Bentwood Boxes of the Northwest Coast

MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP IS PROVIDED BY... STATE FARM INSURANCE, KEEPING OUR PROMISE OF PROTECTION WITH AUTO, HOME, LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE.

LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, STATE FARM IS THERE.

[car horns honking] ♪ HELLO AGAIN, WELCOME BACK TO THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

I GUESS YOU CAN TELL WE'RE NOT IN NORTH CAROLINA ANYMORE.

IN FACT, WE ARE ON LOPEZ ISLAND, ONE OF THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS NORTH OF THE PUGET SOUND, NORTH OF SEATTLE, IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN WHAT IS NOW THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST.

IT'S A LAND OF WATER, OF COURSE, LAND OF THE KILLER WHALE, THE SEALS AND THE SALMON.

AND, HERE ON THE ISLAND, THE DOUGLAS FIR.

THERE THE PACIFIC MADRONE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE WESTERN RED CEDAR.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE PEOPLE.

AND THEY-- THE TREES, THE PEOPLE, THE WATER-- HAVE COMBINED TO FORM A UNIQUE WOODWORKING TRADITION WE'VE RECOGNIZED INSTANTLY AS THAT OF THE AMERICAN PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST.

BEHIND ME IS A HOUSE, A LONGHOUSE, BUILT IN THE KWAKIUTL STYLE.

AND ONE OF THEIR DISTINCTIVE KWAKIUTL TOTEM POLES BUILT IN THAT, AGAIN, THE KWAKIUTL STYLE.

WELL, TRADITIONS ARE FORMED OF PEOPLE, MATERIALS, AND TOOLS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET AN IMPORTANT PLAYER IN THIS CONTINUING, UNIQUE, AMERICAN WOODWORKING TRADITION TODAY.

BACK ABOUT 7 OR 8 YEARS AGO, I WAS DOWN IN SEATTLE AT A FOLK FESTIVAL, AND I MET A MAN !SELLING NORTHW SELLING NORTHWEST COAST TOOLS.

WELL, I BOUGHT AN ADZE, AND I BOUGHT A CROOKED KNIFE, AND, I TELL YOU, THERE'S NO TOOLS LIKE THEM.

I WANT YOU TO MEET THE MAN, BECAUSE THERE'S NO MAN LIKE HIM.

GREGG BLOMBERG, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

HI, ROY.

ALL RIGHT.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

GREGG HERE'S BEEN, OH, THE FOUNDER AND OPERATOR OF THE KESTREL TOOL COMPANY.

HE MAKES THESE THINGS HERE, NORTHWEST COAST TOOLS-- ADZES LIKE YOU SEE HERE, CARVING SLICKS, AND THESE WONDERFUL CROOKED KNIVES.

NOW, THESE ARE PART OF A WOODWORKING TRADITION THAT INCLUDES FAMOUS THINGS LIKE THIS, OF COURSE, THE BENT WOOD BOX YOU SEE HERE ALL OUT OF ONE PIECE OF WOOD.

HE'S GOING TO SHOW US HOW HE DOES THIS.

THIS IS ONE BENT-AROUND BOARD.

AND, OF COURSE, THESE CARVED BOWLS, CANOE-SHAPED BOWLS, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THEY'RE CANOES THAT THEY BUILT ARE SHAPED VERY MUCH LIKE THIS WITH THE ENDS COMING UP.

IT'S ALL HOLLOWED OUT ON THE INSIDE, AND, OF COURSE, THE OTHER WORK THEY DO-- THE MASKS, ALL HOLLOW WORK.

AND, GREGG, YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT EVENTUALLY WILL BE HOLLOWED A LITTLE BIT, A LADLE THERE, IS THAT RIGHT?

RIGHT, I'M CARVING IT OUT OF GREEN ALDER.

YEAH, LOOK AT YOU GO.

IT'S WORKING FAST.

IT GOES PRETTY FAST.

YEAH.

THE NORTHWEST COAST PEOPLE TENDED TO CARVE THE WOOD GREEN-- UH-HUH.

IF THEY COULD.

IT MADE IT EASIER TO CARVE.

AND, UH-- YOU'RE USING THAT ADZE.

BOY, I SEE YOU'VE GOT TO SWING OVER TO THE SIDE THERE.

IT'S GOT A LOT OF VELOCITY TO THE HIT THERE.

YEAH, RIGHT, WELL, THEY'RE VERY EFFECTIVE MEANS OF ELIMINATING A LOT OF THE EXCESS WOOD THAT'S IN A WOODCARVING.

THIS IS LIKE YOU SHOWED ON THE-- ON THOSE CANOE-FORMED BOWLS.

MM-HMM.

MUCH OF WHAT WOODCARVING IS, AT LEAST IN THE NORTHWEST COAST VERSION-- MM-HMM.

IS WASTED AWAY.

YOU END UP WITH A THIN SHELL OF WOOD.

SO THEY'RE SHAPED ON THE OUTSIDE AND HOLLOWED OUT ON THE INSIDE TO END UP A THIN SHELL.

AND THAT HELPS KEEP THEM FROM CHECKING, TOO, BECAUSE WHAT CHECKING IS IS THE RELEASE OF TENSION IN THE WOOD FROM UNEVEN DRYING.

SO GETTING IT THIN AND EVEN ALL THE WAY AROUND HELPS IT DRY, WELL, EVENLY?

