Marcus Sly - Furniture Making and Design

Today I got round to something I've been meaning to do for a long time - making a small polishing plane.  While I was casting around for some suitable timber to make it out of, I was lucky enough to be offered a small off-cut of rosewood -  not just any old modern, farmed rosewood, but old growth timber that had been sitting unnoticed in someone's shed for years and years, before being offered to Christian, and then this small piece being passed on to me.

It's extraordinary timber - close grained, beautiful, easy to work, and the shavings have a wonderful earthy smell - almost vanilla.  Coming across quality old timber like this raises mixed feelings in me - there's enjoyment, obviously, but also frustration and sadness that through over-consumption we've created a world where such wonderful wood is no longer available except through occasional accidents.  Of course there are some old growth trees left, but so few compared to what there were that it would be irresponsible to use them. So most of the time we're stuck with farmed timber that is cut young, and has nothing like the character and qualities that were once taken for granted in timber - too taken for granted as it's turned out.   Still, I'm glad I've had my little piece, and the plane is lovely - a delight to use, with the weight of the rosewood adding some useful extra heft.  Hopefully it will play a part in making beautiful things in the future.

Woodworkers may like to note that I learned to make these Krenov style planes from David Finck's excellent book - "Making and Mastering Wood Planes".  David Finck also makes superb extra thick plane irons you can buy from his website - recommended.