NFR The ultimate in craftsmanship

SilverFly · Mar 22, 2024

NFR, but maybe we need a "cool shit" forum for stuff like this. At the very least this seems like a must watch for anyone that appreciates commitment to excellence in "craftsmanship". A term that falls far short of the true discipline, ingenuity, and science that goes into making a traditional Japanese sword.

The YouTube channel Veritasium (cool science shit) was allowed rare access to the process from smelting the iron to testing a finished sword (after annoying commercial):

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DTt6WQYtefXA&ved=2ahUKEwjg2rybpIiFAxWPMDQIHY5bAg0QwqsBegQIDxAG&usg=AOvVaw2ZSAxCPMsgrdA3qp5Y_VbB

Brian Miller · Mar 22, 2024

Cool topic!
In the "Hiking boots and a bit more" thread I mentioned the quality of the classic handmade (with machine assistance) mountaineering boots made in Europe. The 4 pair I have owned (still use my latest pair) were all produced for mass retail yet mighty fine quality. This came across my YT feed yesterday I'm sure because of research I've been doing to purchase new anatomically correct zero drop walking, training, and dress shoes, plus yardwork-light hiking boots. This video doesn't go into leather qualities and properties achieved by the tanning process and the boots' other components. However I love the craftsmanship demonstrated by this artisan to produce a classic custom handmade mountaineering boot with modern components (i.e. GoreTex liner? that I'm not really a fan of) to be used on an(other) Everest Expedition by "Explorer Young-Ho Heo who has already conquered the world's highest peak Everest 8,848m 5 times, and achieved the world's first "Adventure Grand Slam" by reaching the summits of the Three Poles, and Seven Continents' highest peaks".

Brian Miller · Mar 22, 2024

Along with my post about handmade boots, while neither are even close to the level of dedication and artistry of Japanese sword makers, while growing up my Dad worked in violin and guitar luthier shops. As a young wide-eyed guitarist I enjoyed watching them create and repair fine instruments, so another thing that fascinates me is the craftsmanship of luthiers who build handmade carved archtop guitars and violins. The process of gluing up, cutting out and hand carving quartersawn bookmatched figured maple billets for the backs and sides, and spruce billets for the soundboard (top) then hand carving and bracing the tops of guitars and violins to exacting thicknesses across their inner and outer surfaces, then more carving the tops and braces based on "tap tuning" that produces the best tonal qualities possible for each top also fascinates me. Then the intricate work of adding *binding, fancy inlays, and other adornments that create a visual work of art to match the sound quality*, then setting them up to make them playable so the musician can bring out the best of their instrument.

*Many archtop guitars have an understated appearance like the one in the video. I have and often practice on my Mom's early late 1940s- early 1950s (no-truss rod) "workingman's grade" 16" acoustic archtop with minimal adornments. My brothers and I badly abused it when we were kids so while it 'aint pretty, with fresh roundwound strings it sounds real good. I had very natural sounding dual under the soundboard acoustic pickups installed in it so with subtle amplification to make up for its smaller size it has provided me with an authentic, punchy, "timekeeping backbone" sound of bigband rhythm guitar. I have to admit I still like the bling of high-end 17"-18" vintage-style instruments though...

SurfnFish · Mar 22, 2024

My youngest son is a fan of Thursday Boot Company, handcrafted, super reasonable prices.

Zak · Mar 22, 2024

SurfnFish said:
My youngest son is a fan of Thursday Boot Company, handcrafted, super reasonable prices.

I keep seeing their ads, glad to hear about them from an actual person!

Brian Miller · Mar 23, 2024

I've got one more work of art that is Tenkara fishing related; a method of fishing I prefer and find very effective on small streams.
The crafting of "...whole (not split) cane rods made in the "Edo Wazao" tradition by an increasingly rare breed of master craftsmen known as the “wazao shokunin”

the craftsmen of the Edo region who sought out an Iki spirit for making fishing rods
wazao the traditional Japanese bamboo fishing rod

while

“shoku” 職 means work, job or labour.
“Nin” 人

and together means a person who has complete mastery over their profession

Only in the very recent modern era have the “wazao shokunin” transformed bamboo tenkara rods from the rustic survival tools used by the "Shokuryoshi" (translated professional tenkara anglers)

again, “Shoku-nin” is a "master of their profession",
“ryoshi” referred generally to professional sea-fishermen
together means professional fly fishers of mountain streams. “Shoku” is added as a way of noting mastery of their unusual skillset and mountain-survivalist-hunter-fisherman lifestyle

for at least 400 years with the beauty and artistry of ornate lacquered decoration and finishes reserved for fishing styles practiced by Japanese anglers in the highest socio-economic status.

Shinto priests do not consecrate the craftsman, the materials, and the process, but that painstaking dedication to artistry using simple hand tools is there!

Detailed written descriptions, as well as a translated & captioned video on these websites about making handcrafted rods I would like to but will likely never own.