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  • Australian Woodsmith

    Secret Dovetails

    Oct 06, 2021 5 minutes

    The sycamore jewellery box on page 40 uses secret mitred dovetails to lock the carcase together. Israel Martin says in that article that he was inspired by the work of the Japanese master, Kenji Suda. Kenji Suda uses this joint in the highly-prized boxes and cabinets that he makes. In 2015 the British Museum purchased one of his pieces and produced a YouTube video titled “Making Beauty: Kenji Suda”.

    Watching Kenji Suda craft his secret mitred dovetails was a revelation. I quickly appreciated the need for a mitred shooting board and skewed dovetail chisels. I also appreciated that his style of woodworking has a focus on showcasing the timber that is being worked, not the joints being used. Before I had a go at the jewellery box (to be made from a rare piece

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