Who Wrote the Book of Sloyd?!

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [BIRD SQUAWKS] [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

[horns beeping] [banjo twang] [upbeat old-time fiddle music] ♪ HEY, HELLO AGAIN.

AND WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL.

SO GLAD YOU CAN BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY, BECAUSE I HAVE THAT QUESTION THAT DRIVES US ALL-- WHAT IS THE BEST WOODWORKING BOOK OF ALL TIME?

NOW, WE CAN GO BACK-- WELL, OF COURSE, WHEN I START LOOKING, I ALWAYS GET DISTRACTED BY THE ILLUSTRATIONS.

I LOVE THE ILLUSTRATIONS.

IN FACT, ALL RIGHT, I'VE PUT OUT A STACK OF MY FAVORITES RIGHT HERE, GOING BACK IN TIME.

THIS IS GREAT.

THIS IS THE OLD WOODWORKING TEXT FROM THE 1950's HERE.

YOU CAN SEE THE HAPPY TOOL DANCE.

NOW, THAT PICTURE, THAT JUST CAN'T BE BEAT, RIGHT THERE.

DANCING WITH YOUR TOOLS KIND OF SAYS IT ALL FOR YOU.

WELL, THERE'S MORE.

WAIT.

THERE'S MORE.

I'VE GOT THEM, OF COURSE, HERE.

BACK--THAT WAS THE 1950's.

WE GO BACK TO THE 1940's.

HERE'S GRANDDAD.

THIS IS HIS ENGINEERING-- "RIGGING AND ENGINEER HAND TOOLS, 1942, RESTRICTED TECHNICAL MANUAL, WAR DEPARTMENT."

AND IT HAS VERY IMPORTANT SECRET INFORMATION, LIKE HOW TO USE THE ADZE THERE IN FULL PACK AND HELMET.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE TOP OF SWING WITH THE ADZE.

"SWING COMPLETED."

THERE YOU GO.

YOU GOT THAT, SOLDIER?

ALL RIGHT.

SO THAT WAS ANOTHER FAVORITE ILLUSTRATION.

GOING BACK, GOING BACK IN TIME HERE., WE'RE BACK TO THE 1930's.

THIS IS "HOW TO WORK WITH TOOLS AND WOOD."

THIS WAS PUT OUT BY STANLEY.

THIS IS GREAT.

AND IT HAS THESE WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS.

THEY'RE VERY CLEAR.

SHOWING THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD LIKE THE FUR ON A CAT,, HOW YOU ALWAYS WANT TO WORK WITH THE GRAIN.

AND THEN HAS A PHOTOGRAPH, JUST WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPHS.

HERE YOU GO.

"AH, THE WORKBENCH IS FINISHED, MOTHER."

SO THERE THEY ARE, IN THE BASEMENT SHOP.

JUST WONDERFUL THINGS.

AND THAT'S AGAIN "HOW TO WORK WITH TOOLS AND WOODS."

AND I CAN GO ON FOREVER, BUT I'VE GOT TO STOP SOMEWHERE.

THIS ONE HERE.

AUDELS.

THIS IS AUDELS, "A CARPENTER'S AND BUILDER'S GUIDE," AND HERE IT IS-- FIGURES 177 TO 182, "HOW NOT TO DRIVE A NAIL, "OR METHOD EMPLOYED BY GREENHORNS AND SOME AMATEURS.

"A--STROKE HITS NAIL.

(ACCIDENT).

"B--STROKE HITS THUMB.

"C--STROKE, OBLIQUE BLOW CAUSES HAMMER TO SLIDE OFF NAIL "AND HIT BOARD.

(FIRST DENT).

"D--STROKE, SECOND OBLIQUE BLOW BENDS NAIL.

"E--SIDE BLOW TO STRAIGHTEN NAIL.

F--APPEARANCE OF NAIL AND BOARD AFTER 'DRIVING'."

SO THIS IS JUST GREAT STUFF., AND IT GOES BACK IN TIME.

IF WE DON'T LOOK AT ILLUSTRATIONS, WHO'S IT GOING TO BE?

MOXON.

HE HAS THE EARWAX ON THE NAIL DRIVING JOKE.

WE HAVE HAYWARD, A WONDERFUL WRITER FROM THE 1950's AND 60's.

