Rough Hewn

There is a certain charm that comes with rough hewn pieces. Some items tell a story with the parts they are made from, but the rough hewn items tell a story with their construction. The fact the the cuts and marks are still visible means they have different looks at different distances. From a distance they tend to have a really smooth and soft look, and as you get closer you see more and more of the processes used when it was made.

Blade tools lend themselves well to this approach as the cuts leave clean smooth edges if the tools are properly sharpened. The timber chosen also has a much more important role as certain types suit blade work better than others. For example applewood has an appealing and very stable grain, as such it is much loved by carvers. On the other hand softwoods like cedar have a much more open grain which takes to sanding and finishes better. The age of the timber also has a profound effect on the work. A piece of yew is very malleable when fresh, however once it has seasoned it becomes very hard. Whilst characteristics like this can be utilised in items like tool handles and small carvings, it makes cutting the timber much harder. So timing and choice are vital in having a good effect on the end product.

The rough hewn approach also has some great textures and we have found that people enjoy handling the items. The myriad cuts and edges leave a very tactile surface, which is a fundamental part of the process. In some instances this can used to add areas with extra grip or to minimise surface contact without having to sacrifice the overall look. It also means that each item is unique and has a sort of fingerprint. The cuts are entirely dependent on the timber so each piece will have a different feel. This does not mean that all the hewn pieces are unfinished, most will be lightly sanded to remove any rough patches or sharp corners. However it is almost always done by hand in order to preserve to aesthetic.

There is of course more discrepancy when it comes to edges and shaping with hewn timber. The whole process is about working with the grain and shape of the timber rather than sawn timber which forces the shapes into the timber. So it is common for hewn pieces to have bends and dips in places. As a rule we try to make use of these things by using the same piece of timber so that the shaping is mirrored. To a degree it can be worked out and made flatter, though there comes a point when it just makes more sense to use a saw. If something has to fit a fixed space or angle then sawn timber will always be better as the machinery can be set up to ensure the right dimensions.

At times the bends can be made use of in inventive ways though. Such as tension frames which use the nature of the materials to squeeze frame joints and add rigidity. For tenon frames such as the guitar stand above we can cut and drill the angles in such a way that the timber must be bent in order to fit together. This makes the frames very rigid but does not need mechanical fixings. The absence of screws and fixings means that these frames can be taken apart by knocking a certain point with a mallet and releasing the tension. As a lot of the hewn items are made from cleft timber the various components have a lot of strength and the stresses are transfered in a stable way. This is why the more rustic something looks the more simplistic the jointing becomes, because the strength is in the timber as much as the joint itself.

So the rough hewn approach can be aesthetically pleasing, natural looking, inventive and just as strong as sawn timber. It may not be as contemporary as some other methods and may not suit every style but it may just be more useful than you first think. rough hewn timber can be found in many places from ships to listed buildings, fences and furniture and in more gardens than you might expect.