# Three men, one mission. (The LJ saw test meeting in Copenhagen)



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

*Three men, one mission.*
The LJ saw test meeting in Copenhagen.

*Dies Dominica iv October MMX a.d.*, three Luberjocks had set each other a challenge, the goal was to meet and spend the best possible time together, everything else would be considered as failure. Oh yea, and also to look at some LumberJerk erotica called wood working magazines, and test some saws of different qualities!










The men were; Flemming, Napoleon and the vintage architect known as MaFe (me).
The host was MaFe, and the initial meeting was at the central station of Copenhagen.

At 1400 I drove into the main parking of the central station, I grabbed the mobile, and called Napoleon to tell him I was there now, he reply that he and Flemming was waiting outside on the other side of the building, next to Tivoli. Since the traffic in Copenhagen are mainly on way, the were going to me, and Napoleon asked me; 'but how will we know it's you?' and I reply; 'I will be the only vintage architect, wearing hat, glasses and a pipe in front of a old Fiat Punto'. And so we meet, it was really fine to get some faces on the LJ writings, even I was a little disappointed when I realized Napoleon was not wearing a uniform, and did not came riding on a horse, with his arm in his jacket - but what the heck, he also had a civilian name, Thomas.

So of we went to visit the work of Napoleon, but on our way we passed a antique marked, where Napoleon, had spotted we could have coffee, and there were some old tools to look at.
Of course Flemming and Napoleon was completely impossible to drag away from the tool boxes, but I tried my best to be patient, and after half a hour or so, we came to the little coffee spot, Napoleon with empty hands, Flemming with a fine little jeweler saw (so we might see some dovetails from him soon), and me with a bag full of different old tools (so perhaps they were the once waiting for me…).
On our way we had a wonderful talk with a old almost blind brush maker, where he explained all about the brushes, showed how he made them, and told of the different hairs. His wife (I think), was really up on the beat, when I told I thought one of the brushes looked like something for some SM games, and Napoleon laughed a lot, since she could not stop talking about this after.
So we brought our coffee out and drink it before we left the place in my little old Punto, at this time we had completely fallen in comfort, and I think we all three felt in wonderful company with each other (or perhaps they were really polite).










Off to Napoleons work (boat builder), here we had a nice time, where we looked at all the wonderful wood, old big planks, the heavy machinery, the place that are a mess, but also with a wonderful atmosphere, and smells of oil, tar and wood was mixed in the nose so I became all euphoric.
We also had a little talk with the 'marketing boss' as I called him, a wonderful man in his late years, that are the colleague of Napoleon, it was almost impossible to get even one word out of him.. But when I went back alone, and asked him about the steamboat he was building, I could feel he was full of kindness, and he told me a little and even gave me a warm smile as he talked.










Of course I looked at every piece of wood, and Napoleon surprised me, by having made a big movers box full of wood for me, to bring home, so I did not need to find all my wood in containers any more he said (and as you can see on the picture, it was not easy to live up to, and I think I will always look).










Also we passed a wonderful old model of a ship, and he offered this, and I ended up with this in my car also (I was the faster to say yes…), this ship are now here on the floor in my living room, and I smile each time I look at it.










So after loading some wood and cola into the car, off we went to my home.









Trash treasures…









MaFe - Flemming - Napoleon

A little shopping on the way, some chocolate, potatoes and root fruits.

We arrived at my place, and Napoleon noticed my little green tower project before we entered the apartment. At this time, the three of us, was really as we had known each other for a long time, so the talking went on (not that I talk a lot…), and Flemming and Napoleon, was full of questions about all my strange things, like my large collection of water color (aquarelle boxes), and some of all the other things that can be found all around in my apartment (I'm a collector of beauty and things with a history). Also we had plenty of coffee, and red wine, so the hours just went, and it was later before we helped each other to make some food, that we left in the oven, while we went to the work shop, to open my box of wood, and also to look at and touch some tools, and yes start the saw test.










Wauuuuuuuuuuu, there were so much beautiful wood, in that box, and also little things for Flemming, it was almost impossible not to give Napoleon a big hug, so I did. I'm in the wooden sky!
So we were there, and they looked at tools, and we talked about tools, opened all my plane cabinets, and especially enjoyed my little planes from Div, and made some test shavings with my old Stanley sweetheart 62, that almost made tears arrive on Napoleons face (he are waiting now for one from Lie Nielsen, so do not feel sorry).