MOXON, HOLTZAPFFEL.

SO WHAT IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOK ON WOODWORKING?

WELL, OF COURSE, IF WE THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S GOT TO BE... [SPEAKING SWEDISH] "HANDBOOK OF PEDAGOGICAL SLOYD," OR AS I HAVE RIGHT HERE, "THE HANDBOOK OF SLOYD" BY OTTO SALOMON.

"HANDBOOK OF SLOYD," OTTO SALOMON.

YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF HIM, NEVER HEARD OF SLOYD.

NO ONE WAS INTENDED TO READ THIS.

THIS IS THE TEACHER'S HANDBOOK OF SLOYD,, WHICH BRINGS US TO THE QUESTION-- WHAT IS SLOYD?

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN ABOUT-- SLOYD AND OTTO SALOMON.

BECAUSE I BELIEVE HIS BOOK MADE THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN WOODWORKING, INFLUENCED US ALL ALL THROUGH TIME.

NOW, THINK ABOUT WHAT SLOYD WAS.

IT USED TO BE, IN THE EARLY DAYS-- OF COURSE, "SLOYD" IS SWEDISH.

"SLOYD" WAS THE EXPRESSION FOR THE EVENING ACTIVITY AROUND THE FIRE.

YOU'D GET AROUND THE OLD STOVE AND THE FIRE, AND IN THE EVENING, YOU WOULD MAKE THINGS.

YOU WOULD WORK THERE WITH THE KNIFE AND SHAVE DOWN, MAKE THINGS LIKE SHOVELS, MAKE RAKES, MAKE HAMMER HANDLES, AX HANDLES MAYBE FOR USE AROUND THE FARM, MAYBE FOR SALE.

YOU'D WORK WITH THE KNIFE.

YOU'D WORK THERE WITH YOUR KNIFE, MAKING THINGS AND TELLING STORIES AROUND THE FIRE.

WELL, SOMETIMES IT TAKES AN OUTSIDER TO SEE THE VALUES OF THESE THINGS, BECAUSE OTTO SALOMON WROTE "THE BOOK OF SLOYD" THERE.

HE WAS A JEWISH EMIGRE-- HE WAS BORN IN SWEDEN, BUT HIS FAMILY HAD TO GO TO SWEDEN 80 YEARS EARLIER AS EMIGRES, YOU KNOW, TO ESCAPE TROUBLE.

AND HE COULD SEE THE VALUE IN THAT OLD SLOYD,, THE OLD SWEDISH TRADITION.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

AND YOU'LL SEE IT HERE ILLUSTRATED AGAIN-- THE SWEDISH WORKSHOP SHOWN BY CARL LARSSON IN THIS IMAGE HERE.

YOU CAN SEE THE RECTILINEAR WORK BEING DONE BY THE CARPENTER, AND THEN AGAIN, THE BROKEN HAMMER--SHOVEL HANDLE RATHER HELD BY THE YOUNG FELLOW.

AND OTTO SALOMON, THIS OUTSIDER, THIS SWEDISH JEW, SAW VALUE IN THIS.

HE, YOU KNOW, SAW THE WAY EDUCATION WAS AT THE TIME THERE IN SWEDEN, WHICH WAS LIKE THE PROFESSOR UP FRONT TELLING YOU THE FACTS.

EVERYBODY WOULD RECITE THEM BACK.

AND INSTRUCTION WAS CONSIDERED LIKE STUFFING MEAT-- YOU KNOW, STUFFING FACTS, LIKE MEAT, INTO A SAUSAGE, INTO THE STUDENTS.

AND HE SAID, "MAN, THERE'S GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY."

BECAUSE WHAT WAS THE VALUE IN THESE OLD DAYS OF WORKING WITH YOUR HANDS?

YOU KNOW, IT EDUCATED THE WHOLE PERSON, AND THERE WERE VALUES BEING TRANSMITTED AT THE TIME.

SO WHAT WAS THE STORY IN THE KNIFE?

WHAT WAS THE STORY IN THE WOOD?

BUT HE SAID, WELL, IT REALLY WASN'T THAT.

IT WAS THE CHARACTER THAT YOU DEVELOPED AS YOU WORKED WITH WOOD, TELLING STORIES AROUND IT.

