Christopher Schwarz Leaving the Editor’s Chair

[Johnny Kleso]

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/ar...rking-magazine

Looks like my friend Chris Schwarz is going to start a Llama farm

Scroll down to second paragraph and read the story...
I'm sad he is leaving, I met him at the big international wood show here in Atlanta a few years ago.. I introduced myself to him and he said he knew me from my name badge and chatting on the web.. I was honored that he knew me as I was honored to meet him We have exchanged emails now and then.. I hope he writes more now..

[Dave Lehnert]

That kinda sucks. But happy for him. May be better for us woodworkers in the long run.
Living here in Cincinnati I have been lucky enough to spend some time in the Popular Woodworking shop with Chris. Just about a month ago got to spend a Saturday afternoon with him and talked about his new book on Tool Chests due out soon. He is the most knowledgeable person I know about the craft of woodworking with hand tools. I wish him luck.

[Zahid Naqvi]

according to the press release he will still continue to write his blog and contribute towards the magazine. I'm thinking he probably wants to focus more on woodworking research and such without having to worry about editorial stuff. His visibility will probably increase in the WWing community.

[Michael Peet]

Best of luck, Chris. I enjoy your writing, which has provided both humor and inspiration when needed.

Mike

[Phil Thien]

Kinda disappointed the llama thing isn't true.

I enjoyed watching him on Roy's show. The two of them together make for great TV.

[David Keller NC]

Yeah, my take on this is that it's not good - not good at all. I'm a vocal critic of the "new" Fine Woodworking Magazine, and the principle critique and distinction between FWW and PWW is thoughtfulness that goes into the articles and overall analytical take of PWW. FWW these days seems to be full of recycled technique articles that present the author's "this is how I accomplish this common woodworking task". PWW, on the other hand, will actually go to the trouble of researching how a continuum of WWs accomplish a particular task, or a particular design element, and make an attempt to analyze all of them and present the results to the reader.

Another distiguishing feature is their beginner-aimed articles. The content of the "I can do that" series over the last couple of years has been nothing short of brilliant. It would be tempting, I suspect, for the editors to fill this column with chotskies, like birdhouses, pen turnings and victorian scroll-sawn knick-knack shelves. Instead, they've made a conscious effort to present projects that are useful pieces of furniture, which very much suggests that they understand the mentality of many, many beginners. I.E. - "My wife is sort of OK with me spending money on tools and taking up much of the basement with a workshop, but she wants to see some output, and in her eyes that's useful, functional and beautiful pieces of furniture that are made of solid wood and are otherwise unaffordable for us. How do I make those?"

While this bit of analytical thought might seem trivial, it wasn't - it was sheer genius. And just about every topic in the magazine was approached in this analytical way, and it radically set PWW apart from the tidal wave of vapid dross that fills the magazine racks these days.

I sincerely hope that way of thinking stays after Chris' departure, but it makes me nervous. One only has to pick up his "Workbenches" book to realize that this analytical tact was his major contribution to the magazine and to WW in general. It will be very sad indeed if PWW backslides into the Fine Woodworking black hole.

[Terry Beadle]

I agree with Mr. Keller. It could be good or it could be an end of an era. So I guess I'll opt for "it's going to be good" !

IMO Mr. Schwartz has contributed so much to the wood working community that no matter where he writes or travels from, he will be missed greatly. David Keller's description above about Mr. Schwartz's analytical and practicality is dead on. It's the spirit behind the writing that really carries through to the passion of wood working that we all enjoy because of his efforts. ( Whoops...he's not dead ! ... hoot! ) . Really I'm going to miss him. I hope this works out.

[Roger Bell]

That's very well stated, David. And, like you, I am apprehensive that the void might not easily be filled by anyone else involved in WW publications.

Chris took PWW (a second rate pub that I had subscribed to for several years prior) and turned it around, giving it a fresh and innovative focus. The new PWW and its staff was a major force in bringing what was an emerging Hand Tool Renaissance to where it is now. And they did it with creatively better than anyone else in publishing. It was gratifying to watch all that grow to witness the appreciation of HT methods emerge once again in the WW community. We are all richer for his efforts.

[john brenton]

I'm glad I read your post as I was fittin to go on a tirade about the Lllama farming subsidy scam". I love those little buggers though.

Kinda disappointed the llama thing isn't true.

I enjoyed watching him on Roy's show. The two of them together make for great TV.

[Leigh Betsch]

I think he's leaving so he can spend more
time on the Creek!

[Rolf Maxa]

Chris was a guest speaker in April at the Rochester Woodworkers Society monthly national speaker meeting. He is a very knowledgeable speaker, and I enjoyed his presentation very much. He did a review of his workbench and tool chest. I just starting reading PWW and also find it a more enjoyable read. I'm sorry to see him leave the magazine, but I will continue to follow him on his blog.

[Pam Niedermayer]

...While this bit of analytical thought might seem trivial, it wasn't - it was sheer genius. And just about every topic in the magazine was approached in this analytical way, and it radically set PWW apart from the tidal wave of vapid dross that fills the magazine racks these days.

I sincerely hope that way of thinking stays after Chris' departure, but it makes me nervous. One only has to pick up his "Workbenches" book to realize that this analytical tact was his major contribution to the magazine and to WW in general. It will be very sad indeed if PWW backslides into the Fine Woodworking black hole.

I agree completely, this is bad; and I'd bet it has to do more with the number of subscriptions than anything else. Which, btw, is bogus with this recession/depression, can't believe anyone is making his/her numbers.

[Rob Fisher]

I agree completely, this is bad; and I'd bet it has to do more with the number of subscriptions than anything else. Which, btw, is bogus with this recession/depression, can't believe anyone is making his/her numbers.

Actually Chris states on his blog "...Our balance sheet is excellent. Our bean-counting superiors are happy. Our readers are (generally) satisfied...". And if one can believe Chris's own words then his real reason is "...Actually, I’m going to plunge deeper into woodworking history, old texts and traditional hand-tool techniques with my little company, Lost Art Press LLC..." (again from his blog).

I do agree that this is (potentially) bad. I read PWW because of Chris and David is spot on with his analysis.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Actually Chris states on his blog "...Our balance sheet is excellent. Our bean-counting superiors are happy. Our readers are (generally) satisfied...". And if one can believe Chris's own words then his real reason is "...Actually, I’m going to plunge deeper into woodworking history, old texts and traditional hand-tool techniques with my little company, Lost Art Press LLC..." (again from his blog)

I stand corrected and hope Chris has trained a successor.

Pam

[Joe Cunningham]

I look forward to him building his WW'ing press (Lost Art Press), which I understand is his reason for stepping down. I think PWW will be less interesting with him and Glenn Huey stepping down, but they could surprise me.

I am also looking forward to taking a week-long class with him later this summer.