Time passed so quick, that we agreed it must be time to get back up, for some dinner (the potatoes with root fruits, and red wine, had now had two hours, so they were tender enough…). 
So we eat, drink, and had a wonderful time, had some more espresso, cafe lathe, and snaps, looked at wood working books, the big butt book, and all that the heart can wish for, when you are a LJ. 
At two in the night, we agreed that we had to go back to the work shop to make the saw test we had meet to make. So at two fifteen at night we started the test, with a coca cola, and red wine, and me fire in the pipe. It was a wonderful moment, w
here we learned, and enjoyed, the saws, the wood, the time, and each other's company, the test are posted separately, but is a test of Zona, Veritas, Rob Crossman, a Japanese saw and a standard Stanley.
At four in the night, Flemming and I took the car and brought Napoleon safe home(I had nott been drinking too much, do not worry), and here we said hello to his little dog, that funny enough goes under the name of Napoleon, also we had a Samosa, and then said good night.
Flemming slept at my place, and we woke up late, and had a nice quiet morning, before I followed him to the train station, and we said good bye.










Ohhh, and I forgot to tell that Napoleon had helped me to get a good price on a Veritas scraping plane, a japanese marking knife and a mitre gauge, so this was tested too, and we were all both impressed, by the quality, and the work of this sweet scraper baby.
The taped wood in the back, are the parts for Flemmings grease box.

The same evening I was expecting another LJ's arrival (Dennisgrossen), so I was heading home, a little tired, to prepare the next twenty four hours this you can read about here .

*Thank you both*, it was a wonderful twenty four hours, that will stay in my heart for a long time, and I know for sure I have made some new friends, and that I will pass Napoleons work once in a while to get the wonderful smell there in my nose, and enjoy his friendship,

*Best thoughts,*

Mads


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

great get together

lasting friendships

way to go LJ's !

enjoy


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

Great story. Made me laugh and smile.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

pass the tissues-what a beautiful story about 3 LumberJock friends.

I'm so grateful to be able to share this time together, through your wonderful words. Thank you!


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## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

You lucky dogs!


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

Do not look now, but you just might have a long line of lumberjocks heading your way. I am sure most of us
wish we could have shared your get together, but a few thousand people would have crowded things just a
little. Thank you for sharing the friendship with us and wish we could share the aroma of Napoleon's shop, I
can use my imagination, but it is a poor copy. May you have many such happy days in your life.

As ever, Gus the 71 year young laborer, trying to become a carpenters apprentice.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

Wonderful Mads
Har du har en god tømmermænd i morgen
Jamie
In Sunny & Chilly Scotland


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

I do hear the ruommors said Flemming and Thomas had to Drag you out by the feets first
from the bottom of that container and that was even after you got the big box of wood
from Thomas…....LOL

so foks the look in his eye´s is the normal look of his face and he is realy living up to his Mad F name

thank´s for sharing the day with us Mads 

take care
Dennis


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## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

It looks like you had a blast. It's good to hear that.

Thanks for allowing us to share some of the fun.


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## moshel (Apr 25, 2008)

always nice LJ's getting together!!! thats a nice bandsaw in the shop. is this pipe working? it seems to have a topological problem


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

You look like you could hardly 'contain' yourself in that one photo Mads. A great LJ buddy get-together with a perfect host. I would also like to congratulate you for staying on the woodworking theme after the wine and snaps. I was very impressed with Napoleons bandsaw. A really solid and heavy duty tool. I also much admired (read lust after) the Veritas scraper plane. The boat model was very nice too. I read an American mag. 'Wooden Boat' every month and I have often thought it would be fun to do a model like that. I haven't yet because I don't where I could put it. You, on the other hand have found a bachelor's solution by placing it in the living room. I couldn't get away with that. Anyway, it was fun to read your post and see LJ members enjoying each other's company.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

David, yes you seems also to get arround fellow LJ's.
Swirt, we laughed a lot here also.
Debbie, yes it was full of kindness also.
Rivergirl, yes we are - dog.
Gus, I will close my eyes, but will look out the side, it will be wonderful, my dorr are open.
Jamie, I love your funny translations. (Do you have some wonderful carpenters to morrow), I know what you mean.
Dennis, just postet our evening, so be carefull! Yes the truth is I was in a coma looking at all that wood.
Ian, nothing less.
moshel, yes but there are a solution!
Mike, so happy to see you here. Yes I live like a bachelor with my fionce in France, so I can put my hat and my boat as I will.
Barry, the test will come tomorrow, now I need to rest!
Best thoughts to all of you, wish you could all have been there,
Mads


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## Napoleon (Sep 16, 2010)

It was a wonderful day/evening/night…

Like Mafe write i totally agree we all we fallen in to comfort with each ohter perfektly.

While meeting lj at mafe´s place i learned 3 important things…

1) First impression last totally forever…

2) French garlic is very HOT..(maybe i overloaded the dressing a bit )

3) Mafe make a coffe that is awesome!