HE THOUGHT--AND THE WAY HE PUT IT WAS THAT EDUCATION REALLY IS WHAT YOU'RE LEFT WITH AFTER YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED IN SCHOOL.

SO THAT WAS SLOYD.

AND HE STARTED A LITTLE SCHOOL.

NOW, OF COURSE, WHO WAS AGAINST THIS?

WHO WAS AGAINST THIS?

WELL, IT WAS ALL THE OLD FARMERS, ALL THE ESTABLISHMENT TEACHERS.

THEY DIDN'T WANT THIS THING GOING ON.

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON THIS.

YOU KNOW, THEY KNEW THAT.

BUT HE REALLY SAW A VALUE, AND FORTUNATE FOR HIM, HE HAD A WEALTHY UNCLE, UNCLE ABRAHAMSON, WHO WAS IN WITH THE KING, OLAF, AND SO HE WAS ABLE TO START A SCHOOL TEACHING HIS TECHNIQUE TO TEACHERS ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

SO THIS HAD THIS GREAT INFLUENCE.

WELL, LET'S GET INTO WHAT HE WAS ABOUT.

IN HIS BOOK, HE BROKE DOWN WOODWORKING INTO EXERCISES, YOU SEE., YOU KNOW, THERE ARE EXERCISES THAT WE DO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE THEY ARE IN THIS BOOK.

WE SEE THEM, WELL, RIGHT HERE.

HERE.

THIS IS THE FIRST ONE.

"THE LONG CUT."

SO THERE IS NUMBER-ONE EXERCISE, AND SECOND IS THE CROSSCUT, WORKING ACROSS THE GRAIN.

SO HE SAID, "EACH OF THESE EXERCISES IS A FUNDAMENTAL ACTIVITY OF WOODWORKING."

SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THESE EXERCISES?

WE DON'T WANT TO DO JUST MEANINGLESS EXERCISES.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE THEM PUT INTO USE.

WE WANT PRACTICAL, BECAUSE PEOPLE LEARN FROM CONCRETE, NOT ABSTRACTION.

THIS IS AN ABSTRACT ACTIVITY.

WE NEEDED A CONCRETE ACTIVITY.

BUT WE DON'T WANT TO START TOO FAR IN.

SO HE DEVELOPED A WHOLE SYSTEM OF MODELS THAT INCORPORATED THESE EXERCISES.

NOW, THIS INFECTED PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

HERE'S THE TEXTBOOK OF "WORKING DRAWINGS OF MODELS OF SLOYD."

THIS IS BY GUSTAF LARSSON.

NOW, HE'S THE FELLOW WHO BROUGHT SLOYD INTO BOSTON.

AND YOU SEE WHERE THAT EXERCISE IN HIS VERSION, OF THE SLOYD MODELS WAS BROUGHT INTO PLAY.

SO WE HAVE THE LONG CUT HERE.

THERE'S THE EXERCISE-- THE LONG CUT BEING USED TO MAKE THE FIRST MODEL, WHICH IS A FLOWER PIN, OR SOMETHING TO HOLD THE FLOWER UP THERE.

SO HE THOUGHT THAT THIS-- THERE WAS WISDOM IN THIS KNIFE.

WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE?

WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE SELF-RELIANCE.

IT'S GOING TO BE DISCOVERY.

EVEN BRONOWSKI-- LOOK HERE.

I'M WORKING WITH THE WOOD, AND SOMETIMES IT SHAVES, AND SOMETIMES THE KNIFE GETS IN THERE.

AND THE WOOD SPLITS AHEAD OF THE KNIFE.

JACOB BRONOWSKI, IN "THE ASCENT OF MAN" SAID THAT WHEN PEOPLE FIRST STARTED SPLITTING WOOD.

THEY MADE A FUNDAMENTAL, INTELLECTUAL LEAP.

BY SPLITTING WOOD WITH THE KNIFE AND NOT THEIR THUMB.

THEY WERE ABLE TO UNCOVER THE GRAIN, THE HIDDEN STRUCTURE OF NATURE, REVEALING THE SECRETS OF NATURE AND LEARNING TO WORK WITH IT.

