Canebrake Studio

05/08/2026

My wife's mom died almost thirty years ago, and the first picture is her cutting board. It's been beat to hell over the years, and needs to be reworked.

But the form-factor is brilliant. We just leave it on the counter, and when we need to chop something quick, just pull it towards us and chop away.

I am trying to decide if I should make some to sell based on it, so I made a few prototypes.

They are both hard maple, 11x11 on 1/2 inch feet.

The second picture is almost its clone, with squared off corners, while the third picture has a sapele racing stripe and rounded corners.

I think I personally like the racing stripe, but with squared off corners.

Shrug.

05/07/2026

I love the shimmer of freshly planed maple.

04/24/2026

I've spent most of my shop time this week rearranging things, getting rid of duplicates, and making space as I get ready to gear up for making more things to offer in the shop.

One problem I have is that I have a lot of small items I use all the time, but that don't have a place they live. Things like a marking knife, ruler, 6 inch combination square, mallet, nail set, tape measure, and so on. I use them so much, it doesn't make sense to put them in the tool cabinet, and if I do, I'm just getting them back out again. And if I leave them out, they get buried in the wood shavings.

So, I spent a bit of time today to make a small tool tote from some scraps. It fits on a shelf by my workbench, and it holds all the small bits and bobs. When I'm working it can rest on the right hand end of my bench, and I can work out of it, and then just set it on the shelf at night when I clear the bench.

Painting it took more time than it did to make it, and I still need another coat yet. People are funny when it comes to shop projects - some make legit furniture, and others nail things together so they can get back to making whatever it was they got into making for.

I'm more the latter than the former, but I do love a splash of color in the workshop, so most of my stuff get painted eventually.

01/28/2026

The extreme temps have kept me out of the workshop for the last few days, but the last few day's book orders are shipping out today!

01/26/2026

It's Sunday night, which means new things are going up in the store. By popular request - spurtles and peanut butter spreaders.

01/23/2026

Cherry is one of my favorite woods to work in, but one thing you have to be prepared for is that UV darkens it over time. This is not a flaw, but can catch you off guard if you are not aware.

The small spread knife was made this week - the spoon was made about a year ago. Both from the same batch of lumber, and probably the same tree. Eventually, the spread knife will look a lot like the spoon.

01/21/2026

Want to know a huge thing you can do for your friends trying to sell a book these days?

Write a review on Amazon - even if you didn't buy it there. Maybe especially if you didn't buy it there.

Posted on January 21, 2026January 21, 2026 by Hugh Hollowell — Leave a commentOn Amazon reviews As a small business owner who wrote a book I really, really want people to buy, I have a weird relationship with Amazon.  I recognize that people have access to books (like mine) that they wouldn’t e...

01/20/2026

Today's pile of books, charcuterie boards, wooden spoons and spatulas.

Glad for all the support, y'all.

01/15/2026

I made up some small, sample tins of the soft wax finish I apply to all the food-contact utensils in the shop. Starting today, I'm now including one with each utensil purchase. We sell this in the shop in 4 ounce tins.

It's thinner than most "board butters", with a consistency close to Vaseline, so it penetrates well. Just work it into the surface periodically, when your spoons or cutting boards begin to feel dried out.

Made from food safe mineral oil, beeswax, and citrus solvent for increased workability.