Die Walz

Now, I didn't invent "Village Carpenter".  It's the title of a book by Walter Rose, which is simply fantastic.

This Emmerich block plane, was the first all wooden plane added to my toolbox.  The body is hornbeam, and the sole, lignam vitae.  I bought this when I was working on a job outside during the winter, fitting boards on a boat deck.  My iron block plane was oh-so cold to hold.  This is the first job I used the plane on.

Now of course, I enjoyed using the E.C.E block plane so much that it's no longer alone.  In fact, I've switched entirely to German planes, and the Stanley's just collect dust.

It seems that some German carpentry apprentices, still are real journeymen.  They actually take a journey.  Here in Canada, to get a journeyman's ticket, you either apprentice for four years and write an exam, or work the required number of hours, and then write the exam.  German apprentices though, seem to have the option of making the actual journey still.  Travelling from town to town, working, and getting a stamp in each place.  This journey can take three years and one day, all the while staying at least 50 km from home.  During these years, the apprentices aren't allowed to pay for food or lodging, start with only 5 euros, and are expected to finish with 5 euros.  Traveling is done by foot, hitch hiking, or by work trade.    One wouldn't think that you'd get to far afield, and yet by trading work for ship passage, or working on the ship, traveling the world isn't too much of a problem.  To make the journey easier (at least in europe) the apprentices are required to wear the traditional costume.  Wait a minute, you may as well read about this on wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journeyman_years