Went to the Kyenton Lost Trades fair on Sunday and saw " the good ol' days " up close. The 1st gentleman is rough cutting a spoon with a little hatchet before finishing off with chisels, and the 2nd gent is making a small turned leg in an ingenious lathe. Both practices were the only way for things to be made before mass production methods. I hope you enjoy the history lesson !! Thanks for taking a look.

[clackers]

Hats off to these guys for trying something that doesn't make sense in the modern age, and thanks, PJV, for bringing us these great pics.

[PJ1]

Nice shots and very interesting. Amazing lathe, but that the spoon is shaping up as a piece of art. I guess it had never really entered my mind that someone would have to do that to produce a spoon in the pre-industrial days. Of course, as you probably know, back in the Depression days, some people had to solder wire handles onto jam tins to use as cups. Which brings to mind a take on Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen : "Jam tin with a wire 'andle soldered on? Luxury! We 'ad to cut spoon from a piece of wood with 'atchet!"


I spent some time around Kyneton 30 years ago. I used to sketch old buildings. Kyneton, Castlemaine and Malmsbury had a lot to offer. Also Chewton - where my great great grandfather settled in 1853. The family had a butcher's shop there.

[Unregistered User 8]

Hats off to these guys for trying something that doesn't make sense in the modern age,

These blokes were both passionate about their handy work clackers. Being as they were still young(ish) their skills will be around for while to come yet. They were both selling their wares for quite a tidy sum. As long as there is money in it, these skills will continue. Thanks for the comments too.

---------- Post added 14-03-17 at 06:47 PM ----------

Nice shots and very interesting. Amazing lathe, but that the spoon is shaping up as a piece of art. I guess it had never really entered my mind that someone would have to do that to produce a spoon in the pre-industrial days. Of course, as you probably know, back in the Depression days, some people had to solder wire handles onto jam tins to use as cups. Which brings to mind a take on Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen : "Jam tin with a wire 'andle soldered on? Luxury! We 'ad to cut spoon from a piece of wood with 'atchet!"


I spent some time around Kyneton 30 years ago. I used to sketch old buildings. Kyneton, Castlemaine and Malmsbury had a lot to offer. Also Chewton - where my great great grandfather settled in 1853. The family had a butcher's shop there.

Thanks Peter. We take so much for granted now. Would like to see some of your sketches mate, take a pic and post them !! Country Victoria is rich in history.



PS. Nice Yorkshire accent buddy.

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Last edited by Unregistered User 8; 03-14-2017 at 12:48 AM.

[Sailor]

Great trio, Peter. I love going to events and museums that have these sorts of demonstrations. It reminds us what people had to go through just to create simple tools and perform simple tasks.

Just think - poor devils didn't even have iPhones back then!!

Jer

[Unregistered User 8]

Great trio, Peter. I love going to events and museums that have these sorts of demonstrations. It reminds us what people had to go through just to create simple tools and perform simple tasks.

Just think - poor devils didn't even have iPhones back then!!

Jer

Thank you Jer. I agree 100% about museums and this type of event. Ingenuity was the name of the game back then. If they had iPhones back then, they would just have Googled like the rest of us do !!! " 50 ways to make a spoon."

[Bob Harris]

I was just thinking Peter that if my family would have to depend upon me for making/building things like this, they would revert to the stone age. What an interesting time though to view in person. Did they have hand made products for sale?

[Unregistered User 8]

I was just thinking Peter that if my family would have to depend upon me for making/building things like this, they would revert to the stone age.

What an interesting time though to view in person. Did they have hand made products for sale?

They did Bob, and the prices were indicative of the ornateness of the pieces. The " Spoon Man " had some plain, stained spoons starting at about $25 AUD. I don't think anybody that bought them used them for anything but decoration. But the " Lathe Man " made furniture, and was open to commissioning purpose built tables and chairs to specific sizes and shapes - but at a cost !!! It was a very good day there.

[Janse]

You have captured good handcraft (which I admire a lot) perfectly my friend!

[Unregistered User 8]

You have captured good handcraft (which I admire a lot) perfectly my friend!

Thank you very much for the kind words buddy. I think you would have enjoyed it there Janse.