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"I fell in love with making things to make things with." ­
Bob Strawn
Before mass production, wood working meant using one's
hands with specialized tools to form or shape wood. From
small carvings to ornate pieces of furniture, a wood work-
er's patience and tools helped to turn wood into art. Wood
workers designed and cre-
ated each tool, no matter
the size or shape, for a spe-
cific purpose.

After Bob Strawn, a local
wood worker enthusiast,
made a penny whistle for
his wife, he started creat-
ing his own wood working
tools; in the process, he
discovered a passion. His
first tools used carving
blades attached to small
pieces of wood for a han-
dle. From this, Bob soon
realized the importance of
a handle's shape.
A Handle's Importance
A tool's handle connects the wood worker to the wood.
A good handle design conforms to the shape of the wood
worker's hands. "The handle is our interface," Bob explains.
"It must allow us safety, while reducing fatigue and giving
us control." The octagonal shaped handle is one of Bob's
favorites because it fits comfortably in his hand.
As for the design of the
tool's handle, another huge
advantage that a good grip
can give its user is aware-
ness. Similar to how one
uses a fork or knife when
eating, humans extend
their "awareness" when
they use tools. "Often we extend our perception of our
awareness to our tools," Bob states. "They really do become
part of us."
Tool Making History
Before hardware stores sold tools, wood workers hired an
apprentice for assistance and to teach the art of tool mak-
ing. "In ancient times, an
apprentice would craft and
fill his tool box as train-
ing and as one of his dem-
onstrations of skill," Bob
notes.
Strawn crafts his tools
with passion, enjoying the
research and functionality
of each one. "After mak-
ing a few tools...it became
clear that my love for learn-
ing and research could
combine with my love for
artistic expression, classic
lines, function and craft,"
Bob shares. "I fell in love
with making things to make things with. I have been alter-
ing, improving and improvising tools my whole life, but
the act was always goal oriented and part of the task I was
doing. Active tool making slowed me down to examine the
tool itself. After I have the finished tool, my abilities are
increased by that tool."

Bob's passion for creating tools will inspire those interested
to learn more about the historic trade. When asked if he
ever considered teaching
a workshop, Bob notes,
"I would love to arrange
a tool making workshop.
I know of a venue that
would work really well,
and I think it could be a
lot of fun."
Learn more about Bob Strawn's tool making on his website: http://toolmakingart.com.
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