Chris Swarz surfaced at Highland Woodworking.

[William Fretwell]

Well as my beautiful blonde Dutch penfriend (Elsan) used to say 40 years ago, “no one speaks Dutch anymore!”. English was their country’s language.
Chris’s target audience may be the hobbyist woodworker speaking English but what is his market penetration? Many years ago I remember seeing his coffee table workbench book in a store, bit like eating an ice cream. Tage Frid is the only name that has influenced my actual work.

[Simon MacGowen]

I had no idea my post about Chris Swarz would evolve into this string.
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Your thread is really great, as it has generated discussions as well as exchanges of opinions (in a civilized manner). I like seeing people not being pressured or intimated into conforming.

One more time: It's Schwarz, please.

Simon

[James Pallas]

As I said, smart man. 92 posts plus some deleted ones since 12/10. Name on top. Good play Chris. My guess would be that he knows what's here and has a smile.
Jim

[Jim Koepke]

In America, most people want more for themselves than a subsistence level wage. Americans as a whole don't value the skilled trades like they once did.

In the U.S. a person who makes pallets all day is likely classified as a woodworker. Would a carpenter also fall into the classification?

As far as valuing the skilled trades, most young people tend to buy their home furnishings from stores like Ikea.

Until a half century ago, radios and televisions were a piece of furniture, often with a wooden case.

Now days if a person wants a better piece of furniture in their home, they either have to be pretty well off or make their own.

Chris Schwarz makes mistakes like the rest of us. He has done a lot to inspire others to give things a try. Anyone else remember the days when he could drive the prices of second hand tools up by mentioning them in his writings?

His method and personality is more appealing to me than that of someone who first tries to convince me of a need to purchase a new blade or tool he is promoting.

Even the "celebrity woodworkers" who do not appeal to me have taught me some things.

BTW, if my memory is working Chris Schwarz has taught classes in Germany and France.

jtk

[Kory Cassel]

I wonder how many of them go on to make a career out of it? Is it possible in the US to start a furniture making company without any formal training or having acquired certificates/diplomas from a state recognised trades school to let people know you know what you're doing?

Jessica, the question as to why craftsmen in the States don't need certificates to sell their products goes all the way back to the founding of the country and our repressed trade by taxations and English law. It's a long story but it boils down to this: If you are not physically hurting someone or polluting the environment, you can make and sell almost anything that anyone is willing to buy. It's kind of a buyer beware situation, but the market will correct itself. A short time of making bad products will close a business in the States. I would like to keep it that way because our secondary education, like formal training in woodworking, is more expensive than many can afford. If our educational systems were different, an enforced guild of some kind might work. The opportunity to produce a finished product and bring it to market is a big part of why we fought for independence.

[Pete Taran]

With all this talk of Professional Woodworkers, I thought I would post a short snippet of a Professional Woodworker I greatly admire, namely my Grandfather, Louis Gansell. He was born in 1893 and was a true professional. The picture attached is of a carving he did in 1923 for the Glasboro Normal School, located in NJ. It was 29 feet long and 6 1/2 feet tall and was carved in 19 days. It shipped complete in a boxcar. The woman in the carving was modeled after his wife and my Grandmother, Florence. You will notice him wearing a tie in the photo. He only went to School through the 8th grade and taught himself to carve by whittling with his pocket knife. While Louis passed in 1979 when I was but a youngster, I think of him often.

A Real Pro.jpg

[Frederick Skelly]

Great story and beautiful work Pete!

[Pete Taran]

I thought I would see if his carving still exists. It does! Part of Rowan University.
bunce-hall-2.jpg

[Mel Fulks]

Pete, great piece,and interesting family history. Is that material wood with gesso,or what? It is so smooth and white.

[Pete Taran]

I'm sure it was pine. Maybe poplar. Something easy to carve. Just imagine carving that in 19 days. Hard to imagine.

[Kory Cassel]

So nice on the fabric detail. Gotta love that 20s style hat on the right! Maybe if I had a state recognized diploma...no not this lifetime. Oh well

I doubt Chris Schwarz can teach someone to carve like that, but he can inspire people to get into the craft and learn for themselves all that their natural talent can bring to it!

[Hasin Haroon]

Clearly we all have too much time on our hands...

[Bruce Page]

Very cool family history, Pete.

Here's another picture of your grandfather's carving. It could use some touch up paint.
Interesting that the figure on the right lost the bonnet.

[Pete Taran]

Seems like you can just make out the line where the bonnet still is, although the folks who painted it decided to make it hair colored. Appreciate the share. I've had that clipping from the Grit for years that my mother gave me, and it even was on the back cover of the Fine Tool Journal back in the day, but never googled to see if it was still around. I guess I imagined it would have been torn down and termite food by now. Very happy it still survives.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

With all this talk of Professional Woodworkers . . . “

I approve of this hijack. Thanks for posting.