Informant38

And the limits of power saws might be acceptable when the work is constrained by budget or design. The effectiveness of handsaws is limited by skill, and human scale. The advantage of handsaws is wield-ability. To make the most of this wield-ability, the weight and stability of cast iron must be replaced with hand - eye coordination, balance, and physical training. Although these exercises could be finished in a couple of days by someone with highly developed skills and tools, they are intended to be repeated several times over several years. The order they are presented is merely from large to small, so that no wood is wasted, and because you can see things with a big saw that are not so obvious with a fine saw. The goal is for the tools and the material to train the human being. As with all learned abilities, it is only possible to do this by making extensive redundant connections between previously unconnected levels and tissues within one's own being. Relax. Be kind. Give yourself time.

from Mark Cassel Grable's elegant site where his beautiful work can also be found, in addition this calm and living story. and the open arms of these prayers

all proceeding from a wild hair start at fine woodworking