
WELL, THE PERSON THAT OWNED THIS BOX WAS NOT ONLY A METALSMITH AND A CARPENTER, BUT HE WAS A COPPERSMITH AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A GREAT RANGE OF TOOLS FOUND IN THIS BOX.
NOW HERE'S--AGAIN, I RECOGNIZE THIS.
THIS IS AN INSHAVE.
YOU'D PULL AND HOLLOW WOOD, LIKE FOR A COOPERAGE.
WHAT IS THIS?
I'M NOT QUITE SURE, BUT IT IS A TYPE OF SCRAPER, THEY SAY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ODD THINGS IN HERE.
WHAT IS THAT NOW?
THAT'S A NAIL HEADER.
THESE NAILS THAT HOLD THE LOCK PLATE ON WERE CLINCHED OVER, AND THE NAILS WERE MADE IN THIS HEADER.
OH, HERE'S A NAIL RIGHT HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO-- AND THERE'S A NAIL.
THEY DRIVE IT IN AND THEN FLATTEN OUT THE TOP OF IT.
SO THAT'S THE WAY, OF COURSE, THE VIKING SHIPS HAVE THOSE NAILS IN THE SIDE.
THEY WERE CLINCH-NAILED TOGETHER, YES.
YEAH, ALL RIGHT.
HERE AGAIN, ANOTHER SHAVE.
WHAT A TREASURE.
AND THE HAMMERS, THESE BLACKSMITHING HAMMERS.
OH, YES.
BEAUTIFUL HAMMERS.
AND THEY'RE WONDERFUL.
THEY HAVE THAT NATURAL-- THIS EVOLVES FROM, I THINK, SPREADING THE EYE THERE, THAT NICE ARCH THERE.
GOSH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL THERE.
AND HERE, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL BLACKSMITHING HAMMER.
THAT'S A COPPERSMITHING HAMMER.
AH.
ALL RIGHT.
THE VERY CAULDRON THEY DUG UP WITH THIS BOX WAS PROBABLY MADE WITH THAT HAMMER.
THAT'S AN ANVIL.
THAT'S ACTUALLY THE ANVIL THEY CARRIED, SMALL WEE THING, BUT...
THIS IS SOMETHING.
AND AGAIN, THIS TOOL CHEST NOT VERY BIG, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY WOULD CARRY IN THE VIKING SHIP.
THEY WOULD'VE HAD IT BELOW THE ROWING DECK, RIGHT BELOW THEIR OARS.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
LOOK AT THAT.
BEAUTIFUL AX.
BEAUTIFUL HATCHET, AX.
THAT'S A PUNCH, OR A DRIFT, FOR MAKING THE EYE.
BOY, SO THEY ARE EQUIPPED FOR EVERYTHING HERE.
NOW HERE--OH, OKAY.
I WONDERED WHAT THESE WERE.
THEY'RE AUGERS.
THEY'RE AUGERS, YES.
THEY'RE "T" AUGERS SIMILAR TO OUR MODERN ONES.
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD A "T" BAR GOING THROUGH THE HANDLE AND A BREASTPLATE, LIKE OUR PRESSED BREAST DRILL, YOU SEE?
OH, WELL, OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE-- LIKE YOU WORKING AS A CHAIR BODGER.
YOU STILL USE THAT PLATE.
I WOULD THE BREAST BIB AND A SPOON BIT LIKE THIS TO MAKE MY CHAIRS.
LOOK AT THAT, A HACKSAW.
AND A HACKSAW.
THAT WAS PROBABLY USED TO CUT THE SPRING FOR THE LOCK MECHANISM.
AH, ALL RIGHT, AND IN FACT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT LOCK MECHANISM IF WE CAN HERE.
THIS IS WONDERFUL.
AND THIS IS THE-- THE KEY IS IN THERE, AND I GUESS IT'S UNLOCKED, 'CAUSE OTHERWISE I COULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN IN HERE.
LET'S TURN THIS AROUND THIS WAY IF WE CAN.
I WANT TO SEE HOW THAT LOCK WORKS.
SO YOU'D LIFT UP BY TURNING THE KEY THERE AND-- SLIDING IT SIDEWAYS.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA STICK THIS IN-- SO THIS WOULD BE, THIS SCREW COMING THROUGH HERE, THAT'S LIKE THE HASP STICKING THROUGH.