When i entered Mafe´s home it took me about 30 sek to see that this was a real nice place to spend time.

Everywere there is things with a little story . He got so many little boxes with paint and brushes that i belive we could have painted the hole flat!

Some of them was wery interesting course there was a little container(belive it or not) with water….

So just like Mafe´s portables toolboxes,wich he has a lot of,the paintboxes also were portables  
They look so nice i almost wanted to start painting myself,but then i remebered that i cant paint…dooh…

Then there was a lot of awesome knives to look at, and of course every single one of them was custommade by his hand…unfortenly he knew how many there was 

Suddenly i realised a lot of small black books. That was he´s sketchesbooks. 
Small funny books with all kind of stuff and the most beautifulls drawings he had made. I would give my best plane if i could draw just half as good. 
One of them became my favorite course of the headline : 1 2 tree….......

These books schould been seen.Imposible to describe them with all the credit they deserve. No wonder the saw-test first started at two o´clock in the night…
During all these we were so lucky to get the best cup of coffe i ever had! In the kitchen there is a big machine placed on a table for its self.

Actually its more like a steamengine than a coffemaker…

It can make a lot of noises(wich i know can recognice even throuhg the telefone) and steam and then the most beatifull coffe….MUMS  alone beacause he have that machine i will visit him often 

During a this he suddenly draw out a present for me…the most rare bibel from the napoleons war….a real beauty. I have never seen anything like that before. He knows i collet tinsoldiers from napoleon so when he was in France he found this for me. A real tresure.If my camera not was dead i would have put on a picture of this beautifull book. Thanks Mads 

I belived Flemming and i easyli could have spend of couple of hours more too look at the things in the livingroom.

Then we came dovn in the basement to his shop…the smallest shop i ever had seen but also the most cozy shop i ever have seen…it was like coming home…I use my works shop as my own and have 350kvm i can work on but what i dont have is the cozy´nes of Mads cave…awesome i tell you…

So the 3 of us spend a wonderfull time in thisa little cave and i am sure >Flemming will agre that we had the best host we could…( and also the best coffe  )

So thanks guyés for a wonderfull evening,i am sure more of these will follow


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## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

I wonder what I can sell to raise enough money for a ticket to Denmark! The green glow you see on the southern horizon? Don't worry, it is just me!

Great going you guys. What a meeting!


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## Napoleon (Sep 16, 2010)

Div i am just curios but how much cost a ticket ?


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## woodspark (May 8, 2010)

Don't know, more than what I have….:^( You going to buy me one? :^)


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## Napoleon (Sep 16, 2010)

Naaa Div but how about start selling some of those nice planes you make,and then save the money for a ticket to Denmark ? 

Trust me, the coffe Mafe makes is the long journey worth it


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## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

Aw Div- it would be so wonderful for you to go to see Mads. Maybe Mads will settle up his disability gig and then be able to come to South Africa to see you.


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## Napoleon (Sep 16, 2010)

Great ideer Rivergirl 

Whats the price for a matching pair of planes like Mafe got ?


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## Bluebear (Jun 21, 2010)

i have to say, these two guys are in themselves a masterpiece! a jig-master and a blacksmith! there is so much knowledge and know-how in them it's impossible not to be daunted… and i felt very daunted!

A Veritas, and a Rob Cosman saw was presented.. and a couple of other gadgets including a japanese marking knife and a miter gauge. and i was lost for words. never in my life have i seen such beauty or sampling of exquisite tools! i was excited to try them! but afraid to mishandle them and always careful to put them down with two hands!!!

when it came to testing the saws it was clear that i was the amateur and after a glass of wine and a good talk in the workshop i learned one very important thing! aside from the fact that you need the right tool for the right job, you need the right tool to do most of the work for you!!! i'm used to "ploughing" through things and that's certainly not the case with the finer saws of our test! it was a beautiful experience when i (towards the very last cut or two) began to understand the principle of the matter 

thank you mads for opening up to us. and thank you napoleon for your warm heart and generosity! i look forward to the next meet guys  maybe next time we should make a trip somewhere and see what we can do with pocket knives and a canoe 

ps. mads - hahhahahahah!!!!! i love that picture of you


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

Wonderful Meeting and Story, my Friends!!


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## Woodfix (May 14, 2009)

I am so jealous. One day soon I am going to come to Copenhagen and say hello to you and your friends. I will make sure to bring some nice pieces of wood from Australia and a tool to play with, I mean work with.

Well done
Pure woodworking magic

Doug


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Div, you know you are welcome always, you can stay as long as you want.
Flemming and Napoleon, you can not imagine how much I enjoyed this evening, thank you again. It's in my mind every day. 
Mike my friend, yes, it sure was. ;-)
Doug, you are welcome.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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