Enjoy this chat with blacksmith and tool maker, Adam Ashworth. He shares his story of woodworker-turned-blacksmith that was sparked, like many, by an obsession with green woodworking and spoon carving. He shares his insights into mastering the craft of knife making and the niche he has, pun intended, carved out for himself making sloyd knives. We discuss some of the specifics of being a self-employed craftsperson and, as always, we dive into the technical aspects of his craft, most notably Adam's recent foray into the ancient craft of metal etching. We hope you enjoy this chat!Share The Showwww.sloydcast.comFollow us on instagramFOLLOW ADAMhttps://www.instagram.com/adamashworth97/https://www.ashandiron.co.uk/
We're back with our first in-person guest, Zach Chrisinger. We hear his story of going from first time carpenter to full-fledged green woodworker and how he fell in love with the pole lathe. We discuss the pros & cons of learning from the internet, being on social media, and what really drives Zach to pursue and hone his craft. We get into the finer details of teaching green woodworking skills as well as our usual foray into the nitty gritty of tools and the accessories skills required to master pole lathe turning. It was a real pleasure to have Zach down for the first in-person chat!PLEASE NOTE: Being our first time recording 3 people in the same room, the audio is not the most stellar we've put out, but with a little finessing it turned out OK. We hope you can look past this and enjoy the contents of the chat!Share The Showwww.sloydcast.comFollow us on instagramFOLLOW ZACHhttps://www.instagram.com/chrisingers.cutshttps://www.chrisingerscuts.com/MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEhttps://www.mainecoastcraft.comhttps://www.instagram.com/thebodgingbigfootllc/
We are back! And joined by the one and only spoon carving, coppiced Christmas tree growing maverick, Emmet Van Driesche. We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, starting by learning about Emmet's journey to becoming a full-time spoon carver, to the trials and tribulations of making a living using social media. We discuss his unique path as a professional spoon carver, how he brought his skills as writer to create Spoonesaurus magazine and his three books and how craft and spoon carving contributes to one's mental wellbeing. Emmet also shares some insights into his workflow, what inspires him to keep progressing and growing his business, and how he manages his unique Christmas tree farm. + more!Share The Showwww.sloydcast.comFollow us on instagramShare the show!FOLLOW EMMEThttps://www.instagram.com/emmet_van_drieschehttps://www.emmetvandriesche.com/https://www.instagram.com/spoonesaurus/https://www.spoonesaurus.com/
Mike & I hosted a small informal gathering here in Sedalia, VA the weekend before the summer solstice. A great group of local sloyd enthusiasts gathered and we carved, cooked, swam, and pole lathe turned for a couple days. This is a short bonus episode introducing everyone who was there. Enjoy!
Join us for this chat with crafty axe maker Julia Kalthoff. We learn about her lifelong craft journey from her mother's fabric store to working for Wetterlings. We get into all of the the details of the inception and production of the axes she makes--from the long process of refining each aspect of the design and production, to the rigorous refinement of the metallurgical alchemy of tool making, to some of the finer points of grind geometry, fitting the handles and more. We also touch on the subject of preserving a strong and healthy body whilst pursuing handcraft beyond the hobby scale. And she offers a refreshing to our famous last question... We really enjoyed speaking with Julia, she is a wealth of knowledge and experience!Share The Showwww.sloydcast.comFollow us on instagramShare the show!FOLLOW JULIAhttps://www.instagram.com/kalthoffaxes/ https://www.kalthoffaxes.se/ Mentions from the episode:Beth MoenWetterlingsHultaforsGransfors BruksCopy lathe in actionHandle horse
Join us for this lively conversation with none other than Zed Shah. We get into a wide range of topics, learning about Zed's inroad to bushcraft, spooncarving and the broader sloyd world from his background in social work and marketing. We explore how the geographical & cultural distinctions influence craft in different parts of the world, and in particular why the UK is such a hub. We learn about Zed's journey as a film maker and the evolution of his approach to documenting the craftspeople and skills he documents and shares, the influence of social media on craft, the importance of photography and marketing for craftspeople, the value of developing skills vs buying expensive tools, and a bunch of other little side discussions along the way. Towards the end, Zed shares nuggets of marketing wisdom, which leads to a future episode concept! All around, a really fun and engaging chat with a little bit of something for everyone. Future Episode Concept Have any burning marketing or media questions? Want to hear from Zed on them? Send your questions to us and we'll compile them for a topic-focused Q&A episode with Zed in the near future. Send questions to contact@sloydcast.com www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW ZED https://www.youtube.com/c/Zedoutdoors https://zedoutdoors.com/ www.zedtutorials.com Keep an eye on: www.spoontemplates.com Mentions from the episode: Ray Mears Not Just Bikes Spoonfest Werner Fuchs Sharif Adams Pro Camera by Moment Classic Hand Tools Spoontown UK Yoav Elkayam