RIGHT.

SO IT WON'T HAVE TO CRACK.

RIGHT.

RIGHT.

AND, AGAIN, I CAN SEE YOU WORK THAT THING ACROSS THE GRAIN.

WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THIS GUTTER FORM OF THIS TOOL.

UH-HUH.

IT ALLOWS YOU TO WORK ACROSS THE GRAIN.

AND, UH, IT'S ONE OF THE FORMS THAT THESE ADZES WERE FOUND IN.

THE OTHER WAS A STRAIGHT-- MM-HMM.

AND STRAIGHT MAY BE EVEN MORE TRADITIONAL, ALTHOUGH A GUTTER FORM IS NOT AT ALL UNTRADITIONAL ON THE COAST.

IT'S WHAT I PREFER TO USE FOR THIS ROUGHING PROCESS.

MM-HMM.

SO JUST-- JUST SHAPING OUT THE OBJECT.

NOW, EVENTUALLY, THIS WILL BE A VERY FINELY-FINISHED LADLE USING OTHER TOOLS, THOUGH.

RIGHT.

RIGHT.

BUT THIS ONE YOU CAN STILL GO RIGHT DOWN TO THE LINE WITH.

WHAT'S THE SECRET OF THE CONTROL THAT YOU'VE GOT WITH THIS THING?

WELL, WHAT, UH-- THE REASON WHY THESE ADZES ARE SO GOOD IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THEM IS THE GEOMETRY.

THE GEOMETRY IS CORRECT.

AND THAT GEOMETRY IS THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE CUTTING EDGE AND YOUR FIRST FINGER.

MM-HMM.

AND IT HAS TO BE CORRECT TO MAKE IT WORK.

WHAT'S THAT?

IT LOOKS LIKE A RIGHT ANGLE.

IT'S A RIGHT ANGLE.

IT'S A 90-DEGREE ANGLE THERE.

MM-HMM.

AND, UH, THAT-- HAVING THAT CORRECT GEOMETRY, WHAT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO DO IS EITHER HOG WITH THE TOOL OR TAKE FINE LITTLE CHIPS OFF SO YOU CAN WORK RIGHT UP TO YOUR LINE SAFELY.

GOSH.

AND, UH, AND SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE ADVANTAGE OF A-- WOW!

OF A, UH, OF AN ELBOW ADZE.

YOU CAN SHAVE REAL FAST WITH THAT THING IF YOU WANTED TO, GOOD GOSH.

REALLY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THAT ALDER-- WHAT ARE THE KIND OF WOODS THAT FOLKS WORK WITH AROUND HERE?

UH, ALDER.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

BUT THE BIG RED CEDARS, I GUESS, TOO.

UH-HUH.

RIGHT.

AGAIN, THIS WORKS WELL IN THAT?

PRETTY GOOD.

YOU BET, YEAH.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOR.

NOW THIS-- THIS IS, OF COURSE, THE KIND THAT YOU MAKE.

WHAT'S THE TRADITION ON THIS?

DO YOU HAVE ANY-- HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE ORIGINAL TOOLS LOOKED LIKE?

WELL, WE HAVE A LOT OF HISTORICAL EXAMPLES.

AND, UM, I HAVE A FEW LITTLE ITEMS HERE THAT, UH, GIVE US SOME-- SOME CLUES AS TO WHAT THEY WERE LIKE.

OH, WELL, LOOK AT THESE.

SEE WHAT YOU GOT.

WELL, THIS IS A HAMMER STONE.

WOW.

AND, UM, THAT, UH, WAS USED AS A HAMMER TO HAMMER WEDGES, PRIMARILY, INTO THE WOOD.

IS THIS A WEDGE HERE?

THAT'S A WEDGE.

THAT'S AN ANTLER WEDGE, ELK ANTLER, PROBABLY.

AND, UM, THEY, UH, THEY WOULD RIVE OFF BOARDS AND PLANKS FOR THEIR HOUSES AND USE IT TO RIVE OFF THE WASTE WOOD IN A CANOE CARVING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S A BIG SPLITTING-- RED CEDAR, OF COURSE, SPLITS REAL, REAL WELL.

IT SPLITS PRETTY WELL, RIGHT.

AND THEY'D USE A WHOLE SERIES OF WEDGES INCLUDING WOODEN WEDGES AND SO FORTH.

MAKE BIG, BIG PLANKS FOR ACTUALLY PLANK HOUSES?

YOU BET, YEAH.

3-INCH-THICK PLANKS.

WOW.

HOW ABOUT THESE?

THOSE ARE ADZE BLADES FROM OLD TOOLS.

AND THESE TOOLS ARE FOUND ON LOPEZ ALTHOUGH THIS, UH, THIS PARTICULAR PIECE IS JADE EYE, THAT'S IN YOUR LEFT HAND THERE.

UH-HUH.

AND, UM, AND SO IT PROBABLY CAME FROM CANADA.

IT DIDN'T COME FROM HERE.

BUT THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THOSE BLADES IS THAT THE SHAPE OF THOSE IS LARGELY COMPARABLE TO WHAT I MAKE TODAY.

THERE'S NO REAL DIFFERENCE, EXCEPT I'M MAKING THEM IN IRON.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

AND STEEL.

BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IRON UNTIL MUCH LATER, I GUESS, IN THEIR CAREERS.