AND THEN WE SLIDE THAT OVER, AND NOW IT'S LOCKED.
BUT TO OPEN IT, YOU TWIST IT THERE-- LOOK AT THAT-- AND SLIDE THAT OVER.
SLIDE IT BACK THERE.
THIS ENGAGES THE HOOK ON THIS SIDE AND THE BAR AT THAT SIDE.
SO THE VIKINGS REALLY HAD TO BE GOOD LOCKSMITHS AS WELL TO LOCK UP THEIR BOOTY.
THEY ACTUALLY DID FIND PADLOCKS IN THIS CHEST AS WELL.
AND HAS ANYBODY REPLICATED THAT PADLOCK?
THEY HAVEN'T YET.
THIS GROUP OF BLACKSMITHS ARE STILL MAKING THE PARTS FROM THE BOX.
SO IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO PITCH IN ON THIS PROJECT, IT'S NOT DONE YET.
THEY CAN GET IN ON THE LINE OF IT, YES.
IT'S AMAZING HOW MODERN SOME OF THESE TOOLS ARE.
THEY LOOK JUST LIKE-- THE DESIGNS ARE TIMELESS THERE.
THEY ARE.
NOW, HERE ROY, BEHIND YOU IS AN AUGER OF MODERN MAKE AND AN INSHAVE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THESE TOOLS, THEY'RE ALMOST IDENTICAL.
FROM 1,000 YEARS AGO TO NOW, THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH IT ALL.
BECAUSE WOOD IS WOOD AND IRON IS IRON.
THERE YOU ARE.
AND LOOK AT THAT.
I LOVE THE WAY THE LID IS HOLLOWED OUT HERE TOO.
THAT IS WONDERFUL.
NOW, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE, I GUESS, WITH THIS INSHAVE HERE.
INSHAVE AND...
HERE'S AN ADZE TOO.
AN ADZE.
THEY WOULD HAVE SHAPED IT FIRST WITH THE ADZE, HOLLOWED IT WITH THE ADZE, AND THEN DRESSED IT WITH THAT INSHAVE IN A SCRAPING MOTION.
ALL RIGHT, AND AGAIN, AND THIS OAK SURVIVED, SO THEY KNEW THAT THIS WAS THE STUFF.
THEY FOUND IT IN A BOG, AND THE TANNIC ACID IN THE BOG PRESERVED THE WOOD.
SO WE HAD BOG OAK.
[laughing] THERE YOU ARE.
BEAUTIFUL BOG OAK TOOL CHEST.
NOW, YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR OWN VERSION OF THIS.
THIS VERY MINUTE, I'M-- THIS VERY TIME, I'M BUILDING A REPRODUCTION OF THE BOX AND SOME OF THE TOOLS IN IT.
RIGHT NOW, I HAVE A PIECE OF IRON IN THE FIRE IN MY BLACKSMITH'S SHOP, AND WE'RE MAKING AN ADZE JUST LIKE THIS ONE HERE.
WELL, I'D LOVE TO SEE IT IF WE CAN.
SO LET'S GO OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.
[laughing] ALL RIGHT.
VERY GOOD.
(Weber) ALL RIGHT.
HERE WE GO, ROY.
WE'VE GOT A PIECE OF IRON IN THE FIRE TO MAKE AN ADZE.
AND SOMEWHERE IN THERE IS SOMETHING THAT'S GNA TURN OUT LIKE THAT.
(Weber) IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
(Roy) CAN WE TAKE A PEEK AT IT?
(Weber) SO WE'LL TAKE THE PIECE OUT WITH THESE TONGS.
(Roy) OH, ALL RIGHT.
YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE EYE.
(Weber) I'VE ALREADY STARTED THE EYE, AND THEN WE'LL FORGE THE BLADE OUT.
(Roy) ALL RIGHT.
SO OUR FIRST PART OF THE OPERATION-- I'LL CARRY YOU THROUGH IT-- IS WE'RE GOING TO DRIFT THE EYE WITH THIS PUNCH, WHICH IS WHAT I STARTED WITH, OVER THE ANVIL.
THEN WE'RE GONNA COME OVER TO MY NEW TOOL, THIS TOMMY HAMMER.