Join us for this engaging chat with Mark Krawczyk—Renaissance man of permaculture, wood craft, and agroforestry. We delve into his journey from college to study permaculture with Bill Mollison in the early 2000’s which eventually lead him to the UK to learn from the likes of Ben Law, Mike Abbott, and back to the states to intern with Drew Langsner. We explore the finer points of greenwood working in the tradition of chair-making, hickory bark harvesting, and seat weaving—then into the principles and practices of coppice agroforestry and his upcoming book Coppice Agroforestry: Tending Trees for Product, Profit, and Woodland Ecology. We finish it off with an insightful discussion on the tenets of managing a woodland from a holistic perspective. All in all, a wonderful chat! Mark is an amazing wealth of knowledge and experience. Enjoy! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW MARK https://www.valleyclayplain.com/ https://www.keylinevermont.com/ http://www.rivenwoodcrafts.com/ Pre-order his book: http://www.coppiceagroforestry.com/ Mentions from the episode: Helen & Scott Nearing Ben Law Ben Law Grand Designs Mike Abbott Brookhouse Woods Harvesting Hickory Bark Make a Chair from a Tree by Jennie Alexander Woodlanders Docu-series Woodlands by Oliver Rackham Forestry Prism Eric Sloane
Join us for this chat with the amazingly talented coppice and green woodworker Rosie Rendell. We learn about her journey from gardener to coppice woodworker and the burgeoning businesses she has built since. She gives us a lesson in what coppicing is, what hedgelaying is, and some of the basic principles and practices that define these crafts. We learn about the seasonal flow of her work and get a sense of how deeply connect her work is to the ecosystem, her raw material, and the ancient crafts she is carrying into the future. We top it off discussing her new endeavor producing charcoal and how important this process and product is for closing the loop of a coppice woodworking profession. Last but not least, we flesh out how important it is to remember that these crafts are as much a part of the constellation of sloyd practices as spoon carving or bowl turning. We hope you enjoy this chat! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW ROSIE https://www.instagram.com/the_coppiced_wood_company/ https://www.instagram.com/wildwoodcharcoal/
Join us for this chat with the multi-talented craftsman Lee Stoffer. We get into Lee’s first introduction to green woodworking and sloyd via the illustrious Mike Abbott, how he went from the pole lathe to spoon carving to tool making and leather work. We learn about how he came to develop his now celebrated spoon scorp. And we also get into the weeds on some of the finer points of being a self employed crafts person, marketing our craft, how social media fits into the life and business of craft, and much more. Lee is passionate about his craft and lifestyle that surrounds it, and shares his knowledge with humility. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we did chatting!www.sloydcast.comFollow us on instagramShare the show!FOLLOW LEEhttps://www.instagram.com/stoffercraftLee's YoutubeMentions from the episode:Mike AbbottBrookhouse WoodsSvante DjarvDavid Fisher’s bowl horseNic WestermannRiver & Journey KnivesPaul AdamsonMagnus SundelinWayne BartonSean HellmanZed OutdoorsJill SwanMartin DamonWerner Fuchs
Join us for this wonderful chat with the one and only, Magnus Sundelin aka Sloyd Magnus. We get into the lifelong journey of sloyd for Magnus, starting with whittling in the woods alongside his grandfather, and the long circuitous path that lead him to where he is today as part crafts teacher, green woodworker and tool maker. We get deep into the philosophy of what sloyd means to Magnus, to culture, and to humanity at large. We get into the weeds with his passion for blacksmithing and tool making and his approach to designing and making the best tools he can. We also learn about Magnus' favorite type of music and how that has imprinted his work in an iconic way. Magnus is a humble and talented craftsman with a deep connection to the craft, it's lineage, nature, and the future of it going forward. We hope you enjoy this chat!www.sloydcast.comFollow us on instagramShare the show!FOLLOW MAGNUShttps://www.instagram.com/sloydmagnus/Mentions from the episode:Mocotaugan (Bent Knife) BookNic WestermanAdrian LloydSpoonfestScottish Spoon HoolieTäljfestJane Mickelborough
