In praise of hand tools.

Richard Bazeley mentioned in an email this morning, his shift of focus... directing his students in the use of hand tools rather than power tool options. There are clear advantages in the educational use of hand tools, which I'll mention even though they may be obvious to some readers.

Hand tools impart a greater sense and understanding of the material. I am reminded of an antique dealer who asked me to examine a chair he said was made in the 17th century. I looked on the underside and found planer tear-out... a large chunk missing. No hand plane could create such an obvious defect. Powerful machines act on wood without regard to the subtleties of grain direction and variation. No 17th century craftsman would have left such a defect because it would take extreme effort to mess something up so badly. It was obvious that the chair was made at a much later date... by powerful machines allowing the craftsman to act on wood in an unconscious and uncaring manner.

Which leads me to advantage number 2. The use of hand tools invites greater attention to the work and workmanship. Anyone can shove a board into a power planer in a thoughtless and disengaged manner, leading to results like those described above. But is the purpose of education to create those kinds of students, or ones well honed in their powers of attention and observation?

The third advantage (there are more that I won't take the time to discuss) is the matter of wood shop safety. You can have a room full of students standing at benches with hand saws and planes, working independently and safely. Power tools require a greater level of attention by the instructor, and all that attention needs to be applied to the matter of safety while being taken off other meaningful classroom interests like creativity and design.

I've had the idea of starting a school for young adults focusing only on the matter of quality and craftsmanship. The matters of quality and craftsmanship apply to nearly any adult endeavor, whether in delivery of goods or services. If you can attain a level of quality in anything, the process through which that skill was attained can be extended in other areas. As an example, this school might have lathes or workbenches, teach turning or bench work, and graduates would take their skills as attentive learners and apply them toward life and employment. While most schools are busy cultivating students' powers of entertainment and distraction, this school would be dedicated to raising the level of presence and attention... the powers of the hand, heart and mind to shape life and culture in more meaningful form.