one thought...

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GEPPETTO

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2004
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Location
Vinci (FI) - Italy
Hi All,
I'm here ahead the computer and some thoughts run through my mind.... Why here (in Italy) we haven't a lot of reviews, tools (I mean hand tools, naturally, how you know) and flea market as you have. Why?
Why the only sorce for quality hand tools is ebay?
I'm jealous when I see some of you learned wood bases at some type of school. My only school has been my grandfather who with a spent time as farmer was be able to work with wood and tools (wooden plane, auger and one or two chisels).He taught me only very few things.That time and those tools have gone :cry: . Could be been the "after war effect" when there was an unstoppable wish to throw away all the old things. Our houses were filled with formica and that old chestnut showcase was put in garage. All was new. Don't misunderstand me.. I don't say that was a bad time, but only (I think) people forgot the old for the new. I'm not a historian :oops: , perhaps a sociologist could be useful.
I know grass neighbor is always greener but when I see all those tools I'd wish to be there. Here "that" world which turns around the wood is much in shadow or I haven't found the right road, yet.

Many cheers
Gabriele
 
Some random thoughts from me, not trained in history ro culture.

My experience from Italy is that the country does not have much in terms of trees. Northern Italy does have quite a bit of trees but that was not until early last century. This makes me believe that the people in that area would not be as interested in woodworking. On the other hand, northern Eu countries as well as the US have lots of wooded areas, to the point to where our houses, US that is, are almost entirely out of wood.

I don't mean to take anything from Italy, I love the country and the people, go there every two or so years on vacation.

One thing to remember is that the Italians (Romans) are the inventors of the modern style plane, as I recall. They are the ones that put wood fore and aft of the blade for smoother cutting.
 
Geppetto,
I sympathize over your comments re suppliers of hand tool suppliers in Italy, however earlier this year I stayed in a small Northern Italian village/town called Male, between Edolo and Bolzano, and there was one of the best ironmongery/hand tool retailers most probable in Europe. Old fashioned but everything from replacement handles to handwork tools.
I am sure if you contact Male Chamber of Commerce they most probably could give you details of this retailer.
 
Simoli

Against that Italy has the largest woodworking machinery industry in the world centred around Rimini (home of SCM, et al) in the north and the Italians are noted for their stylish furniture and upholstery produced in the same area and which seems to dominate the upper end of the market here in the UK and in many other European countries. Much of this furniture is still produced by small family-run shops which have invested heavily in high-tech production equipment. It has to be said, though, that even this area has been hit over the last few years by the rising tide of Chinese/Far Eastern imports

Scrit
 
Hi All,

Roger I'm OK :wink: Are you of Italian origins or you speak well Italian language? :D

Simoli, yes I agree with you about trees.. perhaps is we had more forest... things could be been different. :?

Devon thanks for the advice

Scrit, how you say there are too much machinery (a time necessity for profit)

Cheers
Gabriele :wink:
 
GEPPETTO":23nmt13d said:
Hi All,

Roger I'm OK :wink: Are you of Italian origins or you speak well Italian language? :D

Desiderio, Geppetto..how che desidero. Sto provando a persaudere la mia moglie di venire a Venezia con me vivere e studiare l'italiano per alcuni mesi.
 
Roger Sinden":1ks84ymt said:
GEPPETTO":1ks84ymt said:
Hi All,

Roger I'm OK :wink: Are you of Italian origins or you speak well Italian language? :D

Desiderio, Geppetto..how che desidero. Sto provando a persaudere la mia moglie di venire a Venezia con me vivere e studiare l'italiano per alcuni mesi.

Ottima scelta, Roger, hai scelto una delle meraviglie del mondo :roll: . Inizia ( ma penso che hai già iniziato) a parlarle del sole,degli spaghetti, pizza, Firenze, Siena, Pisa, Chianti......Roma, Napoli..) e vedi se gli viene fame :D .
Se poi passi da Firenze, fammi un fischio

-Translation -
Good choose, Roger, you have chosen one of the seven world's wonders. Begin (I think you have just done) talking her about the Sun, spaghetti, pizza, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Chianti...Rome, Naples..) and you say if her's hungry.
If you pass through Florence, give me a boo.. :)

Ciao
Gabriele
 
Just back from two weeks in Gepetto country - or pretty close anyway, nearer to Arezzo than Florence but did get up to Florence for a day. Sorry I couldn't get in touch, Gabriele, but I'd forgotten where in Italy you were and didn't have Internet access while we were there.

Plenty of dense woodland around the rented house we stayed in, mostly oak but generally hard rather than softwood.

The house was furnished with older pieces (Arezzo seems to be some kind of antique dealing centre) and many of them featured some amazing carving. So there must be some tools hidden around Italy somewhere :)
 
Pete W":13pbj46y said:
Just back from two weeks in Gepetto country - or pretty close anyway, nearer to Arezzo than Florence but did get up to Florence for a day. Sorry I couldn't get in touch, Gabriele, but I'd forgotten where in Italy you were and didn't have Internet access while we were there.

Plenty of dense woodland around the rented house we stayed in, mostly oak but generally hard rather than softwood.

The house was furnished with older pieces (Arezzo seems to be some kind of antique dealing centre) and many of them featured some amazing carving. So there must be some tools hidden around Italy somewhere :)

Hi Pete, it'll be in another time :) we'll meet ourselves..Arezzo..my wife come from there (Casentino).. it's odd.. before I meet her I didn't know much about that land and I hadn't never been there.. yes a lot of hardwood (beech, oak and so on) but hand tools (I think) have remained in the memory of the old woodworker.

Where did you have rent the house more precisely?

Many cheers
Gabriele
 
GEPPETTO":2q1nws8d said:
Where did you have rent the house more precisely?

A little village called Rendola, in the hills above Montevarchi, just off the autostrada between Florence and Arezzo. Beautiful country. Miss it already :)
 
Pete W":1bnyn3lw said:
GEPPETTO":1bnyn3lw said:
Where did you have rent the house more precisely?

A little village called Rendola, in the hills above Montevarchi, just off the autostrada between Florence and Arezzo. Beautiful country. Miss it already :)

mhhh Chianti zone..I hope you picked up some bottles of Chianti.. :wink:

Cheers
Gabriele
 
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