Join us for a lovely chat with the savvy sloyder, Fred Livesay. We learn about his journey through the realms of handcraft starting from the ripe young age of 7, and the decades of exploration and experience he's embarked on since. We chat about the deep influence of Scandinavian wood working tradition in his work, the philosophy of handcraft and handmade utilitarian objects, immigrant culture and mindsets regarding materials, and some of the finer points of what it means to be a craftsperson beyond the realms of social media and internet algorithms. We also get some history on the beginning of folk schools and the history of North House Folk School. It's a sneak peek into Fred's mind, with heaps of subtle wisdom from a skilled craftsman who has spent most of his life immersed in the realms of working wood by hand. www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW FRED https://www.instagram.com/hand2mouthcrafts/ Mentions from the episode: Frederick Grundvig and the beginning of folk schools Danebod Folk School Video about Danebod Folk School Vesterheim Tensegrity Oak: The Frame of Civilization Martin Hazell on St. Peter Damian Mike Loeffler Fred's class at Vesterheim later this summer: Unraveling the Knot Basket: Investigating the Scandinavian Knutkorg
Join us fo this information packed chat with the maestro of metal, Reid Schwartz. We learn about his journey from art school to cabinet shop and his passion for metal working that was sparked early on, the video of a Russian ladle carver that blew his mind, his experience learning to make birch bark canoes, and the slew of friends, figures, and mentors who inspired him along the way. Reid is a fantastic storyteller and shares insights into what drives him and his approach to tool making and craft, plus we get a bit more technical at the end for those wishing to take a deeper plunge. www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW REID https://www.reidschwartz.net/ https://www.instagram.com/reidschwartz/ Mentions from the episode: Tim Manney César's Canoe Wood Tools Jean-José Tritz Tool Making for Woodworkers
Join us for a lovely chat with the Godfather of Green Woodworking in the UK, none other than Mike Abbott. We hear about Mike's journey to the craft starting in the early 1980's and the long winding road that led him to establishing Living Woods Training in 1985. He shares countless stories of all the folks he has met along the way, inspiring, guiding, and encouraging him to forge ahead preserving and passing on dying skills and traditions. It's a recount of 30+ years building a green woodworking movement, teaching hundreds of students , and establishing a far flung legacy. We really enjoyed our chat with Mike and are excited to capture and share his story. Enjoy! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW MIKE https://goingwiththegrain.org/ Youtube and now, Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/abbottslivingwood/ Mentions from the episode: Tamsin Abbott Nick Gibbs Quercus Magazine Woodland Crafts in Britain by Herbert Edlin St Fagans National Museum of History Traditional Spooncarving in Wales by Gwyndaf Breese Welsh Stick Chairs by John Brown Drew Langsner Jack Hill Dave Sawyer Stuart King Don Weber Jennie Alexander Mike Abbott’s transhumance Veritas Tapered Tenon Cutter The Lumber Horse Daniel Mack Owen Jones Nick Abbott
Join us for this in-depth conversation with bowl turner, spoon carver, and all-around crafty fellow, Owen Thomas. He shares his journey from commercial woodworker to sloyd craftsman over the past decade—we learn about the initial exposure that sparked his interest, his time learning from Mike Abbott, apprenticing with Barn the Spoon, and creating a livelihood as a green woodworker. We got into his unique approach to spoon carving, his passion for the pole lathe, and his venture into increasing his production of turned objects using a Japanese-style electric lathe. This chat covers a lot of ground and gives you insight into Owen's passion for his craft. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have. www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Share the show! FOLLOW OWEN https://www.owenthomaswoodcraft.com/ https://www.instagram.com/owenthomaswoodcraft/ https://www.youtube.com/owenthomaswoodcraft Mentions from the episode: Mike Abbott Ben Orford Robin Wood Barn the Spoon
Enjoy this chat with the inimitable Yoav Elkayam. He shares the story of his journey into green woodworking and pole lathe turning and all of the places, experiences, and people that helped him along the way. We get into some of the nitty gritty of making a living as a craftsperson in the modern age, the challenges and benefits of social media, his life at Brookhouse Woods—where he, his partner, and daughter live in an off-grid cabin—and a whole slue of tangential subjects. We also delve into some of the details of end grain pole lathe turning, tools of the trade, pole lathe hook making, wood finishes, and so on. It was a real treat to get this chance to speak with Yoav and for him to share so much! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram FOLLOW YOAV https://www.instagram.com/yoav.kafets/ https://yoavkafets.bigcartel.com/products Mentions from the episode: Brookhouse Woods Spoonfest Mike Abbott Robin Wood Jane Mickelborough Sharif Adams Adam Hawker
