An Unusual Retirement

In 2015 I spent several days interviewing plane maker Karl Holtey for a profile which would be later published in the June 2016 issue of Popular Woodworking. That piece is one of the articles I’m most proud of. At the time of that interview, Karl had announced his impending retirement. He and I stayed in touch, and occasionally discussed doing a “post-retirement” follow up. The December 2020 issue of Popular Woodoworking is now available digitally, and carries the post-retirement interview with Karl, including discussion of his new plane – the 985 smoother.

Karl Holtey profile in Handplane Essentials

Over the past 5 years I’ve found the first edition of Chris’ book Handplane Essentials to be an invaluable reference, so when he announced last year that he was working on a revised second edition I knew I would have to pick up a copy. What I didn’t realise, until an eagle-eyed reader at EWS 2017 told me, was that along with a lot of new content by Chris the 2nd edition of Handplane Essentials also contains my profile on Karl Holtey.

My copy arrived last week, and although I have only had a brief opportunity to flick through it so far, my first impressions are that the second edition builds on what was already an excellent body of reference material. To have one of my articles included in this collection is a real thrill, and I’m looking forward to stealing some time to read the new edition in depth. Handplane Essentials can be found in the Popular Woodworking store here.

Karl Holtey, Plane Pioneer

If you’re not already a regular reader of Popular Woodworking magazine then shame on you. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t read my article on plane making legend Karl Holtey – the full article (from the June 2016 issue) is now available to on read on the Popular Woodworking website free of charge. So if you are interested in one of the most important tool makers of our time, point your browser: here.

Karl Holtey in his Highland workshop

 

Over the Wireless in Unexpected Places

So here’s another announcement I’ve been patiently waiting to make.

Last October I took a trip up to the Scottish Highlands and spent two days with storied plane maker Karl Holtey, and his wife Claire. Karl is in the process of finishing his final run of planes, after which retirement beckons. The purpose of my fieldtrip was to interview Karl on his career, processes, and plans for retirement, for an article for Popular Woodworking (my very first for PW).

The June issue of Popular Woodworking has now been unveiled, and you can read the introduction to my article on the PW website here.  In addition to the interview with Karl, the article also includes interviews with Wayne Anderson, Raney Nelson, Konrad Sauer, and Chris Schwarz.

The PW June issue is in stores from 26 April, and I am looking forward to it very much.

And before you ask, no, this is not some elaborate April Fool (unless Megan has been plotting this since August 2015, in which case I entirely deserve to be duped…).

More words in print

 
Issue 243 of Furniture & Cabinetmaking is now in print. Inside this issue you’ll find my four page article reviewing the Karl Holtey purfling cutter, and then showing how to use it in adding decoration to a Roubo bookstand. Also included is an excellent feature on Philly Planes, and an article by Jacqui and Shane Skelton on the technique of chequering. So plenty to sink your teeth into.