SO THIS LONG STROKE THAT HE WAS TEACHING EXPLORED INSIDE THE WOOD, PROBED INSIDE.

AS YOU MADE THAT FLOWER PEN, AND YOU ALSO LEARNED, "GEE, MAYBE I WANT TO GET "A DIFFERENT PIECE OF WOOD IN HERE AND ONE WITH A LITTLE BIT STRAIGHTER GRAIN."

SO THE STUDENT WOULD LEARN, STARTING WITH THE KNIFE.

IN FACT, THIS KNIFE RIGHT HERE-- THIS IS A SLOYD KNIFE, AS IT WAS CALLED.

SO THE STUDENTS-- REMEMBER, THESE ARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THEY WERE ALL GIVEN THESE KNIVES TO WORK WITH.

NOW, THERE YOU SEE PROBABLY THE FIRST OBJECTION SOME OF THE TEACHERS HAD TO THE SLOYD IN SCHOOL, BUT NEVERTHELESS, HE DID FIND GREAT ACCEPTANCE PARTIALLY BECAUSE OF HIS FLEXIBILITY IN THIS.

SOME OF THE MODELS THAT PEOPLE WERE MAKING WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, PURELY SWEDISH.

AND THEY SAID, "WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE IN ENGLAND.

"SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE THESE IN ENGLAND.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS."

HE SAID, "WE'LL COME UP WITH ENGLISH MODELS THAT REFLECT THE EXERCISES THAT WE WANT TO DO."

SO HE HAD TO BE VERY FLEXIBLE.

HE REALLY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MAKING ALL THE THINGS.

"YOU COULD MAKE ALL THE THINGS IN MY BOOK "AND STILL DO NO CHANGE TO YOUR STUDENTS.

"OR YOU CAN MAKE NOTHING IN MY BOOK "AND DO EXACTLY WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, "WHICH IS DEVELOP SELF-RELIANCE, JUDGMENT, PERSEVERANCE, A SENSE OF QUALITY."

HE SAID THAT DOVETAIL-- NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DOVETAIL, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GROW UP.

THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY TO LEARN, THIS SLOYD.

NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DOVETAIL WHEN THEY GROW UP, BUT EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM HAVING DONE IT BECAUSE THEY LEARN TO DO, WHATEVER THEY DO IN THE REST OF THEIR LIFE, TO DO IT TO STANDARDS OF QUALITY THAT THEY HAVE INTEGRATED INTO THEMSELVES, TO DO WHATEVER THEY DO, DO IT WELL.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE POINT OF SLOYD WAS.

SO LET'S DO ONE OF THE EXERCISES HERE.

I'M GOING TO DO... LET'S SEE.

I WILL DO, UM... ALL RIGHT.

NOT THIS ONE.

THIS IS THE LONG CUT.

WE'VE GOT THE LONG CUT HERE.

THERE'S THE EXERCISE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO AN EXERCISE.

WE'RE GOING TO DO A MODEL.

AND BEFORE I SHOW YOU THAT, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THESE WONDERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS IN HERE.

HERE'S THE CLASSROOM LAYOUT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THE TOOLS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

THERE'S A TOOL CABINET FOR THE INSTRUCTOR.

SO THIS IS THE TEACHER'S GUIDE HERE.

SO THERE'S THE WAY TO LAY OUT YOUR TOOL CABINET.

HERE'S THE WAY TO LAY OUT THE WORKROOM AND SOME OF THE PROJECTS TO MAKE.

BUT ALSO, HERE ARE THE WORK POSITIONS, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

HE SAID JUST, YOU KNOW, GETTING YOUR BODY-- THE WISDOM OF THE BODY AND OF THE HANDS AS IT WORKS WITH THE MATERIAL IS WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR HERE.

SO THERE'S THE POSITION IN CHOPPING.

YEAH.

AND HERE WE HAVE SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT WE'RE GOING TO DO AS WE MAKE OUR PROJECT HERE, OUR MODEL AS IT'S CALLED-- PARING.

YOU CAN SEE HOW A FELLA HERE IS PARING, AND THE POSITION IS VERY PRECISE-- LEFT HAND HOLDING THE CHISEL AND THE WOOD DOWN, WHILE THE RIGHT HAND HOLDS THE PARING CHISEL LIKE STABBING, AND THAT FIST THERE IN HIS CHEST DROPS HIS WEIGHT DOWN ON TOP OF IT.