We are excited to share this conversation with the godfather of sloyd, Jögge Sundqvist. We learn about his upbringing with his father, the rightfully celebrated Willie Sundqvist, his journey from rockstar to sloyd master, how his alter ego Surolle came to life, the ethnology of the term sloyd and it’s ancient colloquial roots, what his life is like as a professional craftsman, and much more! It was a joy and honor to have this time to chat with him and we hope you all enjoy it! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram FOLLOW JÖGGE www.surolle.se https://www.instagram.com/surolle/ Jögge and Willie's Books Slöjd in Wood Swedish Carving Techniques Mentions from the episode: Documentary about Willie Sundqvist: The Spoon, The Bowl, The Knife Wille Sundqvist and Bill Coperthwaite Slöjd Fellowship Beth Moen Magnus Sundelin Björn Svantesson Anja Sundberg
Enjoy this chat with green woodworker extraordinaire Jarrod Dahl. We talk about his journey into green woodworking, how he helped propel spoon carving with his Scandinavian influence, pioneered pole lathe turning in the US, his foray in Japanese traditional wood turning techniques and how his philosophy and trajectory have changed over the years. It's a snippet of the breadth of Jarrod's experience and wisdom, with lots of details for all skill levels. We'll definitely be having Jarrod back in the future to discuss all that we didn't have time to get into with this episode! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram FOLLOW JARROD www.instagram.com/jarrod__dahl www.instagram.com/woodspirithandcraft www.woodspirithandcraft.com Youtube Mentions from the episode: Tom Dengler Fred Livesay Milan Spoon Gathering Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture Tomio Imaru Jarrod's Japanese Lathe: here and here Videos about urushi laquer: one, two, three Jarrod's Japan Travels: Japan! The Three Week Craft Adventure Urushi Lacquer Japan - Gifu and Urushi Japan - Kobe and Miki City Japan - Kyoto and Takayama VALUE FOR VALUE If you enjoy Sloydcast, please show us some love by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts, share the show, and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Every bit helps spread the word and the sloyd!
Join us for this month’s episode where we chat with the one and only, Barn The Spoon. This was a lovely chat where we covered a lot of ground and got to know a lot more about Barn’s journey as a greenwood worker and spoon carver. From his first taste of wood working with a lathe in his parent’s garage, to walking around and carving spoons as a traveling spoon peddler, to his infamous London spoon shop, and much more. We get to hear about Barn’s philosophy, what inspires him and fuels his passion for his work. Many know and love Barn, and we truly enjoyed having some time to get to know him and share it with you all. www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram FOLLOW BARN Instagram www.barnthespoon.com Green Wood Guild Spoon Club Mentions from this episode: Tim Sanderson Tom Hepworth Ben Law’s handmade home River Cottage Mike Abbott Say it with Wood Grain and Knot Adrian Lloyd Anna Casserly Adam Hawker Sams Spoons Nic Westermann VALUE FOR VALUE If you enjoy Sloydcast, please show us some love by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts, share the show, and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Every bit helps spread the word and the sloyd!
Enjoy this chat with spoon carver, pole lathe turner and all around crafty woman, Amy Leake. You may know her as Woodmungler on facebook and Instragram, and we learn why that is. We also learn about her path to green woodworking, what inspires her, and about the techniques she uses to make her wares. Not to mention, we learn what mudlarking is, what a brooch is, and get context for what it's like to be a green woodworking who lives in a seaside English village. She is humble and gracious with her knowledge which makes for an enjoyable conversation. www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram FOLLOW AMY Instagram www.woodmungler.co.uk Amy on the cover of Spoonesaurus magazine: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-W8Y82DC5L/ Mentions from the episode: Algirdo Juškevičiaus—comb maker and green woodworker in Lithuania: Algirdo amatai Fritiof Runhall Ted Sandling London Mudlark VALUE FOR VALUE If you enjoy Sloydcast, please show us some love by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts, share the show, and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Every bit helps spread the word and the sloyd!
We have a lovely chat with blacksmith, toolmaker and pole lathe turner Matty Whittaker. We dive deep into the lifestyle of a small-holder in rural England, Matty's long journey into the world of green woodworking, managing a woodland, and the philosophy that fuels him. We also touch on the more technical, getting a peek into Matty's tool making process and work space. Overall, a lovely chat! www.sloydcast.com Follow us on instagram Follow Matty on Instagram: www.instagram.com/matty.whittaker Matty's Toolmaking Video: Forging a bowl lathe hook for nesting bowls VALUE FOR VALUE If you enjoy Sloydcast, please show us some love by subscribing wherever you listen to podcasts, share the show, and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast app. Every bit helps spread the word and the sloyd!