YOU SAY "NEW," BUT THIS IS AN ANCIENT DEVICE.
IT'S AN ANCIENT DEVICE.
AND WE'RE GONNA USE THIS FINAL DRIFT TO DRIVE THROUGH THE EYE TO GIVE THE EXACT SHAPE OF THE HANDLE.
I SEE, ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS WONDERFUL.
SO WE'RE GOING TO COME TO THE TOMMY HAMMER.
NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE REPLACED ME...
I HAVE.
YES.
NOT JUST WITH THE TOMMY HAMMER BUT WHAT IS THIS NOW?
WE'VE GOT THIS MECHANICAL HAMMER OVER HERE, A COMMON SENSE HAMMER, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA USE OUR COMMON SENSE TO DRAW-- TO BEAT OUT THE BLADE OF THE IRON, BECAUSE THIS WILL LAST LONGER AND STRIKE HARDER THAN YOU CAN, I'M AFRAID.
I'VE BEEN REPLACED.
I FEEL LIKE AN OLD PLOW HORSE HERE.
YEAH, LOOKING AT THE TRACTORS.
HERE WE ARE.
WE'VE GOT TO KEEP THE FIRE UP.
ALL RIGHT, NOW.
WHAT'S THE FIRE NOW?
THIS IS CHARCOAL?
(Weber) I'M USING CHARCOAL IN MY FORGE.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRADITIONAL TO THE VIKINGS AND TO THE JAPANESE, BUT IT'S A USE OF THE WASTE PRODUCT FROM MY WOODWORKING SHOP.
OH, OH.
SO YOU BURN YOUR OWN CHARCOAL?
I MAKE MY OWN CHARCOAL IN A 55-GALLON BARREL OUT BACK HERE AND USE IT FOR THE FUEL.
YOU CUT OFF THE AIR TO IT WHILE IT'S BURNING AND LET IT SMOLDER?
YEAH, WE'RE USING A LARGE BARREL WITH HOLES CLIPPED IN THE TOP AND BOTTOM.
THE NEIGHBORS MUST LOVE THAT.
I DO IT AT NIGHT.
[laughter] ALL RIGHT.
(Weber) SO HERE'S OUR PIECE.
WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY FOR THE PUNCH, SO WE'VE ALREADY PUNCHED IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA SHOW HOW IT HAPPENS.
THEN WE'LL PUT THE DRIFT IN IT UNDER THE TOMMY HAMMER AND SHAPE IT A FINAL TIME.
ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR ANVIL.
AND THERE'S THE HARDY HOLE.
WE'RE GONNA WORK OVER THE HARDY HOLE.
IT'S COMING OUT.
ALL RIGHT.
THE PUNCH GOES IN.
IT GETS DRIVEN IN.
WE'RE GONNA TURN THIS OVER AND DRIVE THE PUNCH OUT.
AH, ALL RIGHT.
NOW OVER TO THE TOMMY HAMMER.
WITH THE SAME HEAT?
WE CAN DO IT IN THE SAME HEAT IF WE'RE QUICK ON IT.
ALL RIGHT, NOW THAT'S YOU.
ACTUALLY, I'VE GOT TO TURN THAT OVER AND GET IT FROM THIS SIDE.
HERE WE ARE.
NOW I'M JUST GONNA STRIKE.
[pounding] AND I PROBABLY HAVE TO FINISH THAT OFF BY HAND 'CAUSE IT'S GETTING COLD.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT'S DRIFTING NOT PUNCHING?
THIS IS DRIFTING.
DRIFTING IS SHAPING.
I GOT YOU.
NOW WE'RE GONNA NEED TO PUNCH TO FINISH THAT HOLE.
HERE'S A PUNCH.
IS THAT GONNA DO IT?
ALL RIGHT.
THAT'LL DO.
ALL RIGHT.
AND I'LL HOLD THAT ON THERE.
RIGHT THERE.
YEAH.
SO WE DRIFTED, AND NOW OUR PUNCHES.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW WE'VE GOT IT.
AND THIS HAS TO BACK IN FOR ANOTHER HEAT THERE.
BACK INTO THE FIRE.