SO THAT'S THE PICTURE OF PARING.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE BORING HERE.

AND THEN THERE'S MORE, OF COURSE.

WE HAVE THE FELLA PLANING AND THEN VERTICAL BORING.

SO A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL...

HERE'S SAWING.

AND YOU MAY LOOK AT THIS, AND YOU'LL SAY, "WELL, GOSH.

WELL, THAT'S A CONTINENTAL SAW."

WELL, HE HAS IT ADAPTED, SAYING, "LOOK, IF YOU WERE DOING THIS IN AMERICA WITH WESTERN... YOU KNOW, AMERICAN-STYLE SAWS, USE THEM INSTEAD."

BUT THEN IT ALL GOES BACK TO, AS WE SEE RIGHT HERE, THE GUY WITH THE KNIFE WORKING WITH THE GRAIN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WHAT EXERCISE ARE WE GOING TO DO?

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

IT'S IN THE APPENDIX.

SEE IF I CAN TURN TO IT.

IT'S CALLED A BENCH HOOK.

I'VE GOT ONE ON MY BENCH.

THERE GO UP TO 40 EXERCISES, AND HE WANTED YOU TO DO THESE IN SEQUENCE.

THERE IT IS.

OK.

THIS IS THE ONE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE, RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE NUMBER 12.

A BENCH HOOK IN BEECH.

AND HE HAS ALL THE STEPS HERE.

SO THIS WOULD BE THE 12th EXERCISE OF--SORRY.

MODEL THAT YOU WOULD MAKE.

AND IT HAS THE EXERCISES OF SAWING, OF CHISELING, OF PLANING THAT WE LEARNED IN THE PREVIOUS ONES.

SO IT ADDS IN NEW TECHNIQUES AS WE MOVE ALONG, WE MIGHT SAY.

SO SAW OUT A PIECE OF WOOD 30 CENTIMETERS LONG, PLANE IT DOWN, GAUGE TO THICKNESS, SAW THE HOOKS, SMOOTH IT, AND THEN BORE A HOLE THROUGH IT, AND WE'VE GOT A BENCH HOOK.

FIRST OF ALL, LET'S SEE WHAT A BENCH HOOK IS.

IF WE HAVE A BENCH HOOK, WE CAN-- AND HERE'S A BENCH HOOK RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S THAT BENCH HOOK.

WE CAN TAKE 2 BENCH HOOKS MOST HANDILY AND SET THEM ON THE BENCH, WHERE, GUESS WHAT, THEY FORM A HOOK.

SO WE HAVE 2 BENCH HOOKS.

WE CAN THEN TAKE A PIECE OF WOOD AND PUT IT UP AGAINST THERE.

WE CAN WORK UP AGAINST THAT WOOD, PERHAPS HOLD IT DOWN WITH A HOLDFAST AS WE WORK AND CHISEL, PUSHING ACROSS THIS PIECE OF WOOD.

IT'S A VERY CONVENIENT WAY TO HOLD IT, USING WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE, THE BENCH HOOK.

SO LET'S GET TO WORK ON ONE.

ALL RIGHT.

SEE IF I CAN FOLLOW-- SEE IF I DON'T GET THROWN OUT OF CLASS.

OH, MAN.

SO, WE'LL START WITH OUR WOOD, AND WE DO THE FUNDAMENTAL EXERCISES OF SAWING OUT THE BLOCK, WHICH WE LEARNED MAKING SIMPLER THINGS.

AND THE PROFESSOR, THE INSTRUCTOR, COMES ONLY TO CHECK YOUR MEASUREMENTS IN THE FIRST OF THE EXERCISES.

THEY COME AND CHECK AND SEE THAT YOU'RE WORKING THE TOOL RIGHT.

BUT OTTO SALOMON WAS VERY, VERY STRICT IN THE WAY HE WANTED TEACHERS TO RELATE TO STUDENTS.

HE SAID, "THE TEACHER TEACHES BEST WHO TEACHES LEAST."

AND HE FORBADE HIS INSTRUCTORS, HE SAID, "NEVER TOUCH THE WORK OF A STUDENT."

