{"product_id":"country-woodcraft-then-now","title":"Country Woodcraft: Then \u0026 Now","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eby Drew Langsner\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eYou can download an excerpt of this book \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/blog.lostartpress.live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Axe-Primer_Appendix-4.pdf\"\u003ehere\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn 1978, Drew Langsner released his book “Country Woodcraft” to the world, and it sparked a movement – still expanding today – of hand-tool woodworkers who make things with mostly green wood.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe 304 pages of “Country Woodcraft” showed you how to split wood from the forest and shape into anything you might need, from a spoon to a bowl, from a hay rake fork to a milking stool, a pine whisk to a dining table. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter more than 40 years, Drew has revisited this long-out-of-print and important book to revise and expand it to encompass what he has learned since “Country Woodcraft” was first released.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe result is “Country Woodcraft: Then \u0026amp; Now,” which has been expanded by nearly 100 pages and has been updated throughout to reflect what Drew has learned since 1978. Among many other additions, it includes greatly expanded sections on building shavehorses, carving spoons and making green-wood bowls.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe original book’s text is intact, and the old photos are in black and white. Throughout the book, Drew has added text, which we set in a slightly different font, to explain what he does differently now after 40 years of daily work on the North Carolina farm he shares with his wife, Louise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn many ways, the book is a delightful conversation between the younger Drew, who is happy to chop down trees with a felling axe, and the older Drew, who now uses an electric chainsaw and band saw to break down stock to conserve energy (and likely aspirin). New illustrations and color photos throughout show how Drew works now.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe most significant additions to the book include:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA detailed section on how to make your own sloyd knife from a piece of steel and block of wood – everything you need to know about shaping and heat-treating the steel. Plus how to fashion and attach the handle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAn extensive discussion of the different forms of shaving horses – the core workholding tool for this sort of work – and complete plans for the shaving horse that Drew prefers, the Z-Mule.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAn enormous section on spoon carving, which is almost long enough to be a book in and of itself. Drew shows beginners how to make their first spoon and delves into more advanced techniques, including steam-bending blanks with Curtis Buchanan.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAn almost-as-large section on carving bowls, which features many examples for inspiration.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA large chapter on the workbenches that are ideal for country woodcraft, including plans for the design that Drew prefers: a simple strong table with a laminated plywood benchtop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhat is also fascinating about “Country Woodcraft: Then \u0026amp; Now” is how much Drew has absorbed and adapted from his peers and the instructors at his Country Workshops school (which he retired from). You can feel the influence and interplay between woodworking greats such as Jennie Alexander, John Brown, Dave Fisher, Wille Sundqvist, Jogge Sunqvist and on and on.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIf you are interested in getting started in green woodworking, “Country Woodcraft: Then \u0026amp; Now” is an ideal place to begin. If you have already gotten started in spoon carving, this book can take you into areas of the craft that are surprising, delightful and useful (check out the pine wisks).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Physical Book\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“Country Woodcraft: Then \u0026amp; Now” is 404 pages (1-1\/4\" thick), printed on #80 matte coated paper for superior image reproduction. The pages are sewn and taped for durability. The whole thing is wrapped by thick boards covered with cotton cloth. This is a permanent book. Like all Lost Art Press books, “Country Woodcraft: Then \u0026amp; Now” is produced entirely in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne unusual aspect of the book is its shape. The pages are 10.5” wide and 8.5” tall, and the book is bound on the short side of the page, what some people call landscape binding. This unusual binding was what was used on the original 1978 edition and we wanted to use that same binding in the modern edition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis unusual binding, plus the large number of pages and upgraded paper (the original was printed on thin, uncoated paper) made this an expensive object to manufacture. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContents\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSafety First! vii\u003cbr\u003eUnderstanding Then and Now ix\u003cbr\u003eForeword – Then xi\u003cbr\u003eForeword – Now xiii\u003cbr\u003eAcknowledgments xv\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction – Then xix\u003cbr\u003eIntroduction – Now xxiii\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart I: THE FOUNDATION OF COUNTRY WOODCRAFT\u003cbr\u003eThe Basic Tools 2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eMaterials 32\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eFelling 40\u003cbr\u003eThe Woodshed 48\u003cbr\u003eSawbucks 60\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart II: THE WORKSHOP\u003cbr\u003eShaving Horses 64\u003cbr\u003eClubs, Mauls and Mallets 84\u003cbr\u003eFrame Saws 92\u003cbr\u003eTool Handles 98\u003cbr\u003eWedges 110\u003cbr\u003eWorkbenches 116\u003cbr\u003eA Spring-Pole Lathe 130\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart III: AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS\u003cbr\u003eHay Rakes 142\u003cbr\u003eHay Forks 152\u003cbr\u003eWheelbarrows 170\u003cbr\u003eSwiss Milking Stool 176\u003cbr\u003eA Shoulder Yoke 180\u003cbr\u003eLand Sleds 184\u003cbr\u003eBull-Tongue Plow 190\u003cbr\u003eSpike-Tooth A-Harrow 194\u003cbr\u003eField Drags 196\u003cbr\u003ePokes 198\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePart IV: HOUSEHOLD CRAFTS AND FURNISHINGS\u003cbr\u003eBrooms 204\u003cbr\u003eBark Boxes – Louise Langsner 208\u003cbr\u003eWhite Oak Basketry – Louise Langsner 214\u003cbr\u003eSpreaders, Spoons and Ladles 228\u003cbr\u003eHalf-Log Bowls 272\u003cbr\u003eTrestle Tables 312\u003cbr\u003eA Handy Bench 318\u003cbr\u003ePine Whisks 322\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAPPENDICES\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 1: Mortise-and-Tenon Joinery 330\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 2: Oil Finishes 338\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 3: Riving Thirds 342\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 4: Axe Primer 348\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 5: Stumps with Legs 352\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 6: Uses of Usually Useless Wood 356\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 7: Annotated Bibliography 362\u003cbr\u003eAppendix 8: What I’m Doing Now 366\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-bottom: 16px; float: none;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/Unknown_480x480.jpg?v=1692051582\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eBorn in Los Angeles in 1942, \u003ca rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/drewlangsner.art\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDrew Langsner \u003c\/a\u003ehas been making things all his life. An artist, craftsman and author, he has practiced traditional woodworking since 1972. In addition to six books, his writing has appeared in \u003cem\u003eFine Woodworking\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWoodwork\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eAmerican Woodworker\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eToday’s Woodworker\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eFine Homebuildin\u003c\/em\u003eg, \u003cem\u003eOrganic Gardening\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCountryside\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHarrowsmith\u003c\/em\u003e and others. He and his wife Louise founded and ran Country Workshops from 1978 to 2017, offering numerous courses in Swiss cooperage, ladder back chairmaking, Windsor chairmaking, carving bowls and spoons, and more. His most recent work includes a playful exhibition that explore his relationship with wood and its purpose, expressing his natural environment through man-made design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eYou can read more about Drew \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/blog.lostartpress.live\/2021\/01\/08\/meet-the-author-drew-langsner\/\"\u003ein our author profile\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lost Art Press","offers":[{"title":"Book","offer_id":33195988418623,"sku":"BK-COUNTRY","price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Country Woodcraft Book + PDF","offer_id":33054332059711,"sku":"BK-COUNTRY \u0026 PDF","price":65.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"PDF only","offer_id":33054330552383,"sku":"BK-COUNTRY-PDF","price":22.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0306\/3197\/files\/c.woodcraft1.jpg?v=1751315590","url":"https:\/\/lostartpress.live\/products\/country-woodcraft-then-now","provider":"Lost Art Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}