AND I CAN ASK YOU A QUESTION NOW WHILE YOU'VE GOT THAT-- YOU GOT YOUR IRON IN THE FIRE.
AND THIS IS TO HEAT THE BLADE NOW, IS THAT RIGHT?
YES, WE'RE GONNA TURN THIS ABOUT SO WE HAVE THE BLADE IN THE FIRE.
NOW, OF COURSE, THIS IS-- WHAT KIND OF METAL IS THIS YOU'RE USING HERE?
WELL, I'M USING HIGH-CARBON STEEL HERE, BUT THE VIKINGS WOULD HAVE USED WROUGHT IRON.
AH, OKAY.
SO THE BODY'D BE WROUGHT IRON ALL THROUGH HERE, AND THEY WOULD LAYER ON OR SANDWICH-- THEY WOULD WELD ON A PIECE OF HIGH-CARBON STEEL, WHICH WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD THE EDGE BETTER ONTO THE OLD WROUGHT IRON, WHICH IS ON THE FLOOR RIGHT THERE BESIDE YOU.
LET ME GET THAT.
SO THAT'S THE WROUGHT IRON?
SO THAT'S THE WROUGHT IRON.
YOU CAN SEE THE STRIATION IN IT.
THAT'S WHERE IT'S BEEN WELDED TOGETHER AND DRAWN OUT.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK FOR OLD IRON, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THESE STRIPES IN IT.
BECAUSE IT WAS MADE BY DRAWING OUT, LAYERING-- BY LAYERING AND FOLDING IT, AND THAT'S THE SILICA WASTE, WHICH IS WHY WROUGHT IRON WON'T RUST.
IT HAS THREADS OF SILICAIN IT.
NOT A WHOLE LOT, BUT, YEAH, IT'S KIND OF SELF-COATED THERE.
SO YOU GET THIS HOT.
NOW, YOU'RE WORKING, AGAIN, WITH CARBON STEEL SCRAP, BUT I KNOW YOU AND SOME OF THE FOLKS WITH THE GREENWOOD PROJECT GO INTO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, PERHAPS IN CENTRAL AMERICA, AND HELP FOLKS DEVELOP THESE INDUSTRIES.
TRUE, BECAUSE WE CAN ARRIVE WITH A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TOOLS, SET UP A FORGE, MAKE THE FUEL, BEGIN TO MAKE THEIR TOOLS, AND FROM THERE, TURN OUT PRODUCTS ON THE SPRING-POLE LATHES AND SHAVE THE HORSES-- SHAVE THE LEGS FOR THE CHAIRS AND THE LIKE ON OUR SHAVING HORSES.
SO WE'RE USING EARLY TECHNOLOGY AS APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY IN DEVELOPING AREAS.
WELL, IT'S KIND OF LIKE-- IT'D BE-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EQUIVALENT WOULD BE.
YOU HAVE LOCAVORE.
I GUESS YOU'RE A LOCAFABRICATOR.
BUT ANYWAY, DOING IT FROM THE LOCAL RESOURCES SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO, LIKE, CUT THEIR LAND BARE AND SELL IT AS A RAW MATERIAL BUT CAN ADD VALUE TO IT RIGHT THERE.
OR SLASH-AND-BURN AGRICULTURE, YOU KNOW.
TAKING DOWN THE FOREST TO RAISE CATTLE.
NOW OUR IRON'S JUST RIGHT FOR THE TOWER HAMMER.
AND THAT COLOR IS WHAT?
WHAT WOULD YOU CALL THAT?
THE COLOR OF A RIPE PERSIMMON.
OKAY.
YOU KEEP SAYING THAT.
I JUST LIKE TO HEAR YOU SAY "A RIPE PERSIMMON."
OH, YES, WELL, I-- AS A WELSHMAN, I'VE LEARNED TO ROLL MY "R"s. ARRRRR.
ALL RIGHT, WE ARE READY FOR THE HAMMER, SO-- AND I'LL GET READY TO CUT IT ON AND-- YOU GET READY TO PUSH THE BUTTON, AND I'LL RUN OVER THERE AND POUND IT FLAT.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M READY.
ARE YOU READY?
HERE WE GO.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW...
THERE WE GO.
THERE WE GO.
[pounding] WE'RE GONNA GET ONE MORE HEAT.
ALL RIGHT.
