Artisans of Dartmoor - Book - Page 155
“Tools aren’t
one-size-fits-all
– they’re an
incredibly
personal thing”
which is far too clunky,” he explains. After treating the
handle with a preserving linseed oil, he joins (‘hangs’)
it to an appropriate head, and then the tool is ready
for its new owner.
As sending bladed ‘edge-tools’ through the post
is problematic, Jordan often drives long distances to
deliver in person to his customers, who he always
vets to ensure they plan to use them as intended. “We
usually meet at a halfway point, so anyone watching
me hand a stranger a massive axe in a pub car park
must think we look pretty dodgy,” he laughs.
Carrying his products to markets also proves
challenging, especially on the odd occasion when
car trouble has forced him to hitchhike. “I’m a big
hairy guy standing on a roadside carrying a load of
potentially deadly weapons, but people still offer me
lifts, which shows great trust. If I saw someone like
me by the road, I don’t think I’d pull over!”
Hitchhiking and covert handovers aside, there’s
one thing Jordan would rather not experience again:
getting stopped by police for a broken tail light when
he had a boot full of axes. “The timing couldn’t have
been worse,” he laughs. “I was on my way to morris
dance at a pagan festival and was wearing a hat with
a huge skull on it, tattered black clothes, strips of fur,
and heavy black and gold face paint. Luckily, they
didn’t ask to see inside my boot, as they probably
would’ve arrested me on the spot. I was thinking up
my defence very quickly!”
The Toolmaker • Jordan Harris
155
