Replies

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Dec 24, 2003 11:05pm | #1

   redleg

      Haven't seen it, but wouldn't mind seeing it. I have seen a number of Japanese WW'ers construct the old Benihani (sp)Steakhouse in Atlanta years ago. They were nothing short of marvelous when it comes to joints. I have also seen Odate in seminar.

      From my knowledge of the Japanese system, it would probably be worth-while.

   Regards...

   sarge..jt

   Proud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Steinmetz | Dec 26, 2003 04:20am | #4

   Sarge, I worked on the first and second Benihana steakhouses in New York, Saw the same crew (Short little buggers.) I worked in the basement and I had to stoop to avoid hitting my head as the ceiling was low and I"M 6Ft tall. 

    Those little guys were walking along planks set on 8 inch high cinder blocks.

   I was amazed when I first set my eyes on their pull saws. (Teeth on both edges and hollow ground because the teeth had no 'Set'.) Much sturdier than the import saws sold today.

   I also saw a dark hand carved wood  gizmo shaped like a wooden shoe. In the hole where a foot would go ,was a pile of burnt wood shavings.

    Forward of the 'Foothole', was a spool of black thread on a axle .  Turns out it was a chalk line which the 70 year old carpenters hand carved as apprentices.

   Each time when one or the other passed me he would bow, so , I returned the bow.

   When I saw one of them plumbing up a door frame using a plumb bob on a thread which was affixed to a stick with a cross bar (Looked like a hangman's Gibbet), I took out my 4 ft level and steadied the frame for him. 

    AH, SO? he said as if he never saw a level in his life.  Later when I hung a bunch of hollow metal doors using a Yankee screwdriver, the AH , SO's began again. 

    I met Rocky Ioki himself( The owner) and was paid for my work with a check issued by The Imperial Bank of Tokyo (4" high and 9"wide.)

   When I brought the check home to my wife, I remarked, "This check should be framed, it's so impressive".The wife snapped,

   "Like hell you will, it's going straight to the bank!"

   Rocky seeing I was six foot tall and 230 lbs, asked if I played football. He at the time had the highest degree of black belt in Karate. 

   Years later he raced power boats and received awards for speed records  Survived a bad crash, became fabulously rich too. 

   Damm! I shoulda saved that check. Stein

   All the beams were meticulisly wrapped with paper before shipping from Japan.

   Edited 12/25/2003 8:34:19 PM ET by steinmetz

   Edited 12/25/2003 8:55:13 PM ET by steinmetz

   Edited 12/25/2003 9:12:26 PM ET by steinmetz

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Dec 26, 2003 06:48pm | #5

   stein

      I took a week from work just to watch. The intricacy of the joints they produced were nothing short of amazing. How quick they could cut them was also, even stopping every 20 or so pulls to sharpen breifly. I learned a lot that could be transferred to timber framing and work-bench design. Sort of  chose the correct joint to in-corporate with a design that complements and "hold the glue".

     The same way those little guys were amazed at you level, they took to Varsity hot dogs. ( Worlds largest drive-in fast food resturant). The hot dogs got the Ah-So. Hot dogs with chili got Ah-Ah-So! ha.. ha..  ha..  ha..ha..ha..

   Regards...

   sarge..jtProud member of the :  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Steinmetz | Dec 26, 2003 11:07pm | #6

   Sarge, that Benihana job was in 1965 I'm gonna bawl out the Mrs for cashing that check.  Coulda sold it on E-bay (Bummer!)    Regards ED from Ct.    Chile rules

   Edited 12/26/2003 3:12:50 PM ET by steinmetz

2. 
   10fingers | Dec 25, 2003 01:58am | #2

   I haven't seen the video, but many years ago I was stationed in Okinawa.   It was amazing to see the scaffolds lashed together with what appeared to be wire.  They would not blow down during a typhoon.   This was my first experience seeing the use of Japanese style saws.

   Chuck

3. 
   theRev | Dec 26, 2003 03:21am | #3

   They put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. <g>

   Scott

1. 
   NormInFujino | Dec 29, 2003 04:34am | #11

   Scott: They put their pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else.

   Only difference is, they can't do it by themselves!

   View Image View Image

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

1. 
   ian | Dec 29, 2003 02:05pm | #12

   Too cruel ... I always thought it was because the costume is so intricate and they wear it so infrequently that they just didn't know how to do it by themselves!

2. 
   theRev | Dec 30, 2003 01:42pm | #13

   Of course, we can always go to the other extreme of Japanese dressing, ie, no pants at all.

   scott

   Edited 12/30/2003 5:47:21 AM ET by the rev

   
1. 
   NormInFujino | Dec 30, 2003 05:40pm | #14

   I almost selected a sumo photo to use, too, Scott!

   But I agree, if anything makes the Japanese different it's nothing mystical but the fact that they're close enough (in some crafts, at least) to their pre-modern past to retain certain so-called "feudal" social traits (like the apprenticeship system) that have the effect of placing more emphasis on the process than a quick result. Here's another fundoshi shot: o-mikoshi bearers from the Kanda Matsuri

   View Image <BR

   ". . .and only the stump or fishy part of him remained."

   Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

1. 
   10fingers | Dec 31, 2003 01:13am | #15

   It looks as if they developed the original "thong".

4. 
   wundernaloud | Dec 27, 2003 10:29am | #7

   Got the video. It covers basic tools saws, planes, chisels and sharpening with waterstones. He does sit on the ground to do his sharpening not something I would enjoy. Shows how to cut mortice and tenon joint. Its fairly informative and entertaining. I believe it's the only show in town for information strictly on japanese tools. If your intrested strictly in this subject it will be worth watching. Personally I like Jim Kingshotts video on mortice and tenons which is the basic hands on procedure Jon covers. Jim's video doesnt offer information on sharpening or planeing but he does have others that do. I enjoy watching some one in action rather then reading about it so when my intrest in japanese tools was aroused I got the tape and enjoyed it.I is pretty basic stuff that he covers.

1. 
   LarryInSC | Dec 27, 2003 01:44pm | #8

   Thanks! I think I'm like you regarding watching rather than reading. I was recently in the Oakland, CA area and was hoping to get a chance to visit Van Arsdale at the boat school, but I couldn't arrange it. So, it looks like I'll order the video. I've just ordered Kingshott's Bench Plane Video and another plane video by Mario Rodriques.

   Have you tried any Japanese joinery?

1. 
   SplifJoint | Dec 28, 2003 10:49am | #9

   Did you talk to Jay to arrange a visit or did you speak to someone at the Arques boat school? If you're ever in the area again, you may want to contact him directly because during the regular semester he teaches a class at Laney College, in Oakland, every Saturday morning. Another thing to do while in this area is check out the Japan Woodworker store. It's in Alameda on the opposite side of the freeway from Laney College.

   If you know of a source for Jay's video, you may want to snatch it up because it's out of print. I gave my copy to a friend thinking I was gonna buy another one. Well, I waited too long to replace it. Found out it's out of print and had to borrow Jay's to make myself a copy.

1. 
   LarryInSC | Dec 29, 2003 02:15am | #10

   I had planned to stop at the Arques boat school, but was so absorbed in the Muir Woods that it was too late.