Comments on: Sam Maloof: Woodworker http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/2009/06/15/sam-maloof-woodworker/ Behind the Scenes at Bridge City Tool Works Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:27:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: dpj http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/2009/06/15/sam-maloof-woodworker/comment-page-1/#comment-123 dpj Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:45:16 +0000 http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/?p=670#comment-123 John, thanks for your comments on Sam Maloof. Woodworking is a journey which Sam made well. I believe I am just now beginning to understand what that journey is. "the more you learn, the less you know". I have seen some recent videos with Sam and really respect his attitude and approach. Marc Adams holds him in very high respect, but I didn't KNOW why until recently. You have been lucky to cross his path personally. Dennis John, thanks for your comments on Sam Maloof. Woodworking is a journey which Sam made well. I believe I am just now beginning to understand what that journey is. “the more you learn, the less you know”. I have seen some recent videos with Sam and really respect his attitude and approach. Marc Adams holds him in very high respect, but I didn’t KNOW why until recently. You have been lucky to cross his path personally.

Dennis

]]> By: John http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/2009/06/15/sam-maloof-woodworker/comment-page-1/#comment-122 John Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:18:21 +0000 http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/?p=670#comment-122 One of my favorite lessons from Sam involved the chair I built at the Anderson Ranch. It was my first scooped seat and when I thought it was perfect Sam suggested that I remove the "lumps". I said, "What lumps?". Sam asked if I was right or left handed. I said left. He then told me to put a pencil in my left hand, close my eyes and feel the seat with both hands--when I felt a "bump" to color it with the pencil with my eyes still closed. A "dent" was bumps on each side. I then was to open my eyes and scrape the pencil marks off with a curved scraper and repeat the "eyes closed" process. The entire seat was scribbled with pencil marks! Holy cow--who would of thought that perfect work is achieved with closed eyes! What a lesson that was. --John One of my favorite lessons from Sam involved the chair I built at the Anderson Ranch. It was my first scooped seat and when I thought it was perfect Sam suggested that I remove the “lumps”. I said, “What lumps?”.

Sam asked if I was right or left handed. I said left. He then told me to put a pencil in my left hand, close my eyes and feel the seat with both hands–when I felt a “bump” to color it with the pencil with my eyes still closed. A “dent” was bumps on each side.

I then was to open my eyes and scrape the pencil marks off with a curved scraper and repeat the “eyes closed” process. The entire seat was scribbled with pencil marks!

Holy cow–who would of thought that perfect work is achieved with closed eyes!

What a lesson that was.

–John

]]> By: pfranks http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/2009/06/15/sam-maloof-woodworker/comment-page-1/#comment-121 pfranks Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:56:59 +0000 http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/?p=670#comment-121 Thank you, John. I didn't meet Sam until about a month before he passed on, but his work has had a strong influence on mine for at least 3 decades. It was an honor to finally meet my god, my muse. I wish I had had more time and opportunities to learn from him in person. But I do have the singular joy of having learned from him remotely, and from having caressed his beautiful pieces. Amazing that there are so many people who feel like we do about this wonderful man. What a good life he led! Thanks again for sharing your story. Thank you, John. I didn’t meet Sam until about a month before he passed on, but his work has had a strong influence on mine for at least 3 decades. It was an honor to finally meet my god, my muse. I wish I had had more time and opportunities to learn from him in person. But I do have the singular joy of having learned from him remotely, and from having caressed his beautiful pieces. Amazing that there are so many people who feel like we do about this wonderful man. What a good life he led!

Thanks again for sharing your story.

]]> By: nclemmons http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/2009/06/15/sam-maloof-woodworker/comment-page-1/#comment-120 nclemmons Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:15:43 +0000 http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/?p=670#comment-120 I guess one thing I share with Sam is an avid love of BC tools. I only wish I could share in his amazing craftsmanship! But the tools certainly help in the inspiration department. neil I guess one thing I share with Sam is an avid love of BC tools. I only wish I could share in his amazing craftsmanship! But the tools certainly help in the inspiration department.

neil

]]> By: nclemmons http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/2009/06/15/sam-maloof-woodworker/comment-page-1/#comment-119 nclemmons Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:11:17 +0000 http://www.bridgecitytools.com/blog/?p=670#comment-119 John This was a wonderful tribute to Sam and a great reflection and story on the price of your tools and his craft. I was in LA the week before the memorial and made it out to his shop and museum. It was wonderful to finally see his facility, but I was saddened that I did not get a chance to see Sam. We left the Sunday before the Tuesday memorial. I am sure it was quite a gathering. I had heard that the catering would be by California's finest burger joint! I too had attended a course by Sam at Anderson Ranch and was fortunate to have dinner with Sam and Freda back around 1990. He was quite a person and a wonderful teacher. Thanks for sharing - neil John

This was a wonderful tribute to Sam and a great reflection and story on the price of your tools and his craft.

I was in LA the week before the memorial and made it out to his shop and museum. It was wonderful to finally see his facility, but I was saddened that I did not get a chance to see Sam. We left the Sunday before the Tuesday memorial. I am sure it was quite a gathering. I had heard that the catering would be by California’s finest burger joint!

I too had attended a course by Sam at Anderson Ranch and was fortunate to have dinner with Sam and Freda back around 1990. He was quite a person and a wonderful teacher.

Thanks for sharing -

neil

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