THEY ACTUALLY HAD IT PRETTY EARLY ON THIS COAST.

UH, AND, UH, WHERE IT CAME FROM IS A MATTER OF CONJECTURE.

MAYBE TRADE FROM THE ORIENT.

THEY HAD IT IN THE ORIENT, UM, SOME TIME AGO.

BUT THERE'S A-- THERE'S A 500-YEAR-OLD SITE OUT ON THE COAST AT OZETTE WHERE THEY FOUND THE TRACES OF, I THINK, 37 IRON TOOLS.

AND THAT'S A 500-YEAR-OLD SITE.

WOW.

SO IT-- IT REALLY PREDATED COLUMBUS UNTIL JUST RECENTLY.

MIGHT HAVE BEEN METEORIC OR SOMETHING.

BUT HOW ABOUT THIS?

THIS IS, UH, LOOKS LIKE A TOOTH OF SOME KIND.

WELL, THAT'S A BEAVER'S TOOTH.

OH.

AND THAT-- THIS IS AN ANTHROPOMORPHICALLY CARVED OR SHAPED PIECE OF ANTLER THAT WAS MADE TO FIT THAT.

AND THAT FITS LIKE THAT.

THAT TYPE OF A THING.

AND IT WAS WRAPPED ON.

TIE THAT IN, ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN USE IT LIKE THIS?

MM-HMM.

AND SO THAT'S THE PREDECESSOR OF THE CROOKED KNIFE, REALLY.

SO YOU WOULD WORK BACKWARDS.

SO YOU'RE TAKING ONE OF THE BEAVER'S TOOTH OUT-- A VERY EFFECTIVE WOODWORKING TOOL.

WELL, I GUESS THAT'S HOW THEY CUT DOWN TREES.

YOU BET.

YOU SURE CAN CUT OUT A BOWL WITH IT.

ALL RIGHT, SO THIS LED TO THE CROOKED KNIFE NOW.

COULD YOU SHOW ME HOW YOUR CROOKED KNIVES GO?

OK. THAT WOULD BE, I GUESS, IN THE FINISHING PART OF WORKING ON THE LADLE, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU WOULD USE A CROOKED KNIFE TO GET-- WELL, ACTUALLY, YOU CAN USE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THIS PARTICULAR KNIFE IS, UH, IS MY STANDARD BEND CROOKED KNIFE.

AND IT'S, UH, IT'S BENT ON-- LIKE A FRENCH CURVE AT AN EVER-INCREASING RATE.

IT'S A CURVATURE.

I SEE.

AND THE ADVANTAGE THERE IS THAT THIS ONE TOOL WILL REPLACE A WHOLE RAFT OF GOUGES AND THINGS.

IN THAT TIP SECTION THERE WHERE IT'S REALLY TIGHT, YOU CAN, UM, CUT OFF, YOU KNOW-- YEAH.

LITTLE, YOU KNOW, NARROWED PIECES OF WOOD IN A-- IN A VERY TIGHT FASHION.

AS YOU WORK DOWN THE TOOL, YOU CAN-- YOU CAN CUT OFF, UM, YOU KNOW, BIGGER AND WIDER PIECES, WIDER RADIUSES.

MM-HMM.

IT REPLACES A WHOLE SET OF GOUGES, THEN.

YES, IT CAN REPLACE A SET OF GOUGES, A BUNCH OF OTHER TOOLS AS WELL.

USING A-- WE'RE USED TO TOOLS IN THE EUROPEAN TRADITION.

MM-HMM.

AND, UH, AND THESE TOOLS ARE IN THE TRADITION OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS OF THE NORTHWEST COAST.

SO THESE ARE-- THIS IS THE AMERICAN TOOL TRADITION HERE.

AH!

AS OPPOSED TO THE EUROPEAN.

WE'RE NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.

YEAH, WE'RE NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT.

IN THE EUROPEAN TRADITION, YOU'D TAKE A SET OF GOUGES AND CHISELS AND SO FORTH AND YOU'D HAVE A MALLET.

AND YOU WOULD VICE-HOLD YOUR WORK.

AND YOU WOULD THEN BEAT THE TOOL END OF THE WOOD.

AND BEAT THE WOOD OFF, OR WHATEVER.

SOUNDS TERRIBLE WHEN YOU DESCRIBE IT.

THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT.

ALL RIGHT.

SOMEHOW, I'M JUST SO HOOKED ON THIS METHOD.

I SEE.

BUT, UH, BUT ANYWAY, WITH THIS ONE TOOL, BASICALLY, YOU COULD CARVE AN OBJECT LIKE THIS INSIDE AND OUT.

AND THIS IS A FAIRLY REFINED TYPE OF CROOKED KNIFE.

IT'S THE NORTHWEST COAST VERSION RATHER THAN THE EASTERN WOODLANDS KNIFE OR THE ESKIMO KNIFE.

THEY WERE ONLY CARVED SO YOU COULD ONLY CUT ON A PULL STROKE.

UH-UH.

BUT THIS ONE IS CUT-- IT'S SHARPENED ON BOTH SIDES SO YOU CAN CUT COMING AND GOING.

I SEE.

AND SO YOU CAN RARELY EVER CUT YOURSELF INTO A PLACE YOU CAN'T CUT YOURSELF BACK OUT OF.

HA HA HA!

