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As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another -The Five Rockers

Project by Charles Brock posted 44 days ago 1524 views 2 times favorited 27 comments Add to Favorites Watch
As Iron Sharpens Iron, So One Man Sharpens Another -The Five Rockers
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The title of this project post is from Proverbs 27:17. I was reminded of this verse by a wonderful friend. He is one of those people who makes everyone who is around him a better person. I reached the end of a journey this June that has blessed me many times over and seems to have been a mutual blessing to others.

This week we had pictures taken of five rockers in a group with their owners. It was the first time I had seen all five of the rockers together. They were crafted from slabs of a huge English walnut tree full of figure and curl purchased on a wood safari through Pennsylvania at Talarico Hardwoods. The first rocker was for his wife and then one for my fellow craftsman followed by one each for three grown daughters. Seeing the chairs together with three girls who love their father and exude a love and respect for what he had produced for them was just remarkable.

These rockers were born of a relationship between myself as a teacher and a new woodworker who had a dream of building rockers for his entire primary family. He asked me if I would help him with make the five rockers a reality. He is one those people whose association makes you a better person. Every Tuesday night for five years we got together in my shop and worked for an hour or two on the rockers one chair at a time. We usually began each session with a prayer of thanks. The woodworking sessions and prayer have reaped many blessings. The relationship helped us get through the passing of family, illnesses and struggles with life. We celebrated new grand children and other achievements.

The picture of the first finished rocker spawned the out of the blue request for me to begin teaching “Maloof Inspired” rocker classes at Highland Woodworking. We celebrated that event together as he assisted me in the weekend seminar. From the teaching at Highland grew my instructional bundle publishing business that has helped fine woodworkers all over the world build their Maloof inspired rocker.

-- Charles Brock


27 comments so far

View DocK16's profile

DocK16

889 posts in 1266 days


#1 posted 44 days ago

Great story…........great rockers

-- DocK, WV

View mtnwild's profile

mtnwild

2519 posts in 707 days


#2 posted 44 days ago

Great story, lucky guy. Those are beautiful rockers you have there, and the chairs are excellent too…......:]

-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.

View Cozmo35's profile

Cozmo35

867 posts in 216 days


#3 posted 44 days ago

I can’t decide if I like the story or the rockers better! :-)

-- If you don't work, you don't eat!.....Garland, TX

View CampD's profile

CampD

246 posts in 666 days


#4 posted 44 days ago

Great piece!

-- Doug,... Nicoll Carpentry LLC

View Bob Kollman's profile

Bob Kollman

753 posts in 370 days


#5 posted 44 days ago

excellent story and rockers!!!!

-- Bob Kenosha Wi.

View Kent Shepherd's profile

Kent Shepherd

1786 posts in 466 days


#6 posted 44 days ago

Thanks for sharing

-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!

View huff's profile

huff

2003 posts in 465 days


#7 posted 44 days ago

As the others have already said: Great story and a great set of Rockers.

-- John @ Myrtle Beach

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

9854 posts in 1398 days


#8 posted 44 days ago

Great rockers and great photo!

At least on person should be standing, though, because for every five people at least one is off his rocker. :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Paul_From_Acton's profile

Paul_From_Acton

195 posts in 249 days


#9 posted 44 days ago

Great story and an even better picture

-- Paul Lemiski, Ontario Canada, Rocking chairs and tables http://www.canadianwoodworks.com

View blackcherry's profile

blackcherry

1491 posts in 1003 days


#10 posted 44 days ago

Amen, just priceless and thanks for taking the time to share…BC

View a1Jim's profile

a1Jim

37609 posts in 757 days


#11 posted 44 days ago

Cool photo

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture maker, Riddle Oregon

View childress's profile

childress

355 posts in 721 days


#12 posted 44 days ago

Sounds like a true Authentic Relationship and real church life….Thanks for posting and beautiful rockers at that

-- Childress Woodworks

View Rj's profile

Rj

991 posts in 811 days


#13 posted 44 days ago

A very touching story indeed! I would love to be able to share chairs like these with my family in
fact I can free up Tuesdays for the next 5 years how about it ….would you be willing to teach me :o)

-- Rj's Woodworks,San Jose & Weed Ca,

View Maveric777's profile

Maveric777

890 posts in 256 days


#14 posted 44 days ago

Very inspirational work and story. Thanks for sharing…

-- Dan ~ Texarkana, Tx.

View Charles Brock's profile

Charles Brock

36 posts in 187 days


#15 posted 44 days ago

I have a fellow from CA coming in two weeks to build a chair with me in a Seven Day Class. The commute every Tuesday night would be a little rough I’m sure. Thanks for the kind words. The connections in life give everything the flavor.

My Best
Chuck

-- Charles Brock

View tinnman65's profile

tinnman65

367 posts in 594 days


#16 posted 44 days ago

Great story Charles, You seem to be a very good teacher, the chairs look great!

-- Paul Sayre Creativity is a drug I cannot live without. Cecil B. DeMille (1881 - 1959)

View Grant Libramento's profile

Grant Libramento

94 posts in 159 days


#17 posted 44 days ago

Very nice chairs, and a very heartwarming story. A perfect legacy by a woodworker to his family. Thanks for posting.

-- Grant, Tryon, NC

View ND2ELK's profile

ND2ELK

10749 posts in 954 days


#18 posted 44 days ago

Wonderful story and many blessings in return. Thank you so much for sharing.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

View chewbuddy13's profile

chewbuddy13

115 posts in 465 days


#19 posted 44 days ago

Very nice, I have become addicted to building rockers!

View shavins's profile

shavins

55 posts in 339 days


#20 posted 44 days ago

Brilliant!Good luck with the chairs

-- shavins

View matt garcia's profile

matt garcia

1093 posts in 852 days


#21 posted 44 days ago

I have mad respect for chair makers!! These are gorgeous!!

-- Matt Garcia Wannabe Period Furniture Maker, Houston TX

View NormG's profile

NormG

380 posts in 183 days


#22 posted 44 days ago

I all has already been said. WOW

-- Norman

View Kindlingmaker's profile

Kindlingmaker

2179 posts in 706 days


#23 posted 44 days ago

The smiles Charles, tells the whole story very well! You have done well and have passed on much to many. Great job!

-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings

View F Dudak's profile

F Dudak

320 posts in 990 days


#24 posted 44 days ago

It doesn’t get any better than this!!

-- Fred.... Poconos, PA ---- Chairwright in the making ----

View BTKS's profile

BTKS

950 posts in 644 days


#25 posted 43 days ago

Thanks for the inspirational story. Your display of skill and compassion / comradery is heart warming. Thanks for the post, BTKS

-- "Man's ingenuity has outrun his intelligence" (Joseph Wood Krutch)

View cobbler's profile

cobbler

355 posts in 970 days


#26 posted 41 days ago

Beautiful family and story.
The rockers are exceptional. Good job.

-- ''Carry on my wayward son''

View TopamaxSurvivor's profile

TopamaxSurvivor

6441 posts in 855 days


#27 posted 34 days ago

Nice story and quite a picture:-) Beginning to wish I had gotten into wood working more seriously earlier in life, but it was a low priority. I would not have changed the activities I was interested in, just not enough hours in a day :”-)) I was thinking aobut that today roughing out some Cherry. This briings it more into focus. Guess I have beeen blessed with to many interests and abilities :-)) hard to use them all!!

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

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