OTHERWISE, YOUR TEMPTATION TO DO-- "NO, LET ME SHOW YOU HOW TO DO THAT."

YOUR TEMPTATION IS TOO GREAT.

YOU CAN'T OVERCOME IT.

SO JUST MAKE A RULE.

NEVER TOUCH WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.

SO YOU WORK IT DOWN, PLANING IT.

CHECKING IT WITH THE TRY SQUARE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TRUE ON THE EDGES.

SO WE CAN DO THAT.

BRING IT DOWN TO A BLOCK.

AND THEN LAY IT OUT.

SO HERE WE GO.

WE'VE GOT THE BLOCK NOW.

I'M GOING TO PUT THE PIECE THAT I JUST STARTED ON TAKING OUT BACK IN HERE.

SO WE LAY IT OUT SQUARE AND THEN DRAW OUR DIAGONAL LINES.

SO WE'D START MEASURING THIS OUT, AND OF COURSE, HE GIVES THE MEASUREMENTS.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND MY RULE HERE.

HE GIVES IT IN CENTIMETERS.

I THINK-- YEAH, HERE WE GO.

SO HE'S TALKING ABOUT MEASURING THIS OUT IN CENTIMETERS.

SO HE'S TALKING-- HERE WE GO.

SAY WE GO 2 CENTIMETERS DOWN.

WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE A METER RULE.

THIS IS A HOOT HERE.

AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS WOULD BE GREAT.

MY FRIENDS FROM DENMARK HAD ONE AND LEFT IT WITH ME.

WELL, I DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME, THOUGH, AS I USE THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH IS IN INCHES-- THIS IS FROM DENMARK, AND IN DENMARK, THEY USE INCHES IN CARPENTRY.

I DIDN'T REALIZE AND ONLY FOUND OUT MOST EMBARRASSINGLY LATER ON THAT...

THE DANISH INCH IS JUST A BIT BIGGER THAN THE AMERICAN INCH.

SO I GUESS IF IT WAS THE KING'S KNUCKLE THAT MADE IT OUT, OLAF, HE HAD A BIG OLD KNUCKLE.

SO ANYWAY, THEY HAD BIGGER DANISH INCHES.

SO THIS IS A HOOT.

IF YOU WANT TO HAVE FUN IN THE SHOP, JUST LEAVE A DANISH-INCH CARPENTER'S RULE AROUND THE SHOP.

NEVERTHELESS, SO IT'S LAID OUT.

THE PROFESSOR WOULD CHECK THAT MEASUREMENT AND SEE IN THE EARLIEST EXERCISES, AND THEN LEAVE YOU ON YOUR OWN LATER.

SO NOW I'VE GOT TO SAW THIS DIAGONAL LINE DOWN HERE.

SEE THIS DIAGONAL LINE?

WELL, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE.

I CAN'T SAW FROM THAT END BECAUSE THAT PIECE REMAINS ON.

SO I HAVE TO SAW FROM THIS END, WHICH IS ALSO TOUGH BECAUSE IT GOES DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE.

SO WHAT I NEED TO DO IS MAKE A LITTLE SHELF RIGHT HERE.

SO I'LL MAKE A CUT HERE FOR A SHELF, CHISEL IT OFF FOR THE SAW TO FIT IN, AND THEN GO DOWN TO THE OTHER END AND MARK THIS, SAW IT DOWN.

THEN WE'LL DO THE RIPPING DOWN.

SO STEP BY STEP.

LET'S SEE IF I CAN DO WHAT... WHAT ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL KIDS-- YOU KNOW, THIS IS FOR KIDS, LIKE...

STARTING AT 9 YEARS OLD WERE SUPPOSED TO DO AND DID.

THIS TOOK OFF.

IT HAD A COMPETING SYSTEM, THOUGH.

THERE'S MY SHELF CUT.

ALL RIGHT.

DOWN ON BOTH SIDES.

NOW I'LL TURN IT AROUND AND GET THE HOOK CUT RIGHT THERE FOR OUR BENCH HOOK.

HAD A COMPETING SYSTEM-- THE RUSSIAN SYSTEM, AS IT WAS CALLED.

WHY?