SO IF THE GRAIN'S GOING THE OTHER WAY, YOU JUST PUSH THE OTHER WAY.

YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TURN YOUR WORK AROUND OR WORK FROM THE OTHER SIDE OR ANYTHING.

YOU CAN JUST TURN YOUR TOOL.

YOU KNOW, CUT THE OTHER DIRECTION.

NOW, YOU HAVE 2 VARIANTS OF THAT.

LET ME GET THESE HERE, I SEE.

YOU'VE GOT ONE THAT'S EXTREME AND ONE THAT HARDLY LOOKS CROOKED AT ALL.

WELL, THESE COME IN A WHOLE VARIETY, INCLUDING LARGER AND SMALLER VERSIONS THAN WHAT WE SEE RIGHT HERE.

BUT THIS-- THIS KNIFE IS ONE FOR HOLLOWING.

IT'S A HOLLOWING TOOL.

SO, BASICALLY, IT'S FOR THE BACK OF MASKS AND THE INSIDE OF BOWLS AND SO FORTH.

AH.

AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT THAT TOOL IS USED FOR.

MM-HMM.

AND, UM, AND THIS TOOL IS WHAT THEY CALL NOT SO CROOKED.

AND, UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT CURVED UP ON THE TIP.

IT'S A LOW CURVE IN THERE.

AND, UH, AND THAT'S ONE YOU CAN DETAIL WITH OR DO WHITTLING KIND OF CUTS AH, DO-- AND DETAILING CUTS.

I SEE.

SO YOU CAN DEFINE EYELID LINES AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH IT.

IN THE FACE-- WELL, I'VE GOT ANOTHER TOOL I'M INTRIGUED ABOUT.

AND I WANT TO CLEAR THESE GUYS OUT OF THE WAY AND GET YOU TO SHOW ME HOW THIS ONE WORKS, BECAUSE THIS IS A "D" ADZE, IS THAT RIGHT?

RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED?

THAT'S A "D" ADZE.

A "D" ADZE, AND I JUST CAN'T SEE THE ADVANTAGE OF IT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT HANDLE AND THE LONG SWING.

BUT MAYBE I'LL UNDERSTAND IT WHEN YOU USE IT HERE.

WELL, IT'S, UH-- IT'S THE FAVORITE OF SOME PEOPLE, AND IT WAS A FAVORED TOOL AMONG THE SOUTHERN NORTHWEST COAST CARVERS.

AND YOU CAN SEE, IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE.

IT'S GOT POWER.

IT'S A REAL DIRECT TOOL, BUT, UH, IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE ELBOW ADZE, FOR SURE.

THESE THINGS HAVE ONE ADVANTAGE INSOFAR AS WE'RE-- ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH A GUTTER FORM.

IT'S CURVED, YEAH.

BUT IN THE STRAIGHT FORM YOU CAN BOTH SURFACE AND, UH, WASTE WOOD.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

AND SO IT HAS-- THERE'S AN ADVANTAGE TO THEM IN THAT WAY.

I GUESS IT DEPENDS, OF COURSE, ON THE TYPE OF WORK YOU'RE DOING.

OH YES, FOR SURE.

THE PRODUCT AND THE TOOLS-- IF YOU WANT TO REACH UP INTO THE BOUGH OF A CANOE, YOU CAN'T DO IT, MAYBE, WITH AN ELBOW ADZE.

BUT YOU CAN GET IN THERE WITH A "D" ADZE.

AND SO MOST OF THE CARVERS HAVE A "D" ADZE AROUND AND USE IT AT LEAST FROM TIME TO TIME, IF NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE EXCLUSIVELY.

AH.

BUT THAT'S-- WELL, A LOT OF, OF COURSE, THE QUALITY OF THE TOOLS YOU MAKE IS IN THE FORGING AND IN THE STEEL.

I'D LIKE TO SEE IF YOU CAN SHOW ME HOW THAT GOES.

SURE, YOU BET.

I'VE GOT SOME GOING IN THE FORGE THERE.

LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

THAT SOUNDS EXCELLENT!

AFTER YOU, SIR.

WOW, NICE MACHINE.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF A CUTE OLD MACHINE.

WHAT'S THAT?

IT'S A TRIP HAMMER, THE LITTLE GIANT-- THE LITTLE GIANT.

YEAH.

POWER HAMMER.

WHAT'S THIS FROM?

50 POUNDER.

WHAT YEAR WOULD THIS BE?

OH, PROBABLY EARLY '30s OR LATE '20s.

WOW, THAT'S GREAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO USE FOR THE FORGING NOW.

YOU BET, YEAH.

I USED TO USE MY RIGHT ARM, BUT I'VE KIND OF TRIED TO GIVE THAT UP A LITTLE BIT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND YOU'VE GOT A GAS FURNACE HERE TOO.

YEAH, I CONVERTED OVER FROM COAL JUST LIKE I CONVERTED OVER FROM MY ARM.

ALL RIGHT, DOES THIS WORK AS WELL HERE?

WELL, IT'S CLEAN.

YEAH.

IT'S CLEAN HEAT, AND THAT'S ONE THING.

I GOT TIRED OF BREATHING THE FUMES OF COAL.

BUT IT DOES HAVE ITS PROBLEMS.

