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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Tool Sweeps and Beer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>In the history of wood carving, the disparity of
sweeps is a only a fairly recent problem, because few European carvers would
"mix and match" their tools as many American carvers do today. As recently
as 40 years ago there were many tool makers spread throughout Europe.
Tools were made in Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, in small local factories that
made tools only for the carvers in the area. Liken that to the small
breweries that were once spread through the small towns, before the national
breweries took over and made a standard brew available
everywhere. The tools were made largely by hand, each hand forged and hand
ground in the tradition of the local factory. The sweep of the tool was
set at the forge, and fine-shaped by the grinding wheel. There was no
drive to standardize the sweeps across the various countries because there was
very little intermixing of the different brands. A carver in an area used
the tools manufactured there. At any rate, it's unlikely that the independent
factories would throw out their tried and true forms and wheels to make their
sweeps match the competition's or even see the need for a universal
standard.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Only relatively recently, with the disappearance
of most of the local factories, have the carvers had access to
several tool brands with their varying sweeps. In America,
where tools are imported from many different countries, the disparity is
more of an issue than in Europe where the carvers still mostly use the tools of
their region.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Standardization will automatically happen as fewer
and fewer factories supply more and more of the tools, just as now a few
breweries supply the same "standardized" beer everywhere.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Drink Up!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>Ivan Whillock Studio<BR>122 NE 1st
Avenue<BR>Faribault, MN 55021<BR>Visit my website at<BR><A
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=thewoodcraftshop@mchsi.com
href="mailto:thewoodcraftshop@mchsi.com">Larry Yudis</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 03, 2009 11:37 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=woodcarver@carverscompanion.com
href="mailto:woodcarver@carverscompanion.com">'[Woodcarver]'</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Woodcarver] So many tools ... so many differences
...</DIV></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>Hey Corey,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>Good observations on your eclectic assortment of
tools. I tend to agree with most of what you've
said.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>The one thing you would think would be standardized in the
industry would be the sweeps of tools. You can take a #5 in Ashley Iles,
Henry Taylor, Stubai, Flexcut, Two Cherries, Marples, Sculpture House,
Ramelson, Warren, Denny, etc. etc. etc. ... and find differences in the sweeps
between them. Some will match, where others might be considerably
different.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=015351316-03072009><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>You've just have to find the tools that suit you best and
stick with them.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<P><FONT size=2>Larry (BIG DOG) Yudis<BR>The Woodcraft Shop<BR>2724 State
St<BR>Bettendorf, IA
52722<BR>800-397-2278<BR>www.thewoodcraftshop.com<BR><BR>Carol and Larry
Yudis, Show Chairs<BR>International Woodcarvers Congress<BR>Affiliated Wood
Carvers, Ltd.<BR>PO Box 104<BR>Bettendorf, IA 52722<BR>563-359-9684
(days)<BR>563-355-3787 (evenings)<BR>www.awcltd.org<BR><BR></FONT></P>
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