← Journal · Aug 2026

Reading a log before the first wedge

Knots, twists and the crook of a branch: how we decide where a log should open.

Before the first wedge goes in, we walk around the log. The bark shows any spiral twist, the end grain shows the pith and rings, and every bump hints at a knot below.

A crook in a branch is a gift. It already holds the curve between handle and bowl, so we plan the split to keep that curve whole.

Then the wedge goes in, and the wood tells us whether we read it right. Splitting hides nothing.