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The Calf Path - A Lesson in Lfe and Furniture Making
Thursday, 28th January 2010 07:36 AM
Once upon a time many many years ago, before Domino jointers, before Cadbury’s dairy milk, even before some idiot discovered America, a calf wandered carelessly across a damp and boggy moor in Yorkshire. As it ambled along it left a faintly discernable track in the heather.
Later that day a small flock of sheep happened across the moor and, in the way that sheep do, without thought followed the track left by the calf. The next morning some cattle drovers passed through, taking a herd of craven heiffers to London, they followed the track left by the sheep.
Later Ethelbert a carter specialising in carting fleeces to Leeds from Skipton discovered the track left by the drovers and decided to use it regularly for his trips. He told his neighbours about it and over time the track became a lane.
When a stage coach from Leeds to Carlisle was suggested the lane was an obvious route. With the coming of the motor car it was paved to stop it becoming pot holed. When the motorways were planned after the war it was a no brainer that the road would be used.
There are lessons to be learned from this story, both in life and furniture making. So often in life we do things just because that is how it has always been done or what everyone else does. I am no exception. Occasionally one may take a step away from the path, this may take you to a completely new path, or it may just take you to another path that runs parallel. I believe, when I gave up my desk job with the council to become a furniture maker I stepped away from the path. But I’m not sure if I may just be on a parallel path.
The desire to step off the path is quite strong in many of us. I often have enquiries from people wanting to leave an office job to become furniture makers, desk refugees, very few manage to take the step. Some may step away from the path but are forced to return.
A previous student of mine, Dean, manages to follow a different path. He started life as a policeman but gave that up after serving in the Bermuda police. He studied for A levels and went to Dartington College and obtained a degree in music. He gained a teaching qualification to teach design and is now doing supply teaching while developing his design and making skills.Also in thattime he has been a busker, chauffer and body guard. It seems he is constantly reinventing himself.
As in life so in furniture making, the calf path is a useful lesson. It is easy to use techniques and rules of work that were defined in times past but are now obsolete. Advances in adhesives and tool technology etc move the craft on quickly creating new paths to follow. For instance new adhesive mean that assemblies only need to be clamped up for about 30 minutes, I still like to leave things in the clamps for at least 2 hours, mainly out of habit. I tend to take a fairly conservative approach to the work, whereas I notice that David, with whom I share a workshop, is constantly reassessing his practices and looking for new ways of doing things. I think this is primarily because he is always on the lookout for ways of working more efficiently, he has a constant eye on the bottom line. So the motive for profit can also be the motive to leave the path.
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Chistopher Columbus
Comments…Add yours
Posted by Chris on 02/02/10
But will it take you to civilisation, or just a lost calf?
Posted by Ally on 31/01/10
When lost on a hillside (or possibly in life), it can be a relief to find a calf track.
Posted by Bob on 04/02/10
I have been stepping off (and back on) the path for 20 years, but only now am I ready to (almost) leave it completely... just hope it's not too late!
Posted by Ross Bennett on 09/03/11
I find that rivers are a far better route than paths-just go with the flow!
People that "stick to paths" spend far too much time thinking "Beware the Moon"
Rx