I FOUND WHEN I CONVERTED OVER THAT I WAS GETTING STRESS CRACKING AS A RESULT OF THE HARSHNESS OF THIS HEAT VERSUS COAL.

WELL, BETTER THE IRON STRESS CRACK THAN YOU STRESS CRACK.

SO THERE YOU GO.

I KNOW.

YOU ABOUT READY WITH THAT?

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE GOT HEAT THERE NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

SO MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST POUND SOME OF THIS OUT HERE.

ALL RIGHT, I'M READY TO BACK OFF.

OK. THAT'S ABOUT 1600 DEGREES.

LOOKS GOOD TO ME.

SO LET'S GIVE HER A WRAP HERE.

SEE HOW THIS GOES.

WHOA.

SO, BASICALLY, WHAT I'VE DONE THERE IS I'VE JUST SPREAD THAT STEEL.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO.

JUST SPREAD IT OUT TO THE SIDE.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW IT GOES BACK IN.

ALL RIGHT, NOW WHAT KIND OF STEEL IS THIS YOU'RE USING HERE?

THIS IS PLAIN HIGH CARBON TOOL STEEL-- OH.

LIKE ABOUT A 1% CARBON STEEL.

1084 IS THE TECHNICAL TERM.

WELL, COULD YOU USE-- IF YOU GO THROUGH SCRAP, WOULD THAT BE LIKE A LEAF SPRING FROM A CAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

YOU COULD USE THIS FOR LEAF SPRING STOCK.

AND YOU COULD USE MOST LEAF SPRINGS FOR ADZE MAKING TOO.

I DID.

I'VE MADE A BUNCH OF THEM OUT OF IT.

HOW DO FILES WORK?

I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE TO MAKE TOOLS OUT OF FILES.

WELL, A FILE'S A LITTLE HIGH CARBON.

IT'S LIKE TAKING A .10 GAUGE AFTER A DOVE OR SOMETHING.

IT'S ABOUT 1 1/2% CARBON.

SO IT TENDS TO BE BRITTLE.

IT'S HARDER TO HEAT TREAT IN A HOME HEAT TREAT FASHION.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

SO, OK, NOW WE'RE GOING TO FLATTEN ONE OUT.

WE'VE GOT-- WE'VE GOT IT SPREAD THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO FLATTEN IT OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'M READY.

LITTLE GIANT, DO YOUR THING.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

YEAH.

SO THERE WE'VE GOT IT FLATTENED OUT THERE NOW.

SO WE'RE MORE IN THE SHAPE THAN AN ADZE IS.

ALL RIGHT, BACK AGAIN INTO THE-- YOU'VE GOT-- OK, AND YOU'VE GOT ONE ALREADY AT THAT STAGE.

YEAH, RIGHT.

SO WE'LL JUST CUP THAT UP.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT INTO THE SWAGE BLOCK HERE AND JUST BEAD IT AROUND INTO THAT FORM THAT A GUTTER ADZE HAS.

ALL RIGHT, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST GOOD CHERRY RED HOT.

OK, WATCH OUT NOW.

AND DOWN TO THE SWAGE BLOCK.

ALL RIGHT.

JUST A LITTLE HAMMER THERE.

YEP.

THIS IS LIGHT WORK JUST TAPPING IT IN THERE.

A LITTLE TIGHTER CURVE NOW.

AND THEN UP TO THE ANVIL.

RIGHT.

AND HERE'S-- WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS I AM FORMING THAT INTO THE-- YOU'RE BENDING IT UPWARD, KIND OF GETTING A CUP THERE.

YES, RIGHT.

I BENT THAT UP SO THAT IT'S IN THAT SHAPE THAT A GUTTER ADZE IS.

HUH.

SO IT'S GOT THAT DROP IN IT.

THAT WHY I WAS BENDING IT UP AS I WAS FORGING ON IT.

SO HERE'S THE FINAL SHAPE, I GUESS, IS LIKE THIS, AND, WOW, WHAT A DIFFERENCE.

AND, OF COURSE, YOU'VE PUT IN A LOT OF TIME POLISHING AND GRINDING.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND HEAT TREATING TOO.

RIGHT.

THAT COMES NEXT AFTER THE GRINDING IT TO FORM.

SO I'LL HOLD THAT EDGE.

WOW, IT'S FANTASTICALLY BEAUTIFUL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT TO PUT THE HANDLE ON IT TOO.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

WELL, LET ME STICK THIS GUY DOWN HERE.

OK. THAT'S SIZZLING ME UP THERE.

YEAH!

WELL, I'M READY-- OK, WELL, LET'S GO SEE SOME HANDLES AND WHAT WE DO WITH THE TOOLS.

ALL RIGHT, AND THE ANGLE OF THE HANDLE.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, I'LL FOLLOW YOU.

WELL, HERE'S MY SON RAVEN RIGHT CHOPPING AWAY.

YES!

BOY YOU ARE GOOD WITH THAT THING.

YEAH, WHAT'RE YOU MAKING?

A LADLE.

A LADLE?

I SEE YOU'RE ROUGHING IT OUT NOW.

IS THIS WHAT YOU MAKE ALL THE TIME?

MAKE LADLES?

NO.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU MAKE?

WELL, LATELY, I MADE THIS MASK.

OH, THAT'S ALL FINISHED.

IT'S A BEE MASK.

[buzzing] YEAH!

