Last Shovel Maker

rjdankert

rjdankert

Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
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In case anyone hasn't seen this, I just saw it on facebook and thought I'd post here.

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https://vimeo.com/30509976
watch here or click on "vimeo" (lower right) to watch on vimeo.com
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Honest hand tool work.


Bob
 
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That is an awesome classic video. You can just tell he's done it a million times. This is exactly the sort of skill that needs to be saved.
 
One of the things I like is that he doesn't care that each one is a little different from the next. That's inherent in the wood and the man. But each one will its job the same and do it well. That's all that is needed.
 
Enjoyed that video and glad that someone had the presence of mind to film the old gent 40 years ago, seeing as the museum caption mentions he made his last shovel in 1982. Few folks are aware that granaries would not allow the use of steel shovels because a spark (steel on concrete or stone) readily ignited grain dust in the air. I don't know what they're using (plastic or aluminum?) these days.
 
Mostly plastic. Polypropylene, specifically, I believe. Lots of aluminum grain scoops out there, but my observation is they tend to be used for other scooping tasks more frequently than for grain. I have one myself that I use for snow and manure.
 
Count me one that did not know you could not use a steel shovel in a grain tower, but makes perfect sense once it was pointed out. Where was this gentleman from? John
 
We used aluminum on the farm when I was growing up. Aluminum grain shovels make excellent snow shovels,
 
The most notable thing about all this is; the old gentleman does not subject himself to any wood dust in making his shovels! No circular saws, bandsaws, shapers, routers or belt sanders to create the typical woodworker's environment of perpetual lung choking dust. The wood chips he created probably went straight into the stove.
 
Good point, 300Six. As an aging wood worker I'm more and more concerned with dust.
 
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Square_peg said:
Good point, 300Six. As an aging wood worker I'm more and more concerned with dust.
Click to expand...

You and me both! Industrialization brought this about in the quest for economy and efficiency and 'backwoods' talent didn't buy into this. Power tools require electricity, financial investment and costly maintenance. But to develop the skills to read the grain while using an axe for shaping is not something that is learned overnight. Betcha he could tell by feel when the drawknife had achieved the desired thickness.
 
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