Clodagh O'Rourke
Their first brush with woodworking was a sharpening stone borrowed for a blunt chisel, and readers still say Clodagh O'Rourke can identify a stalled project by the sound of its honing ritual. Well past retirement from hospital night shifts spent resetting emergency instrument trays between admissions, Clodagh has earned that reputation by finding the unfinished chair beneath every fresh flattening session.
Articles by Clodagh O'Rourke
Estate Sale Hand Plane Identified as 18th-Century Original, Owner Still Flattens Sole With Belt Sander
The pre-Revolutionary War smoothing plane, valued at approximately $12,000, has been 'made functional' by its new owner, who replaced the iron and refinished the tote.
Sharpening Obsessive Can No Longer Touch Dull Objects Without Involuntary Flinching
The woodworker's sharpening regimen has become so ingrained that butter knives, credit cards, and his children's crayons trigger a visceral physiological response.
Hand Tool Purist Refuses to Use Electricity, Lights Workshop With Beeswax Candles
The woodworker has removed all power tools, electric lights, and the garage door opener in pursuit of what he calls 'an authentic pre-industrial workflow.'