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The Editors Mailbox

Who said that? Test your knowledge of FWW history

elizabeth healy, senior copy editor

3 users recommend

There's no hint here. These covers don't necessarily match which issues these quotes appeared in.

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I'm not exaggerating when I say that nearly every day, somebody calls Fine Woodworking for help with a woodworking question, finding a past article, or other business. Invariably, they start the conversation this way: "I've been a subscriber from Day One. I have all your past issues."

We love that about you. It's really special to have such a dedicated group of readers with such a comprehensive knowledge of our magazine, past and present.

But are you ready to put that comprehensive knowledge to the test?

Below are four quotes from prominent woodworkers. All appeared in FWW somewhere between issues 1 and 25.

Your task is to tell me who is being quoted.

There are no tricks here, and I tried to use quotes that reflect each speaker's persona. If you've been reading FWW for a while, the people quoted are pretty much household names to you.

So give it a try. Tell me who said what. There's no prize ... just bragging rights. When you get it right (and I am sure you will!), I'll tell you. And if it proves to be fun, I'll try another quiz in the future.

1.  "I make my own planes—of fine wood and fine steel—not out of nostalgia for bygone days, but because I think that if you have the finest planes, if you have succeeded in making yourself some really fine tools, it does prompt you to work more carefully."

2.  "You have to know how to cut and how thick to cut, and you have to decide very fast. You cut one way and you get something, you cut another way and you get entirely something else. You can lose a whole log by wrong cutting. Terribly hard-ball business, saws screaming like a hundred banshees all the time."

3.  "I've heard people say they have to put a piece of wood aside until the spirit hits them. That's procrastination. Pick it up and work it—you'll feel the spirit."

4.  "A piece of clay, which is really dirt, must be shaped, fired, and glazed. But take a piece of wood; plane, sand and oil it, and you will find it is a beautiful thing. So actually, the more you do to it from then on, the worse it is going to get."

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The $300 Woodworking Bench

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UPDATE: Book Giveaway: Hand Planes in the Modern Shop by Kerry Pierce

Comments (3)

elizh writes: You are absolutely right, Ted.

1. James Krenov, FWW #4
2. George Nakashima, FWW #14
3. Sam Maloof, FWW #25
4. Tage Frid, FWW #1.

I'm going to have to get up earlier in the morning to fool you guys.

Posted: 7:39 am on May 18th

JLYoung writes: 1) Krenov
2) Maloof
3) Nakashima
4)Klausz
Posted: 11:19 am on May 17th

ted writes: 1) Krenov, Who else?

2) Nakashima?

3) Maloof?

4) Hmmm. . . Frid (a guess)
Posted: 9:48 am on May 17th

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