WHAT DO YOU DO-- DO YOU AND OTHER FRIENDS DO A BEE DANCE?

YEAH.

YEAH, THIS IS A KIND OF NATIVE MASK.

THAT'S GREAT.

WONDERFUL.

SO YOU IRRITATE EVERYBODY AND GO IN THE HOUSE AND CHASE THEM AROUND?

MM-HMM.

DO YOU STING THEM?

WELL, SOMETIMES I DON'T WATCH OUT AND I GET THEM... HA HA HA HA!

GOOD.

WELL, THAT'S ALL IN THE HANDLE THOUGH NOW.

HOW DO YOU FIT THOSE THINGS UP, THE HALVES ON THOSE ADZES HE'S SO GOOD WITH THERE?

YEAH, LET'S TAKE A LOOK HERE.

UH, WHAT I-- WHAT I'VE GOT HERE, ROY, IS A PIECE OF CHERRY.

OH, OK, THIS IS-- AND YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE JUST HOW THAT, UH, WELL, HOW THAT WOULD BE HALVED UP THERE.

THERE'S THE MAIN TRUNK OF THE TREE.

RIGHT.

AND THERE'S THE BRANCH.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'VE GOT THE GRAIN GOING CONTINUOUS ALL THE WAY AROUND.

RIGHT, YEAH.

GOT THE GRAIN WORKING FOR YOU.

NOW, THIS THING, OF COURSE, THIS IS ALL THINNED OUT HERE.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THAT?

WELL, THAT'S TO GIVE IT SOME SPRING SO IT CAN POP OUT A CHIP.

IT'S A TEXTURING ADZE.

IT'S A SPECIAL KIND OF ADZE.

ALL RIGHT, NOW SO THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE RAVEN'S USING RIGHT NOW.

YES, WE'RE PUTTING THIS TEXTURE ON THESE, THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH.

CAN I SEE HOW IT WORKS?

SURE, LET'S TRY IT OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE PIECE OF CEDAR HERE.

UH-HUH.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY IT OUT AND SEE IF IT WILL TEXTURE.

YEAH!

GOT A SLIGHT ANGLE TO THE GRAIN, I SEE.

UH-HUH.

NOW, YOU JUST KIND OF BOUNCE IT OFF THE WOOD ALMOST.

YEAH, IT DOES.

IT SPRINGS.

SO YOU GO-- YOU LAY DOWN EVEN LINES LIKE THAT.

IT GOES IN AND COMES OUT.

SO THEY'RE LIKE IN EVEN COURSES.

RIGHT.

BOY, THAT'S GREAT.

NOW YOU CAN SEE THIS TEXTURE MAYBE BETTER IN SOME OF THIS, UH, OTHER WORK HERE.

OH, I'D LIKE TO SEE.

ALL RIGHT.

BECAUSE YOU DO IT ON A BIG, BROAD SURFACE.

NOW, THIS IS-- THESE ARE, AGAIN, UH, THE BENT WOOD BOXES.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THIS, IS THIS AN OLD ONE HERE?

THAT'S AN OLD ONE, YEAH.

THIS ONE HERE THAT'S PAINTED.

AND WHAT DO THEY USE THESE FOR?

OH, JUST EVERYTHING.

YEAH, THEY STORE THEIR FOOD IN IT, AND THEY PUT THEIR CLOTHING AND PERSONAL ARTICLES IN IT.

A BIG CHEST LIKE THIS COULD BE USED FOR STORING THE MATERIALS FOR THE WINTER CEREMONIALS.

LET'S LOOK INSIDE.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A LOOK HERE.

AH!

ALL RIGHT, I CAN SEE THE TEXTURING DOWN INSIDE HERE.

BOY, THIS IS BIG ENOUGH TO BE BURIED IN.

YEAH, THEY DID THAT TOO.

REALLY?

YEAH, THEY MADE THEM AND USED THEM FOR BURIAL CHESTS.

YOU SAY YOU COULD ACTUALLY COOK IN THESE THINGS?

YEAH, YOU COULD.

THEY COULD BE MADE WATERTIGHT EASILY.

HA HA!

THAT'S SOMETHING.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

JUST PUT HOT ROCKS DOWN INSIDE?

RIGHT, YEAH.

RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

BOILING WATER.

SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT JOINT THAT GETS-- TO BEND THE THINGS AROUND?

OH, LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE.

ALL RIGHT, NOW THIS IS-- THIS IS A FINISHED ONE HERE NOW.

SO I GUESS THERE'S ONE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT'S BENT AROUND.

SO YOU KERFED IT, AND THAT'S THE WHOLE TRICK.

RIGHT, UH-HUH.

A SPECIAL KIND OF KERF THAT ALLOWS YOU TO BEND THAT AROUND.

RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO WORK.

LET'S SEE HOW YOU DO THIS.

OK, SO WE'LL JUST TRY AND PUT ONE IN HERE.

NOW THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO SCORE THIS WITH THE KNIFE.

JUST MAKE A COUPLE OF NEAT KNIFE CUTS DOWN HERE.

BECAUSE MEASUREMENT IS REAL CRITICAL.

WELL, IT IS IF YOU WANT A SQUARE BOX, THAT'S FOR SURE.

IT'S GOT TO BE PRETTY PERFECT.

HA HA HA!

AND IF YOU WANT THE KERF-- THE CORNERS TO COME OUT RIGHT, THE MEASUREMENT'S CRITICAL IN THAT WAY AS WELL.

