And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
I just don’t understand this fascination (fashion-ation?) with other cultures tools, methodologies, etc.
The western versions vary from a tenon, through dovetail, gents down to guitar and even razor saws (and yes there have long been double sided gents saws). I get that to us they’re beautiful, well-made and exotic but to the Japanese it’s (literally) what they buy at their version of Harbour Freight.
It’s “The Way of Mrs. Cosmopolite” (Terry Pratchett), the belief something from far away is better just because it’s unfamiliar/strange/exotic, without any judgement.
It’s exactly the same as the idolisation of Japanese katana and eastern martial arts except … look to competitive cutting competitions and MMA. The regular winners of cutting comps. are western hand-and-a-half/bastard swords, and MMA is basically western boxing, greco-roman wrestling with a bit of Thai kicking. So if they’re ‘the best’, ‘the ultimate’ how come they are so pathetic in comparison?
Proof our culture is in decline? When everything from our religion, philosophy down to hand tools is either unknown or ignored in favour of some other cultures crappy pop culture items or knock-off local versions - probably.
And biceps of iron.
ReplyDeleteGet the double blade saw
ReplyDeleteNice. All workbenches should have a few.
ReplyDeleteThe double edge is more flexible and the single edge is faster, though won't cut as deep.
I just don’t understand this fascination (fashion-ation?) with other cultures tools, methodologies, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe western versions vary from a tenon, through dovetail, gents down to guitar and even razor saws (and yes there have long been double sided gents saws). I get that to us they’re beautiful, well-made and exotic but to the Japanese it’s (literally) what they buy at their version of Harbour Freight.
It’s “The Way of Mrs. Cosmopolite” (Terry Pratchett), the belief something from far away is better just because it’s unfamiliar/strange/exotic, without any judgement.
It’s exactly the same as the idolisation of Japanese katana and eastern martial arts except … look to competitive cutting competitions and MMA. The regular winners of cutting comps. are western hand-and-a-half/bastard swords, and MMA is basically western boxing, greco-roman wrestling with a bit of Thai kicking. So if they’re ‘the best’, ‘the ultimate’ how come they are so pathetic in comparison?
Proof our culture is in decline? When everything from our religion, philosophy down to hand tools is either unknown or ignored in favour of some other cultures crappy pop culture items or knock-off local versions - probably.
Beautiful. Price is good. Ordered it.
ReplyDelete