A LITTLE BIT OF REFINING THERE, YEAH.
A LITTLE REFINING.
ALL RIGHT.
NOW... TELL ME ABOUT THAT MACHINE NOW.
YOU BROUGHT THAT WITH YOU?
I BROUGHT THAT ON THE BACK OF MY '53 CHEVROLET TRUCK FROM CALIFORNIA, AND THE LOCALS WERE SAYING, "YOU DROVE THAT ALL THAT WAY?"
[laughter] WELL, THAT IS A COMMON SENSE TRIP HAMMER, NOW?
THAT'S A COMMON SENSE TRIP HAMMER.
WE'RE USING OUR COMMON SENSE INSTEAD OF OUR BRAWN.
ALL RIGHT, NOW, WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE?
THERE'S OTHER MAKES OF IT.
LITTLE GIANT.
LITTLE GIANT.
ALL RIGHT.
BUT YOU'RE A COMMON SENSE MAN.
I'M A COMMON SENSE MAN.
DO BLACKSMITHS ARGUE ABOUT THE VIRTUES OF EACH?
THEY DO, BUT MOST OF THEM NOWADAYS ARE USING AIR HAMMERS AND GAS-POWERED ONES.
ALL RIGHT.
HERE WE GO.
WE'RE READY AGAIN?
READY TO GO.
HERE WE COME.
LET'S FIRE IT UP.
AND I'LL FIRE IT UP THERE.
MAN... [pounding] WE ARE GETTING NEAR THERE.
ONE MORE HEAT... ONE MORE HEAT.
ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS VERY NON-VIKING TECHNOLOGY.
THIS IS VERY NON-VIKING.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY BERSERKERS HANDY, YOU KNOW, TO DO THE JOB, SO WE'RE UP TO THE COMMON SENSE INSTEAD.
(Roy) ALL RIGHT.
NOW, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA WELD ANY ON THIS?
JUST DO THE HARDENING IN THE HOLE TOOL?
(Weber) WE'LL DO THE HARDENING IN THE HOLE TOOL, ACTUALLY IN ONLY THE CUTTING EDGE OF IT.
WE WON'T HEAT-TREAT THE EYE, BECAUSE WE WANT THAT STEEL SOFT.
(Roy) OH, OKAY, SO IT'S TOUGH AND DOESN'T BREAK.
ALL RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST GONNA TUNE THIS LAST ONE.
I THINK WE CAN DO IT ON THE ANVIL SO... ALL RIGHT.
IT'S THE FINAL HEAT HERE.
I'LL GET THAT.
I'LL GET THAT.
ALL RIGHT.
FINAL HEAT.
SPARKS ARE FLYING.
THAT'S USUALLY OAK WOOD.
(Roy) I HOPE SO AND NOT YOUR METAL, BECAUSE THAT LOOKS LIKE SPARKLERS WHEN THE METAL GOES.
(Weber) NO.
WE HAVEN'T LOST IT YET.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA DO THE FINE TUNING WITH OUR 5-POUND HAMMER.
[pounding] [laughter] (Roy) WONDERFUL.
AND YOU HAVE TO STOP, OF COURSE, WHEN IT GETS A LITTLE TOO COOL THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
(Weber) SO WE'RE GONNA STOP, AND WHAT I'LL DO IS, I'LL TRIM THAT OFF SQUARE, LIKE YOURS, EH?
AND THEN WE'LL LET IT COOL TO NORMALIZE.
THEN WE'LL HEAT-TREAT IT.
WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S PUT IT BACK IN THE FIRE, BECAUSE I THINK I'VE GOT THE IDEA OF HOW TO MAKE AN ADZE.
WHY DON'T WE GO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW TO USE ONE, ALL RIGHT?
I THINK THAT'S A BRILLIANT IDEA.
LET'S GO FORWARD.
HERE WE ARE, ROY, BACK FROM THE BLACKSMITH'SSHOP AFTER MAKING AN ADZE.
AYE, WHAT WONDERFUL BLACKSMITHS WE ARE TOO.
WE'RE BRILLIANT, I'LL TELL YOU.
NOW, HERE'S, OF COURSE, THE REPRODUCTION ADZE, AND THAT'S SO--THOUGH THE SAME WAY YOU'RE GOING TO WORK TO HOLLOW THE LID OF YOUR TOOL CHEST.