MM-HMM.

OK, SO-- NOW WHAT YOU GOT HERE?

SO WHAT I DID THERE, UM, WHAT I DID WAS, UM, UM...

SCORED IT WITH THE KNIFE.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO FOLLOW THE SCORE LINES WITH THIS JAPANESE SAW.

IT'S A JAPANESE FLOORING SAW, AND I PUT A STOP-- I MOUNTED A STOP ON THE SIDE OF IT SO IT'D COME RIGHT DOWN TO THAT STOP, AND THAT'S MY PROPER DEPTH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO PUT ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

AND JUST GET ANOTHER SAW WITH A DIFFERENT STOP ON IT.

IT'S A SHALLOWER CUT HERE, A SHALLOWER CUT.

AND, AGAIN, THIS WOOD IS CEDAR.

THIS IS RED CEDAR THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, RIGHT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER KINDS OF WOOD THEY WOULD USE FOR THIS?

OH, YOU COULD USE LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WOOD.

MM-HMM.

YEAH, LOTS OF DIFFERENT WOODS WILL WORK.

ANY WOOD WITH A LONG FIBER GRAIN-- SPRUCE OR HEMLOCK WOULD PROBABLY WORK.

ALASKA CEDAR.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO BREAK OUT THAT LITTLE PIECE HERE THAT WE CUT FREE.

ALL RIGHT.

AND GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY.

AND THEN UNDERCUT.

THIS IS-- I'M SCORING THE UNDERCUT WITH THIS-- WITH A STRAIGHT KNIFE, RIGHT DOWN THROUGH THERE.

HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW DEEP TO CUT?

OH, I GIVE IT ABOUT 3 PASSES.

YOU JUST KNOW THAT FROM EXPERIENCE?

YEAH, YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TOO DEEP OR, OBVIOUSLY, THE BOX WILL COME APART.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE THE CROOKED KNIFE AND ROUND OUT THE BOTTOM.

UH-HUH.

AND, AGAIN, HERE, HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW TO-- WELL, SEE, I'M COMING TO THE DEPTH I SET UP WITH THAT SAW.

OH, OK.

SO I CAN SEE THAT.

SO THAT ADDS-- THAT'S WHY I USE THAT.

YOU COULD-- YOU COULD FOREGO THE SAW AND JUST USE A KNIFE AND-- AND SOME CARVERS DO.

THEY'RE JUST MAYBE BETTER THAN ME.

HA HA HA!

SOMETHING.

THAT'S EASY.

I KNOW THAT.

SO NOW I'M DOING THE UNDERCUT THERE WITH THE-- ON THE BOTTOM, OK.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT CUT FREE THERE, BASICALLY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO WORRY THAT OUT OF THERE, THAT MATERIAL OUT OF THERE THAT WE, UH, WE CUT FREE.

AND THAT'S THE UNDERCUT, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS THING ABLE TO FOLD UP ON ITSELF.

YOU JUST KEEP CUTTING, AND THERE ARE OTHER VARIATIONS OF THIS, I GUESS, YOU COULD-- OH, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT KERFS.

KERF.

AGAIN, THIS PART THERE'S NOTHING TO DO EXCEPT GET THAT KNIFE IN THERE AND KIND OF PRY IT OUT.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, UH, THAT, UH, SAMPLE BOARD THERE.

RIGHT HERE?

YEAH.

NOW, THIS IS-- YOU USE THIS IN TEACHING?

RIGHT, YEAH.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN USE THERE TO SHOW THE PEOPLE WHAT TO DO.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU'VE GOT THE 2 SCORE LINES, AND THEN YOU HAVE 2 SAW MARKS.

2 SAWS GOING DOWN TO THE PROPER DEPTH.

YOU BREAK OUT THE WOOD.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN YOU UNDERCUT, AND I CAN VERY FAINTLY SEE THE SHARP LINE, THE KNIFE CUT GOING IN THERE-- YEAH.

IT'S JUST GOT TO BE A SHARP, THIN KNIFE-- ROUND OUT THE BOTTOM, AND THEN FINALLY YOU UNDERCUT IT.

YES, RIGHT.

AND THEN, I GUESS, THIN A LITTLE BIT ON THE BACK-- RIGHT.

TO MAKE IT BEND A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS RADIUS RIGHT HERE IS REAL IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE WOOD AS IT BENDS.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

IT WANTS TO BE KIND OF TIGHT.

IF IT'S TIGHT, IT HELPS.

THAT'S SOMETHING.

WELL, HAVE YOU GOT A PIECE READY TO BEND?

I SAW THE STEAMER WORKING.

OK, WELL LET'S GO SEE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW THIS DOES HERE.

NOW THIS IS, AGAIN, JUST RED CEDAR.

RED CEDAR.

AND IT'S ALL KERFED OUT.

A LITTLE BOARD THAT'S ALL KERFED OUT.

AND THE STEAMER'S JUST A TIN CAN WITH A STOVE PIPE ON TOP.

RIGHT, WORKS GREAT.

YEAH.

TIN CAN.

SO NOTHING MUCH TO THAT.

