#Jason lonon adze how to#
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I believe in investing in the community around me, not isolating myself from it. But we were always dependent on the neighbours in our community and in need of their various trades. In the US, traditionally we see ourselves as very independent – as self sufficient. It has fuelled the problem but also some of the antidote. The interesting thing is that the very digital things that are starving us are also spreading the craft movement. Into that vacuum, people start talking about the real things they are doing carving, growing stuff in their backyard, the tree that fell down down the road… I believe we were meant to live more in touch with our food supply, creating what we need. In the digital age so many people are involved in a profession that is virtual, and that leaves a huge empty space. Our ability nowadays to disconnect from our food supply I believe is leaving us empty. 200 years ago everyone was a farmer, even if you had a profession or trade you also grew your own food. Never have so many people been able to live disconnected from their food source. We have electricity, internet, cheap transportation. Sure! We are living in some interesting times, not just the pandemic, I the mean the post modern world. This is coupled with our hunger in society to make something real. Sales have increased, which took me by surprise at first, but so many more people are at home now with more time on their hands, and they are looking for something to do so it makes sense. On a different note, have you noticed much difference to your business due to the pandemic? We have an interview with Svante here in the blog actually. I also want to give a nod to the Swedish tool makers Hans Karlsson and Svante Djärv. The value of cultivating relationships across generations is unmeasurable. They had to be willing to take time for a child, and I had to be willing to take time for an old man. That encouragement was very important, and I’m still friends with his son and grandson. I wasn’t an apprentice of his but he always took his time to look at my work and critique it. Thirdly, B.E Hensley, an elderly blacksmith. He helped me cultivate my work ethic, attitude and understanding of work. Secondly, our neighbour, a wood cabinet maker, took me on as an apprentice when I was a teenager and he was over 80. Other parents pushed their children to study hard and go to college, but my parents gave me space to also pursue other interests.

#Jason lonon adze free#

Firstly, my parents obviously, giving me the encouragement, physical space and free rein to go about my things, saw and make a mess. In a broader sense, I’ve had many through the years, but let me highlight a few. Some people might not like to get up and go to work, but I really enjoy getting up going to work so… I don’t really know a worst thing about it, I really thoroughly enjoy it. That would be the ability to work from home and the flexibility to spend time with my wife and small children. Tell me, what’s the best thing about your profession? You can’t really say that we’re at a specific version like you can for software. It’s a continuum of refinements and improvements. We’re at the end of a long, loooong generation of tool making – a modern generation of ancient. What generation of tools are we in now? Are we on version 5.0 for example?

We have multiple generations of toolmaking going into the process here.

I use antique power hammers and make the tools for that as well. Primarily I’m a blacksmith though… I make tongs for holding the iron, hand hammers and things like that. We use our draw knives in order to fit the handle on our axes. If these criteria are met, it will be a pleasure to use the tool. If it’s hard to use, it will be hard to convince someone to learn to use it.

#Jason lonon adze how to#

Two, it has to feel good in your hand, for hand tools that is, and be intuitive to learn how to use. If it doesn’t do its job, it’s not even a tool. One, it must function as it was intended. It’s a natural progression of improvement. If you make a tool and it doesn’t work, you go back and fix it. Yes, my natural inclination is to re-create functional things from the past, and if they are also beautiful that’s even better. They were not very good, but they worked and I was proud of them.Īre you someone who appreciates functional things perhaps? I tried blacksmithing when I was 16 or 17, and one of the first things I made were tools for myself. My dad had a workshop and by the age of 10 I got into really simple woodworking. Naaa, it looks pretty chaotic to me… We’re in the middle of a batch of draw knives right now.

#Jason lonon adze portable#

This building is actually portable and I’ve moved the whole thing once. He happily shows me around the saw, the bench, the lathe and a multitude of tools covering the walls. Jason Lonon from North Carolina, woodworker, ironworker and tool maker, is in his barnlike woodshop when he answers my video call.