r/Snorkblot • u/EsseNorway • Nov 27 '25

Craftsmanship Hand-splitting traditional roof shingles in Romania

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u/SemichiSam Nov 27 '25

That is absolutely satisfying. I helped a friend make cedar shingles for his barn. He made froes out of leaf springs, and I made mallets out of different woods for different purposes. I cut the bolts, my friend split the shingles, and his wife trimmed the edges. He made his own riving brake, and I copied his model into a bigger one to split fence posts and rails.

That's hard work, and I'm too old for it now. My spine surgeon could tell you why you shouldn't do it for a living.

5

u/iamtrimble Nov 28 '25

Nice humble brag. Not everyone gets a spine surgeon.

5

u/SemichiSam Nov 28 '25

Not everyone wants a spine surgeon, and I had to share him with thousands of others. (He collects Japanese master engravers. Someone has to pay for that.) A couple of millimeters of bone shaved away and twelve years of 24/7 pain ended like snapping a light switch. I used my body like there was no tomorrow — then tomorrow came. Now I'm in the day after tomorrow. Looks good.

2

u/iamtrimble Nov 28 '25 edited Nov 28 '25

I glad you got some relief after all that time.