Blood and Sawdust - A Briefe and Trewe Relation

Welcome to Blood and Sawdust, my web site dedicated to the study and recreation of 16th and 17th century English and American colonial history and material culture. For some 25 years I have been active (on and off) in various historical study groups, such as the Society for Creative Anachronism and Gardiner's Company of the London Trayn'd Bandes. My particular area of interest is in the woodworking trades (such as turners, carpenters, and joiners) and the history and culture of the "middling-sort" at the end of the Middle Ages and in the Early Modern period. This was a period of great change, as the medieval gave way to an explosion of new science, religion, art, and philosophy in the European Renaissance. In some ways it mirrors our own times, as we have gone from first human flight to moon landings in a single lifetime. Not to mention religious conflict, extremism, and really questionable taste in fashion.

Whether you are interested in historic reenactment, period furniture, or just looking for information for that term paper that's due tomororw, I hope you will find some useful information here. Please check back periodically, as I add new articles and complete new projects. And feel free to drop me a line on the Blood and Sawdust guestbook or at Tom@BloodAndSawdust.com if you have questions, or just want to geek about woodworking, history, whatever. (Note: sometimes the spam filter eats real mail; if you don't get an answer, try the guestbook.)

Thanks again for visiting,

Tom Rettie

Known in the SCA as Master Findlaech mac Alasdair, OL, GD, CP, QoC

And in the London Trayn'd Bandes as Thomas Pennington, Citizen and Turner

8 September 2007 - Another Overdue Update

Alas, the real world has been sucking up my time, and I've only recently spent time in the shop.

It only took about a year, but I finally got around to completing the drawers for the livery cupboard I made last year:

I've also been playing around with turning little apothecary jars, such as those found on the Mary Rose:

And a little bobbin/needle case, also after an artifact from the Mary Rose:

27 May 2007 - An Overdue Update

Apologies for the scarce updates, the day job and Jamestown Landing Days have eaten my free time for the past couple of months. The Jamestown 400th was great; I'll try to post some photos soon.

3 March 2007 - A New Article

A few updates to the Links page. The articles by Peter Follansbee are particularly interesting.

1 March 2007 - A New Article

A brief writeup on making the targets can be found here.

14 February 2007 - Sons of Target

The first effort was a sufficient success that I've done two more. It would be embarrassing for Targeteers so show up without targets.

28 January 2007 - The Lining

The lining is hemp cloth, with a red fringe around the circumference. I'm waiting for some copper tacks to attach it to the wooden core.

15 January 2007 - Da Boss

The boss is now attached. Next, lining and padding the back, fringing, and edging. Then the strapping.

14 January 2007 - Progress

The Blood and Sawdust guestbook is now up and running. Please feel free to drop by and leave your comments or questions.

Progress on the steeled target, with the 12 plates applied to the core. Need to work on the boss next.

10 January 2007 - A New Project

My latest project is a steeled target, based somewhat on ones in the V&A and the Tower of London. It will have a wooden core with steel plates on the front and a linen and leather lining on the back.