Kestrel Web Catalog Update Winter 2012

Hey there friends and customers, it is February again (WOW) and another year has rocketed by. There is so much to do that I often feel like my life is leading me around rather than the reverse. In my mind I had set aside January/February for work on my tool making book, but instead I have been buried in tool orders. Most of the orders are large and are from various tribal entities and large governmental projects involving native groups. One such is the building of a "Tribal House" for the National Park at Glacier Bay. This house is being built by the Hoonah Indian Association. Their project can be followed via The National Park Service website: http://www.nps.gov/glba/historyculture/huna-tribal-house-project.htm.

Something New, Something Old.. Changes and Good Deals

There are some changes you may need to be aware of. I am still adding a texture to the gripping area of the finished adzes I have been sending out. It's a "no extra charge" bonus. I also have been rough-shaping one side of the adze haft blanks. It serves as a model for making your haft into a very sweet tool. If I get overwhelmed with orders this extra may be discontinued. Also I have new adze literature: 12 well illustrated pages will help guide you through making and safely using your adze. D-adze information is included too. This info comes with adze, adze iron, or adze kit. The new adze sheets also are available as a PDF so you can download and print them from home – and you can do that even if you don't buy a thing. My new crooked knife booklet is also 12 pages. It has care, use, and sharpening instructions and is well illustrated with photos and drawings. This publication is also available as a PDF. I would appreciate your telling me if you already have the literature so I don't send you copies with your next 5 orders (we've probably killed enough trees already). These new booklets will also include a new publication on finishing your work, revised working with wet wood, and info on curing your carving. Also an Abbreviated History of the NW Coast publication. All of this information and more comes with the info packet. The info packet and DVD is on special at $32, such a deal! Refer to the literature page.

I did take a little time to work on the halibut feast dish I made for my son Zack, his wife Irene (yes he married an Irene too) and daughter Juniper. The bowl is 24" long. This is my second of what I hope will be a feast dish for each of Irene's and my children. At the rate of one gift every two years, it will take me six more years to get them to the remaining three families! As always I had a great time carving this bowl. This time of year Sundays are set aside for carving time. I've got two masks to make next and then there is starting the next feast dish so I'll have plenty of work to fill in my carving time.

Well, when it comes to bowl making I have had the good fortune to have my friend Bruce Richardson. Bruce carves a lot more than bowls and he carves a lot in general, but I believe some of his best work are his bowls. Let me show you a fine example. Look at this Dall Ram bowl. I think it's wonderful, it looks powerful – just like the animal it represents.

I can't resist showing one more photo, a close up. Cute, nice patina.

A fine piece of work. I am guessing from memory the piece is about 18" long. Wonderful!

My son Raven Skyriver just opened his second solo show at Stonington Gallery in Seattle. He really is on a roll with his glass art. He also has a lot of folks rooting for him, including those in charge at Stonington. The larger of the Humpback whales must be over 36" long. Imagine that red hot and wobbling around on the on the end of a blowpipe! Irene and I are so Proud of him.

Raven invited his two Northwest Coast artist "uncles" Joe David and Loren White to add a piece of work to his show. Joe's piece Ling Cod with a Human Face is to the left. Loren's Killer Whale mask on the right.

Gregg's 2012 Rant-O-Rama

Well, here we are faced with another election year. What choices we have coming up! The Republican candidates are almost without exception vying with each other to see how much more right wing they are than the others in the race. They are a scary bunch. Most seem determined to rule by religious edict – I call them the "Christian Taliban." If Christianity in the interpretation of this group is to rule we might just as well kiss our democracy goodbye. Why do we so fear freedom, the freedom to choose our partners, the freedom to make decisions about our bodies? Those are our own choices. Why does greed so figure into the Republican, Tea Party plan? What happened to the old Republican party ? They have been usurped by radicalism, by racism, and by religious extremism and greed. Then there is poor Obama, seemingly afraid, unwilling or just incapable of really fighting for the America I grew up in. He just can't do what is morally right in many cases. We now have an America where Monsanto can run amok, perverting and destroying the worlds seed stock, where the chancellor of the big Universities make $10 million dollars a year and a box of Kleenex in your hospital room is billed at $25.

With Arab Spring and the 99% movement, the writing is on the wall for world change. The little folks are tired of fake-o democracy where elections are bought and petty dictators and corporations control the world. But as long as we buy their crap, their iPhones and every other gadget they offer us, they have us right where they want us.

OK people, now that I have alienated just about all of you that's this years rant! I do want you to know I don't have any real answers, I am definitely not "better than" anyone else. We are all in deep doo-doo together. In the meantime I hope you all have a wonderful healthy 2012, full of family, love and adventure! I am having a lot of fun carving and enjoying writing on my book when I get the chance. I'll be in touch and if you ever want off the Kestrel Tool email list, just let me know and you'll be off in a flash!

I guess I need to add a little information for those of you who are new to Kestrel. I have pretty much been at this for 30 years, it has been great but a few years ago now I simplified the way I run the business. I no longer take rush orders. Inquire via the web if you need something right away, I might, by some miracle, have the item in stock. At least I'll be able to give you a delivery estimate. I am also no longer taking Visa or Master. Check the order page for details. Thank you so much for being so understanding I am over 70, my life is full and fun and I am trying to fit it all in including your desire for high quality handmade tools!