BECAUSE IT CAME FROM RUSSIA.

HA HA.

AND THAT...

THERE WE GO.

AND GET THIS DOWN.

OH.

A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THERE WE GO.

LOOK AT THE OTHER SIDE.

THERE WE GO.

DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR.

THAT RUSSIAN SYSTEM WAS MORE TRAINING FOR INDUSTRY.

YOU KNOW, YOU WERE REALLY BEING TRAINED TO GO INTO A JOB AND INDUSTRY.

THIS WAS--PEDAGOGICAL SLOYD WAS INTENDED TO DEVELOP CHARACTER, YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS DEXTERITY AND OF COURSE, A KNOWLEDGE OF TOOLS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS JUST KIND OF BASIC TO BEING A FULL HUMAN BEING.

ALL RIGHT.

AND IT ALSO HAD, YOU KNOW, A SOCIAL PURPOSE, TOO.

YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY GOES OFF AND DOES SOME KIND OF ADVANCED JOB, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE HIGH IN THE... AT ONE TIME, THEY'VE WORKED WITH THEIR HANDS, AND THEY HAVE RESPECT FOR PEOPLE THAT STILL WORK WITH THEIR HANDS.

THERE'S NONE OF THIS KIND OF SNOBBY CLASS THING.

SO THIS IS PRETTY SUBVERSIVE BEHAVIOR, TEACHING THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY TO STUDENTS AND TEACHING THEM RESPECT FOR MANUAL LABOR.

OH, BOY.

HERE WE GO.

I'M PARING.

AND AGAIN YOU SEE THE TECHNIQUE I'M WORKING-- ACROSS THE GRAIN.

DOING SOME PRETTY HEAVY PARING RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO MAKE A SHELF FOR THE SAW TO GO INTO.

THERE WE GO.

ALL THE WAY DOWN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW WE'VE GOT A SHELF THERE, DONE BY PARING.

AGAIN, JUST LIKE WE SAW IN THAT PICTURE-- HOLDING THE CHISEL LIKE THAT AND THEN GRABBING THE END IN OUR FIST AND PUSHING DOWN WITH OUR CHEST DROPPING ONTO THE FOREARM.

THAT'S THE PROCESS OF PARING.

SO NOW WE'VE GOT A SHELF, AND WE NOW DO THE LONG RIPSAW.

AGAIN, ONE OF THE EXERCISES EARLIER THAT WE WILL HAVE LEARNED.

GET THE HOLDFAST AND THE BENCH HOOK, THE LITTLE BENCH HOOK OUT OF THE WAY.

I'M GOING TO SET THIS UP FOR SAWING.

AND WE'LL USE, OF COURSE, THE WESTERN, OR THE AMERICAN STYLE SAW LIKE THIS.

[BOING] AND NOT THE BOW SAW.

SO WE'LL WORK IT ON DOWN, FOLLOWING THE LINE VERY CLOSELY AS WE START.

SO I'M STARTING WITH A LITTLE NICK ON THE SIDE TOWARDS ME, TRYING TO GET CLOSE TO THAT LINE.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO DO A WHOLE LOT OF PLANING AND CHISELING AND PARING.

LET ME SHOW YOU HOW CLOSE I AM TO THAT LINE RIGHT THERE.

YOU SEE HOW I'VE GOTTEN SO CLOSE WITH THAT SAW CUT, BUT JUST DIAGONALLY ON THE SIDE TOWARDS ME.

NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT AWAY, DO THE SAME CUT, OR THE RECIPROCAL CUT REAL CLOSE, AND THEN CONSTANTLY TURN THIS PIECE.

THAT'S THE SECRET OF RIPPING, IF THERE EVER WAS ONE, ASIDE FROM HAVING A SHARP SAW... IS SAWING AT 45 DEGREES TO THE WORK, OR AT A SLOPE, NOT NECESSARILY A 45, BUT THEN STOPPING AND TURNING.

YOU'VE GOT TO STOP AND TURN.

ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU STOP... AND TURN.

THERE WE GO.

SO THIS WORK BEING TAUGHT BY THE INSTRUCTOR OF SLOYD, HAD TO BE DONE INDIVIDUALLY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE THE WHOLE CLASS CAN BE TOLD THE FACT, THEN THEY ALL REPEAT BACK THE FACT--"DA, DA, DA, DA, DA."

