OldTools Archive

Recent Bios FAQ

84279 "Steve Fravel" Cocobolo@r... 2000‑09‑29 My bio
Greetings, Galoots!

In keeping with Oldtools tradition, I've been meaning to post a bio
ever since I first signed up to the list a couple months ago.  I had
been putting it off, though, because I rarely get enough time away
from the shop to read all the messages, much less compose a bio.
However, this "Ideological Battle" (which thankfully has come, or has
very nearly come, to an end) that has been going on has served as an
incentive to action--I hope to both share a little about who I am,
what I'm doing here, and my perspective on both old tools and p*w*r
tools.

My name is Steve Fravel, and I am a cabinetmaker here in the
Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.  Although I'm new to the Oldtools list,
I've been using old tools for as long as I can remember, ever since I
was old enough to play around with them in my Dad's shop.  I started
taking commissions to build 18th and 19th century furniture
reproductions about 10 years ago after realizing that I truly hated
all the various dead-end, mind-rotting jobs I had held  previously,
and that since my ancestors had been cabinetmakers for about 4
generations, it seemed a shame to break with tradition.  Besides,
because my Dad had essentially retired from cabinetmaking because of
old war injuries that were bothering him, the shop, tools and even a
few orders were sitting there waiting for me.  I would have been a
fool not to have taken advantage of such a situation.  Even though I
make very little money for my efforts, I love what I do, and haven't
regretted it for a moment. (OK, perhaps I have regretted it during a
few isolated moments of frustration here and there, but that's
certainly not a chronic condition).

Here is the part that may disappoint some of you:  Although I do use a
lot of old hand tools and traditional methods, I do not _exclusively_
use hand tools.  Considering that I am attempting (attempting being
the operative word here) to make a living as a full-time cabinetmaker,
I think it is important to save time where I can by using electron
killing, finger-nibbling 'qwipment for those tasks where it takes some
of the drudgery out of my work, and where it does not detract from the
quality of the finished piece.  I view the "tailed apprentice" as
something that frees up a great deal of time for me to use hand tools
where it _does_ matter--joinery, smoothing and shaping surfaces,
making mouldings, carving, and so on--without keeping a client waiting
for years.  I am certain that I would quite literally starve if I
abandoned machinery entirely, and suspect that most of the purists who
would disapprove of this approach are hobbyists who have the luxury of
not having to support themselves by means of their craft.  And I
certainly can't blame them for that approach under their
circumstances, but it clearly won't work for mine.  But I am convinced
that ol' Tommy Chippendale or any other 18th century cabinetmaker
would have murdered me at high noon in the middle of a busy street
with a 3" slick to get his hands on my t*bles*w or j*in*r and an
outlet into which to plug them , for he was in the same proverbial
boat as I am, trying to make a living at his craft.  If I were a
hobbyist woodworker, I would likely use hand tools exclusively; they
are surely a lot more relaxing, quiet and pleasing to use.

As far as my actual interest in old tools is concerned, I am decidedly
a user.  I buy old tools to use, not to collect, and I usually end up
bottom-feeding at the flea markets, buying "user" grade tools that
need a little tinkering and fettling.  That is not to say that I don't
buy the occasional tool that could be considered collectible, but my
pockets are shallow and I usually can't afford them.  I generally
prefer an old tool to a modern one because of the quality of many
older examples and the thought that generations of craftsmen before me
have used it.  In fact, most of the tools I use on a daily basis are
stamped with the initials of my grandfather or great-grandfather, and
even though they both died long before I was born, I feel a sort of
connection to them when I use their tools, which is certainly only my
imagination. At any rate, I like to think that they would have been
proud of my efforts, or at the very least not totally disgusted by
them... 8^)  I think it's sort of inspiring.

Anyhow, this is getting long, the hour is getting late, and you
galoots have enough interesting messages to read without having to
deal with my rambling.  I doubt I'll be the most active guy on the
list, since I spend nearly every day and most of the night in the shop
and don't have a decent computer out there (how would I *ever* get any
work done if I did?).  Besides, I prefer to listen to wisdom before
delving in.  Having introduced myself, though, I'll feel a little less
reluctant to take part in the occasional discussion and perhaps I'll
ask a question once in a while when I get stumped by something.  And
if I'm particularly lucky, I may someday get to provide a good answer
to one.

Thanks for listening...

Steve
--Whose Windows desktop looks like a little shrine to Mr. Underhill.









Recent Bios FAQ