"Knife wall"

[James Waldron]

Among many others, I have an automatic feed of the Sellers blog; he posts most days. Without commenting on knifewall issues, I have observed that in the last time, since he moved to Oxford, he seems to post more and more "editorial" content on the "real meaning of woodworking" types of posts, waxing philosophic and nostalgic. Maybe he doesn't have enough instructive content to fill his blog on a daily basis. Maybe he's getting on in years and feeling his mortality. Maybe he's surrounded himself with so many minions running his expanded empire that he has a lot less to do and needs to fill the time. Who knows.

Some of it is of at lease passing interest, some not. It's his blog and his pence that pays for it; it's his prerogative. I find it distracting. A bit too narcissistic. Not what I'm there for.

I find I'm paying less and less attention to what he posts.

[Simon MacGowen]

I find I'm paying less and less attention to what he posts.

Same feeling here. I scan the title, and click if it is something I am interested in. He is very long-winded in writing, and often, I leave after reading the first or two paragraphs after knowing the content is not for me. His plywood workbench posts or videos are something I chose to avoid. What next? Another workbench...built of laminated boards?

Simon

[david charlesworth]

Deep knife and gauge lines are incredibly useful, for getting a crisp result. I was shown the chisel used as a knife technique about 46 years ago, by a restorer in Kendal.

I have been teaching this for many years.

Seems to me that the worst thing about Paul is his obsession with the No. 4 Plane.

The concept of trying to build a flat bench with one of these, seems like madness. As does morticing with the work held in the vice.

He has much sound advice and some that is dreadful.

best wishes,
David Charlesworth

[George Wall]

Same feeling here. I scan the title, and click if it is something I am interested in. He is very long-winded in writing, and often, I leave after reading the first or two paragraphs after knowing the content is not for me. His plywood workbench posts or videos are something I chose to avoid. What next? Another workbench...built of laminated boards?

Simon

Some of his blog posts are rambling monologues without much direction. His videos, both free and paid, are much better.

Deep knife and gauge lines are incredibly useful, for getting a crisp result. I was shown the chisel used as a knife technique about 46 years ago, by a restorer in Kendal.

I have been teaching this for many years.

Seems to me that the worst thing about Paul is his obsession with the No. 4 Plane.

The concept of trying to build a flat bench with one of these, seems like madness. As does morticing with the work held in the vice.

He has much sound advice and some that is dreadful.

best wishes,
David Charlesworth

Sellers focuses on the #4 as the best plane for a beginner to start with. He has a point; used #4's are widely available and inexpensive. Even premium #4's are not too expensive. He also sometimes uses a #5 and even mentions a #5 1/2 as also being useful if a user is looking for a larger plane. But he uses the 4 most in his videos to show the new woodworker how to best use it. He seems to like flattening his bench top with the #4, though, calling it a great workout.

EDIT: Unlike Paul, I do use the ruler trick on my plane blades. Thanks so much, Dave, for your excellent videos on sharpening and techniques.

[lowell holmes]

I think this group is hostile to anything about Paul Sellers. I attended classes at Homestead Heritage in Waco Texas when he was there.
He is a christian gentleman and the best woodworker I have ever seen.

[Bruce Haugen]

He is a christian gentleman and the best woodworker I have ever seen.

That may be. You should check out these guys

And these guys

[Simon MacGowen]

I think this group is hostile to anything about Paul Sellers. I attended classes at Homestead Heritage in Waco Texas when he was there.
He is a christian gentleman and the best woodworker I have ever seen.

People do have different takes on him, or, for that matter, on any other woodworkers brought up for discussion here or elsewhere. Sellers as a teacher is way better than many others, because he is able to break down a complex task into many smaller ones, and small ones into mini-steps (think Norm Abram). He is also very good at understanding beginners' struggles (which he might have observed when he took on his apprentices), and knows what to focus on in some of his videos. No other online teachers can compare to him in terms of teaching effectiveness.

But anyone who has browsed his posts and comments would not miss the point that he is not very open to any other techniques or methods that he doesn't use or advocate. For example, had he not been using a router like a marking gauge, I am pretty sure he would have labelled such practice as anything but good.

Simon

[Tony Zaffuto]

I think this group is hostile to anything about Paul Sellers. I attended classes at Homestead Heritage in Waco Texas when he was there.
He is a christian gentleman and the best woodworker I have ever seen.

I don't read it that way at all Lowell, though there may be some poking at his idiosyncracies (which we all have). I would love to see Paul post here.

[Chris Parks]

Among many others, I have an automatic feed of the Sellers blog; he posts most days. Without commenting on knifewall issues, I have observed that in the last time, since he moved to Oxford, he seems to post more and more "editorial" content on the "real meaning of woodworking" types of posts, waxing philosophic and nostalgic. Maybe he doesn't have enough instructive content to fill his blog on a daily basis. Maybe he's getting on in years and feeling his mortality. Maybe he's surrounded himself with so many minions running his expanded empire that he has a lot less to do and needs to fill the time. Who knows.

Some of it is of at lease passing interest, some not. It's his blog and his pence that pays for it; it's his prerogative. I find it distracting. A bit too narcissistic. Not what I'm there for.

I find I'm paying less and less attention to what he posts.

That about sums it up, he has done WW a huge service in helping to introduce technique and methods to many people but his philosophical ramblings leave me cold.

[Frederick Skelly]

Geez, this place is gettin' to be a really tough audience. In the last year we've had a grumbly threads on Schwartz, a couple really ugly posts about Charlesworth and now we have a "crap on Paul Sellars" thread?

But why all the vitriol every single time? Do they have egos? YES!!!!!! Celebs often develop big egos. But if you think one of them is full of crap, ignore them.

I just don't get it. SMC is such a great group of people, but we do this anti-your-favorite-celebrity routine a lot.

(Stepping off soapbox now.....)

[Chris Parks]

I didn't read the thread in that light at all and I thought PS got due regard for his woodwork teaching but he is a failure (for me) as a philosopher. I think he is a born teacher, one of those that can remember what it was like for him when he was learning and that is a point a lot of teachers in any profession forget.

[John Schtrumpf]

Paul Sellers is a good teacher and gives away a lot for free. As for his philosophy, well he is from the hippie age more or less (I'm from the dazed and confused age).

[Chris Parks]

Us Hippies have got to stick together.

[Stewie Simpson]

I would love to see Paul post here.

Tony; seriously, why would Paul Sellars want to associate himself with SMC.

Stewie;

[Simon MacGowen]

Tony; seriously, why would Paul Sellars want to associate himself with SMC.

Stewie;

Or Chris Schwarz, or Rob Cosman (both used to), etc.

Simon