AND REPEATING BACK TO ONE CENTRAL AUTHORITY...

IT WAS INTENDED TO DEVELOP EACH INDIVIDUAL AS THEIR OWN AUTHORITY.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

IN FACT, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER WAS INSTRUCTED NOT TO CHECK MEASUREMENTS LATER ON, NOT TO SAY WHEN THE WORK WAS DONE AND COMPLETED TO HIS SATISFACTION.

IT WAS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT IN THE FINAL EXERCISES TO DETERMINE WHEN IT WAS DONE, WHEN IT WAS OF SUFFICIENT QUALITY TO SAY, "I HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB."

SO NOW WE'VE GOT THAT PIECE SAWN OFF.

WE'VE GOT OUR LIGHTNING BOLT OF WOOD.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PARING--OOP.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS HE TRIED TO TEACH, OF COURSE, WITH THIS WAS NEATNESS, ORDER.

YOU CAN SEE I FLUNKED THAT PART.

WE HAVE THAT ROUNDING ON THE ENDS AGAIN.

SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ROUNDING.

YOU TAKE THE PARING CHISEL,, SET IT UP AGAIN, HOLDING IT WITH THE HOLDFAST.

MAYBE A PENCIL LINE TO GUIDE YOU FOR THE ROUNDING ON THE ENDS.

AND A LITTLE BIT-- WELL, I WON'T DO A PENCIL LINE ON THAT SIDE.

BECAUSE I'D HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK OUT TO DO IT.

AND THEN HERE WE GO, SHEARING RIGHT ON DOWN.

SO IT'S SHEARING RIGHT DOWN.

SO THIS IS THAT PARING, WORKING WITH A SHARP, SHARP CHISEL.

SO THE TEACHER MUST MAKE SURE ALL THE CHISELS AND TOOLS ARE REAL SHARP.

I'M GOING TO WORK THIS AROUND.

IT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO GET SHARP JUDGMENT.

YEAH.

THERE YOU GO., SO ROUNDING THAT END OFF.

THEN WE TAKE IT AND MEASURE DOWN.

LET'S SEE.

I'LL TAKE MY LITTLE METER.

THEN GO DOWN 2 CENTIMETERS.

KIND OF WEIRD FOR ME, BUT THERE IT IS.

I THOUGHT THE WHOLE POINT OF OLD WOODWORKING WAS SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO METRIC.

3 1/2.

RIGHT THERE.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE IT AND BORE THROUGH, AND THIS IS THE EXCITING PART.

WE TAKE IT AND BORE THROUGH WITH OUR CENTER BIT, THE HANGER RIGHT THERE.

SO THIS IS GOING TO COME THROUGH, AND WHEN IT POKES THROUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE... WE'LL BORE DOWN JUST ENOUGH... ALL RIGHT.

THAT WE COME THROUGH ON THE OTHER SIDE.

TURN IT OVER, AND THERE WE ARE.

AND TEACHER, I AM GETTING SO CLOSE.

WE NOW HAVE OUR HOOK TO HANG IT UP, AND THE BUTTON COMES THROUGH.

THERE WE GO.

AND...OOP.

THERE WE ARE.

WE HAVE MADE OUR BENCH HOOK.

PROFESSOR, I'VE DONE IT.

HAVE I COMPLETED MY TASK?

"NO, SON.

HAVE YOU LEARNED ORDER, MORALITY, AND QUALITY?"

WELL, MAYBE NOT.

"WELL, LET'S KEEP AT IT."

ANYWAY, THAT'S OTTO SOLOMON ON THE "BOOK OF SLOYD."

THANKS FOR JOINING ME HERE IN "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

SO LONG.

LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE AT pbs.org.

[upbeat old-time fiddle music] ♪ MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... [WIND BLOWING] [BIRD SQUAWKS] [THUNDER] [CAR ALARM BLARING] WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS, STATE FARM HAS THE TOOLS TO GET YOU TO A BETTER STATE, PROUD SPONSOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S GUIDE: WORKING WOOD WITH WEDGE AND EDGE," AS WELL AS OTHER BOOKS ON TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, ALL PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.