How many are we?

The question has come to my mind lately as to how many woodworkers there are who are focused on using hand tools eschewing the use of power tools.

Defined in the strictest sense and including only those who do so by choice as a hobby and have a reasonable collection of tools (eliminating kids with pen knives and third world carpenters working with a single rusty plane or brace, but not Windsor chair makers or instrument makers), I would guess that we are indeed few in number- possibly numbering fewer than 1,000 worldwide.

This blog gets well over 100 visitors on a daily basis, but I don't think that the majority of my visitors fit the hand tool woodworker description in the strictest sense.

I am now tracking over 50 blogs on this site, but relatively few are dedicated entirely to hand tool woodworking.

The neaderthal forum at sawmillcreek.org is quite active, but there is a lot of activity from neo-neaderthals, or those those who favor hand tools, but would never give up their bandsaws, planers, drill press, etc.

If we include all those who have mixed shops, but favor hand tools, the count would grow dramatically. For many, that is the sweet spot. Even more have power shops and use an occasional hand tool.

What do you think? How many are we, and are modern neaderthals going the way of the ancient neaderthal man?

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