YES, I'M GOING TO BE HOLLOWING THE LID OF MY CHEST WITH AN ADZE AND THEN SMOOTHING IT UP WITH AN INSHAVE OR A SCRAPER.
SO THE TOOLS REALLY DON'T CHANGE VERY MUCH.
THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED OVER THE CENTURIES.
HERE WE ARE, TOOLS FROM 1100 A.D.
ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ONES WE USE TODAY.
AND THEY PROBABLY--OR THEY'LL WORK FOR ANOTHER 1,000 YEARS.
THEY'LL WORK FOREVER, BECAUSE WOOD IS WOOD AND IRON IS IRON.
NOW, HERE--I TELL YOU, SPEAKING OF IRON, I GUESS THE BOG TANNINS AND THE IRON, IN REACTION, MADE THAT OAK VERY, VERY DARK.
AND THAT WAS BOG OAK, VERY DISTINCT THERE.
THAT WAS VERY DISTINCT WOOD.YES.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE BOG OAK IN KENTUCKY, SO I'M USING ELM ON THE TOP OF MY WOOD CHEST, MY TOOL CHEST.
SO LET'S GO HAVE A LOOK AT THE WOOD.
ALL RIGHT, AND, WELL, ELM MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE YOU'RE A CHAIRMAKER, A CHAIR BUILDER.
I'M A CHAIR BODGER AND A CHAIR MAKER.
AND WE'RE GONNA USE ELM FOR MY SEATS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONLY HIGHLY FIGURED, BUT IT'S VERY TOUGH, AND IT WON'T SPLIT.
NOW, YOU DON'T WANT YOUR SEAT TO SPLIT.
THAT'S FOR SURE.
NO, WE DON'T WANT THE SEAT SPLITTING ON YOU.
AND HERE'S A CHAIR, ALL RIGHT, A COMPLETED ONE.
SO THIS IS A WELSH STICK CHAIR, AND THE SEAT IS ELM.
MM-HMM.
AH, AND THEN YOU'RE IN KENTUCKY, SO YOU GOT HICKORY HERE.
WE'VE GOT KENTUCKY HICKORY, PIGNUT HICKORY... OH, THAT'S THE BEST.
FOR THE BACK.
WHITE OAK FOR THE ARM 'CAUSE IT BENDS SO WELL.
AND THEN IS THIS ELM AGAIN UP HERE?
THIS IS NOT ELM, BUT THIS IS FIGURED OAK.
GOSH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT HAS THAT SAME KIND OF GNARLY-LOOKING INTERLOCK THAT YOU HAVE IN ELM.
IT IS.
NOW, HERE IS A PLANK THAT I'M GONNA USE FOR THE TOP OF MY TOOL CHEST.
I THOUGHT I SMELLED-- BECAUSE HAS THAT DISTINCTIVE SMELL.
I SMELL SOME ELM HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO ADZE WHILE IT'S MOUNTED IN THIS FRAME.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS.
THIS FRAME ALLOWS ME TO JAM THE PLANK WHATEVER ITS SIZE AND SHAPE, INTO THIS "V"-SHAPED FRAME.
SO IT'S LIKE A WEDGE THAT'S ALWAYS GETTING TIGHTER THE MORE YOU HAMMER INTO IT.
AND SO IT'S GETTING TIGHTER AS WE CUT INTO THE WOOD.
NOW I'M GOING TO GO NOT DIRECTLY WITH THE DRAIN BUT ACROSS AND DOWN THE HILL.
AH, SO YOU'RE KIND OF WORKING ASKEW TO THE GRAIN, BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE TEARING OUT, EVEN IN STRAIGHT-GRAINED WOODS.
BUT HERE WITH ELM, I CAN SEE THE INTERLOCK.
SOME IS RISING; SOME IS FALLING.
RISING, FALLING, AND THAT'S WHAT GIVES YOU THOSE KIND OF ROUGH AREAS.
BUT CAN I LOOK AT THE EDGE OF YOUR ADZE THERE?
IT'S CURVED LIKE A GOUGE IN THIS SECTION AS WELL, SO THAT HELPS YOU HOLLOW, ALL RIGHT.
