…as we were in my post “True Grit”, has anybody else read/enjoyed Eric Sloanes’s books? A wealth of info about how things were built, and the tools used, in times gone by, pre-Industrial Revolution. Great pen & ink sketches by the author, who truly waxes romantic about that era. I love ’em and read them at least once a year – “A Reverence For Wood”, and others whose titles escape me just now (they’re in the bookshelf in my shop).
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Replies
Chad,
Yes, back in the early 70's when I was just getting started at working wood, a friend turned me on to Eric Sloane. Also, Mercer's "Ancient Carpenter's Tools", Moxon's "Mechanick Exercises", and Hummel's "With Hammer in Hand" were an inspiration to me to learn traditional techniques, and the tools that go with it.
Regards,
Ray
I still have my copy of Sloane's Early American Tools
I think I bought it at the Metropolitan Museum in NY many moons ago.
Speaking of Mercer, have you ever been to the Mercer musrum of tools in Pennsylvania?
The bigest collection of craftman's tools in the US A.
Housed in one of the first reinforced concrete buildings built in this country Designed and built by Mercer and a few neighbors (Looks like a castle)
Steinmetz
steinmetz,
Never been to the Mercer museum. A buddy was gonna take me with him to demonstrate in their show a couple years ago, but plans fell through. I hear it's worth the trip.
Regards,
Ray
I went to the Mercer Museum about fifteen years or so ago, found it to be very interesting. Well worth the side trip if you're in the Philadelphia PA area.Might want to bring a long sleeved shirt along in the summer time, the building is very cool inside, even in summer. Or was at the time.Leon Jester, Roanoke VA
Yes, I am a Eric Sloane devotee also. I was fortunate enough to find a boxed set of Reverence for Wood, Diary of an Early American Boy, and Museum of Early American Tools. I too read them at least once a year. My wife who is not a woodworker enjoys him also. A good artist and a better writer in my opinion.
"...Reverence for Wood, Diary of an Early American Boy, and Museum of Early American Tools..."
Yup, those are them. Love 'em.
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