hewing a beam the Japanese way

[DoctorSpoon]

My latest youTube offering for your entertainment ... an awesome barefoot Japanese guy hewing a beam with an enormous axe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueIB0h4SzHc
Video from our archive shot by Robin a couple of years ago. I'm sure he'll be along in a bit to tell you more...

 

[Hoodoo]

Cool vid! I'm sticking with shoes though.

Big honkin' bit on that axe!

 

[andy_e]

I'm amazed he still has all his toes - great vid.

 

[jojo]

I'd love to have his skills! But I am not going to try this That's a big axe

 

[TheGreenMan]

Very nice video, thank you

It’s interesting to note that if one wants to learn a new respect for edged tools, if that were needed, that a good way of gaining that respect is to walk around in bare feet holding the tool. I found that my bare feet felt awfully vulnerable when carrying an axe, hatchet or a knife, and that my attention automatically went to the hand holding the tool and focused on how I was holding that tool. It may be a good way to train oneself, or others, in acquiring the type of attention that is desirable when walking around holding bladed tools, or even just holding and using them.

Since I tried the bare foot thing a few times, I seem to fumble knives less frequently that I used to (which wasn’t that often, but it was still alarming when it happened, realising that a heavy knife might cut, quite easily, through foot ware).

Best regards,
Paul.

 

[StJon]

Great vid,
I't reminded me of something that I meant to post the other day, I saw RM liming a branch standing on the same side. At the time I thought, "naughty corner for Ray", but he must have been watching "Mr Steel Toes".
jon

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Cool vid! I'm sticking with shoes though.

Shoes?? I don't think they'd make much difference - steel toe caps I reckon

 

[mr dazzler]

Those jap chippies are something else, they can set out and cut perfeect mortice and tennons just by eye, there spatail awareness and hand eye coordination is well advanced. They are the best scriber's in the world. Did u notice just how casual he was working and letting the hewing axe swing? He has absolutely no fear or stress to do with sharp edge's. I did wonder if the axe would glance when it touched the knot area but he compensated by leaning or turning slightly. Interestingly the jap lad's seem to do mosty of there joinery on or near the ground, they plane board's and chop there mortice's on the floor. And they like to use there feet as work holding device's too. Westerners generally hew beam's (with an axe at any rate) that are put up on stand's so they are working at waist height, and do joinery on horses or benches at waist height.
Talking of knives in feet, I once saw a scalpel fall off a bench and land point down in the trainer of a young girl who almost fainted, she thought steelies were totally uncool up to that point

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Westerners generally hew beam's (with an axe at any rate) that are put up on stand's so they are working at waist height, and do joinery on horses or benches at waist height.

I'm just processing another bit of video from the same event which shows the German lads doing just that!

Talking of knives in feet, I once saw a scalpel fall off a bench and land point down in the trainer of a young girl who almost fainted, she thought steelies were totally uncool up to that point

 

[rancid badger]

I can understand why he might choose to go barefoot, as he will have superb grip and feel when standing on the logs. I suppose you could get somewhere near if you wore soft moccasins?
Carrying out the same task wearing safety footwear would probably be a right P.I.T.A.!
Mind you, much better than taking a few toes off or ending up with your foot in two bits!

very interesting to watch though

best wishes
R.B.

 

[Bernie Garland]

Just glad to see someone, who knows how to do something extremely well, with out the health and safety police on his case.

Bernie

 

[mr dazzler]

I'm just processing another bit of video from the same event which shows the German lads doing just that!

Are they wearing the blue velvet flares and waistcoats and the floppy trilbie hat's

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Are they wearing the blue velvet flares and waistcoats and the floppy trilbie hat's

yes! (well some of them are)

 

[Bernie Garland]

Would love to see how the Germans do it

Bernie

 

[demographic]

One thing that old joiners/carpenters sometimes say is that you're not a proper joiner/carpenter if you still have all your fingers...
I wonder if the Japanese version is toes?

 

[y0dsa]

Zen carpentry. Nice.

 

[redandshane]

Brilliant videos-Thanks
Enjoyed them so much that I showed the wife them who promptly said......
"can't you get a machine to do that"
Ho and indeed hum

 

[demographic]

Brilliant videos-Thanks
Enjoyed them so much that I showed the wife them who promptly said......
"can't you get a machine to do that"

Nah, I've never seen a machine that can walk along a beam, let alone swinging an axe whilst its doing it