IT'S CURVED THIS WAY AS WELL AS THIS WAY SO THAT WE'RE RIDING ON THAT CURVE OF THE BACK OF THE TOOL TO GIVE US THAT UNIFORM HOLLOW.
WOULD YOU DO THAT AGAIN, PLEASE?
BECAUSE I COULD HEAR THAT HAMMERING-- YES.
AND IT'S NOT THE EDGE SO MUCH MAKING THE NOISE BUT THE BACK OF THE TOOL.
OKAY, THIS PART IS HAMMERING AGAINST HE WOOD AND MAKING A LITTLE SHELF FOR THE NEXT CUT TO LAND IN AND THEN CUT AHEAD.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THE CHIPS AS WE GO DOWN.
HOW SIMPLE BUT HOW WONDERFUL.
SO, NOW, THAT'S ADZING, AND THAT'S HOW YOU WOULD ADZE A SEAT LIKE THIS, BUT HOW ABOUT SMOOTHING?
BUT WHAT I WOULD DO ON SMOOTHING THE SEAT IS SIT IN MY APPALACHIAN SHAVING HORSE.
I LIKE THAT.
YES, IT'S GOT A TOOTH IN IT AS WELL TO GRIP THE WOOD.
SO A FOOT-OPERATED VISE HERE?
A FOOT-OPERATED VISE.
AND HERE'S ONE OF THE INSHAVES FROM THE BOX.
NOW, THAT'S NOT-- THAT'S NOT EVEN SHARP.
BUT THIS IS NOT EVEN SHARP.
THIS WAS A MADE AS A REPRODUCTION OF HOW THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN.
I SEE.
BUT I WOULD HAVE USED MY TRAVISHER, WHICH IS SIMILAR IN SHAPE.
BUT, YEAH, JUST BEAUTIFUL BOXWOOD.
ALSO A CURVED CUTTING EDGE WITH BOXWOOD FROM THE PYRENEES.
AND I USE THIS, THEN, TO SMOOTH OUT THE ADZE MARKS, GOING DOWN AND ACROSS THE GRAIN.
I SEE WHERE YOU'RE HOLDING IT KIND OF ASKEW, SO AGAIN, YOU'RE TRICKING THE GRAIN BY WORKING WITH A DIAGONAL IRON.
YES, I'M SLICING THROUGH IT WITH THE CUTTING EDGE INSTEAD OF RIDING IT.
WITH THIS TYPE OF WOOD, IT WOULD WANT TO FOLLOW THE SOFTER WOOD GRAIN.
SO IT WOULD HAVE LUMPS IN THERE.
WE DON'T LUMPS EITHER, YOU KNOW, NO SPLITS, NO LUMPS.
I GOTCHYA.
WELL, ELM WILL REWARD THOSE WHO WILL TEND TO ITS WHIM-- PAY ATTENTION TO ITS WHIMS, I GUESS.
THEY WILL BECAUSE IT'LL SEAT THAT'LL LAST FOREVER.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
NOW, SPEAKING OF--I-- YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THIS SHAPE, THIS CLASSIC SHAPE OF A CHAIR, SEE.
BUT I'M ALSO LOOKING AT THE DESIGN ON THAT BOX.
SOMETHING BOTHERS ME CAN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AGAIN?
YES, LET'S HAVE A LOOK OVER THERE AGAIN.
BECAUSE I'M GONNA JUST GIVE YOU THE CLUES THAT-- IMAGINE I'M DESCRIBING A PIECE OF FURNITURE, AND I SAID, "DON, I'VE GOT A PIECE OF FURNITURE HERE, "AND IT HAS EXPOSED HINGES AND HASPS "WITH THE HAMMER MARKS STILL IN THEM AND EVERYTHING.
"IT'S MADE OUT OF WHITE OAK, "AND ON THE END-GRAIN-- WE SEE THE END-GRAIN-- "A THROUGH TENON STICKING THROUGH, AND ON THE SIDES, WE'VE GOT EXPOSED PEGS."
AND I SAID, "DON, WHAT KIND OF STYLE FURNITURE IS THAT?"
YOU SHOULD BE ARTS AND CRAFTS STYLE FURNITURE.
ALL RIGHT, NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
NOW, THIS IS 1,000 YEARS OLD.
