I came across this incredible 1971 documentary about a man from the Atikamekw First Nation who crafts a birch bark canoe entirely by hand, without any power tools or spoken dialogue. It's a video that really resonates with me, and I find myself watching it a couple of times a year. I'm trying to identify a specific tool used in the video—particularly at timestamps 26:16 for crafting the thwarts and 53:16 for the paddle. I think it might be a curved gouge chisel with one sharpened side. What advantages does the curved design offer in this context? I'm so grateful for any insights!
2 Answers
You might also want to consider a farrier’s hoof knife, as they have similar designs and can provide different sweeps for your work.
It looks like that tool is a hook knife with an open sweep. They’re quite useful for carving and can tackle various tasks pretty effectively.