AT THIS POINT, I USUALLY, WHEN I'M BENDING ONE OF THESE-- AS A MATTER OF FACT, I ALWAYS TAKE TIME TO THANK THE GREAT SPIRIT FOR THIS WONDERFUL PIECE OF GRANDMOTHER CEDAR AND ASK THAT IT, UH, IT WILL BEND INTO A SWEET LITTLE BOX FOR ME.

THAT'S, UH, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO LET'S TAKE IT OUT OF HERE AND SEE IF IT WILL BEND.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, I JOIN YOU IN YOUR REQUEST.

OK, GET READY TO BACK OFF NOW.

I SHALL.

OK, HERE IT COMES.

THE DECKS ARE CLEAR.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU'RE ALREADY BENDING.

OH, YEAH, I'M JUST-- YOU GO FROM THE TIME YOU START THERE.

YOU CAN'T LET HER GO.

IT'S TIGHT.

WOW.

IT'S REALLY TIGHT.

THAT'S IT.

BOY, THAT CAME OUT GOOD, THOUGH.

THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S JUST WHAT YOU WANTED.

YEAH, IT CAME OUT GOOD.

YOU COULD SEE THE CORNERS THERE.

HOW LONG DO YOU WANT SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAVE STEAMED TO BEND SO WELL?

OH, ABOUT 20 MINUTES IS PLENTY FOR THIS GOOD RED CEDAR LIKE THIS.

OH, IT JUST CLOSED UP LIKE ANYTHING.

THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, NOW I GUESS-- IT'S SQUARE.

SO I MUST HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB.

I THINK YOU DID.

NOW I SEE YOU'VE GOT IN THE UPPER CORNER A KERF-- WHAT IS THAT?

IT'S RABBITED OUT, RIGHT.

A RABBITED SHOULDER RIGHT HERE.

GRAB THAT BOX NOW, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE.

OH, OK.

RIGHT HERE.

HOW YOU FIXED IT IN WITH THE PEGS.

RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

IT'S PEGGED TOGETHER ON THE CORNER.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO RABBIT OUT A BOTTOM BOARD AND PEG THAT ON TOO.

AH, AND JUST MAKE IT REAL, REAL TIGHT.

RIGHT.

WITH THIS DO YOU HAVE ANY KIND OF GLUE OR RESIN PUT IN THERE?

OH, NORTHWEST COAST PEOPLE PROBABLY DIDN'T MOSTLY, ALTHOUGH THEY COULD HAVE USED A HIDE GLUE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT, UH, IF IT'S GOING TO BE USED AROUND THE WATER, IT WILL SOFTEN-- THAT WILL SOFTEN ANYWAY.

SO I JUST MADE 'EM TIGHT.

AH.

JUST MADE 'EM TIGHT.

COULD I SEE THAT OTHER BOX YOU'VE GOT THERE?

YOU'VE GOT THE CARVING ON IT.

OH, RIGHT.

WELL, THERE'S ONE NOW THAT, UH, IS WHAT THIS BOX COULD TURN INTO IF YOU, UH, WORKED AT IT.

SO IT HAS INCISED CARVING.

AND, AGAIN, THE LID IS HOLLOWED.

EVERYTHING'S HOLLOWED OUT.

IT'S A WOOD CARVING IN ITSELF, THAT LID.

MM.

AND THIS CARVING, WHAT STYLE IS THIS IN?

IT'S A NORTHERN STYLE, AND, UH, LIKE THIS BIG CHEST, IT WILL EVENTUALLY BE PAINTED AND CARVED AS WELL.

AND, UH, AND, UH, AND SO THAT'S CARVED LIKE A NORTHERN-STYLE CHEST.

MM.

EVEN THOUGH IT'S A TINY LITTLE THING.

WELL, MARVELOUS, MARVELOUS WORK.

COULD YOU SHOW ME-- I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE OTHER ITEMS HERE.

ALL RIGHT, OK.

I GUESS YOU'VE GOT TO HANG ONTO THE BOX.

BUT YOU'VE GOT A CANOE THAT YOU'VE DONE HERE.

AND THIS IS, AGAIN, IN THE NATIVE STYLE FROM THIS AREA?

RIGHT, YEAH.

IT'S A WEST COAST-STYLE, NOOTKA-STYLE BOAT.

MM-HMM.

AND THE KAYAK AS WELL?

RIGHT, WELL, IT'S A HOOPER BAY TYPE KAYAK FROM THE BERING STRAITS.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

WELL, IT'S ENDLESS.

IT'S JUST ENDLESS.

AND I THANK YOU FOR SHOWING SO MUCH TO US.

YOU BET.

THANKS A LOT, ROY.

IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN.

ALL RIGHT.

YOU TAKE CARE NOW.

ALL RIGHT, OK. BYE BYE.

HERE ON LOPEZ ISLAND ON THE PUGET SOUND OFF WASHINGTON STATE, GREGG BLOMBERG HAS FOUND NOT JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE, BUT A REALLY GOOD WAY TO MAKE A LIVING HERE.

HIS TOOL MAKING DOESN'T JUST TAKE FROM THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITION, IT'S BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF ITS FUTURE.

THIS IS ROY UNDERHILL HERE IN THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP.

THANKS FOR JOINING ME.

SO LONG.

MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP IS PROVIDED BY... STATE FARM INSURANCE, KEEPING OUR PROMISE OF PROTECTION WITH AUTO, HOME, LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE.

LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, STATE FARM IS THERE.

THIS IS PBS.

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