SO ARTS AND CRAFTS WAS, WHAT, 18-- 1870s, 1890 WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE ENGLISH ARTS AND CRAFT MOVEMENT.
BUT THIS, THE--OF COURSE, AND THIS WAS DUG UP IN 1936, SO THAT DIDN'T CAUSE THE ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT.
NO, BUT THEY WERE INFLUENCED BY THE MEDIEVAL AND THE ANCIENT PIECES.
THE ARCHITECTS IN LONDON DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE COUNTRYSIDE, AND THERE THEY WERE INFLUENCED BY THE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE AND STYLE OF AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT.
THE FARM WAGONS AND THE BARNS AND THE LIKE, YOU COULD STILL SEE THE ADZE MARKS AND THE TOOL MARKS AND THE HAMMER MARKS IN THEM.
YET, IN CHAMFERING AND BEVELING, THEY KEPT THE STRENGTH OF THE WORK BUT TOOK THE WEIGHT OUT.
OH, WONDERFUL.
WELL, DO YOU--YOU MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS-- I MAKE FURNITURE.
I MAKE CHAIRS AND TABLES, AND I HAVE ONE HERE THAT IS MADE IN THE HAY RAKE STYLE BY BARNSLEY AND GIMSON.
IT'S A COTSWOLD STOOL.
WELL, LET'S GO PUT THIS ON TOP AND SEE IF IT MATCHES IN STYLE.
OH, DON, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
AND YOUR VIKING TOOL CHEST GOES PERFECTLY ON YOUR ARTS AND CRAFTS TABLE.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS TABLE.
WHAT'S THE-- THIS IS A BARNSLEY AND GIMSON HAY RAKE TABLE.
THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS SHAPED LIKE THE BEGINNING OF A WAGON, THE FRONT OF A WAGON, AND/OR A HAY RAKE USED TO WINNOW HAY IN A FIELD.
AND IT'S CHAMFERED, BEVELED OFF ON THE SHOULDERS, JUST LIKE ON AN OLD WAGON, TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT BUT KEEP THE STRENGTH.
EXACTLY.
YEAH, AND A BEAUTIFUL CLAMPING.
THESE HEAVY OAK PLANKS JOINED BY A CLAMP.
WHAT DO YOU CALL-- A BREADBOARD END.
AND PEGS, WONDERFUL STEEL PEGS HERE.
THE TENONS ON THIS BREADBOARD END COME WELL INTO THE EDGE, AND THESE PEGS DRAW THIS BREADBOARD UP AGAINST THE PLANKS.
BUT THE HOLES ARE SLOTTED TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT WITHOUT TEARING THE PINS.
BUT TO KEEP THE MIDDLE-- ALL RIGHT, I SEE.
THAT WAS JUST COVERING THAT UP.
YOU'VE GOT-- WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?
THAT'S A BUTTERFLY SPLINE.
WHY THAT'S JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF WOOD SET ACROSS THE GRAIN.
THAT'S INLAID INTO THE FACE OF THE BOARD TO KEEP THE SEAM FROM OPENING UP.
THAT IS GREAT, BECAUSE WOOD IS WOOD AND IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE WOOD AND BEHAVE THAT SAME WAY WITH INSPIRATION FROM 1,000 YEARS AGO IN THIS WONDERFUL VIKING TOOL CHEST.
WELL, DON WEBER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US OUT HERE TO PAINT LICK.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE AGAIN.
ALWAYS A JOY, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE FOLKS WHO WORKED ON THE MASTER MYER REPLICA TOOL CHEST, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
SO LONG.
(announcer) LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.
YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT: Captioning byCaptionMax www.captionmax.com [upbeat fiddle music] (male announcer) MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP IS PROVIDED BY: (male announcer) WHETHER YOU'RE HELPING THEM LEARN HOW TO WALK...
I'M SO THERE.
(announcer) OR TEACHING THEM TO DRIVE.
[tires screeching] (girl) SORRY.
OH, YEAH, I'M THERE.
(announcer) WHEREVER YOU ARE IN LIFE, STATE FARM IS THERE.
PROUD SPONSOR OF THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.
(female announcer) WE ARE PBS.
(male announcer) ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE: WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE, AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.