Nothing Severed Yet: Anyone know about Korean woodworking?

July 15, 2004

Anyone know about Korean woodworking?

Just got back from a quick trip to Seoul, South Korea (hence the absence of postings for a week). While there, I attempted to find a woodworking store, to no avail. As you may have heard, I'm in the market for chisels. I've been considering Japanese chisels, and I figured I might pay less in Seoul. Even better, I might learn something about Korean woodworking and techniques; maybe even pick up a distinctly Korean tool and a few pieces of interesting wood to stash in the carry-on.

But I came up dry. Nobody seemed to know where a traditional woodworking store was. Instead, I kept getting directed to these tiny power-tool kiosks (I can report that Bosch is popular over there).

So I put forth a question: do any of my brilliant and insightful readers know anything about korean woodworking? Or at least have a better mastery of Google than I?

Posted by danshapiro at July 15, 2004 02:50 AM | TrackBack

Comments

I've been interested in Korean woodworking for years and have only found info. in museums and books. I'd like to think I'm pretty good with google but my periodic searches have mostly ended up nowhere. I did find a collection of pictures ( about 2Gb ) taken in Nara, Japan, a city known to have been heavily influenced and mostly built by Baekje architects ( Baekje is one of three ancient kingdoms of Korea ). Being named Nara, and half Korean, i did find this collection amazing altought it's more architecture and carpentry, but it's still woodworking...
The following link shows nice detail of wood joints:
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/new/japan062001/nara/world_heritage_centre/wood_joints/index1.html
and this is the collection:
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/new/japan062001/nara/
hope you like.

If you ever find anything, please let me know, i'll do the same.
I'll further explore your blog now. i like.

P.S. Did you ever hear of those nifty Japanese karakuri or "secret" boxes ? If you haven't, i think you'd like looking into that. If you have, do you have any plans to share ?

Posted by: Nara Bang at August 15, 2005 04:04 PM