BRITISHTAXIMANSeveral months ago, I stumbled upon a YouTube channel called “Joint Venture,” created by Dorian Bracht, a furniture designer and craftsman based in Berlin. At first glance, I assumed that since he was from Germany, the channel would focus on Western wood joining techniques. Boy, was I wrong!
To my surprise, Dorian’s channel is dedicated to showcasing how to create various Japanese wood joints, which are significantly different from the ones we commonly use here in the United States. I found myself captivated as I watched him measure, mark, cut, and assemble a highly complex joint called the “Wari kusabi,” or wedge joint.
The finished product is a true work of art.
In his very first video, uploaded 8 years ago (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmQ1m-SSdlU), Dorian demonstrates his skills and passion for this unique craft. As authors Torashichi Sumiyoshi and Gengo Matsui so eloquently put it in their book “Wood Joints in Classical Japanese Architecture,” “The harmony of the creation conceals the complexity of the assemblage.”
This quote perfectly captures the essence of Dorian’s work. The joint may look simple, but its execution requires an immense amount of patience—and when I say patience, I mean extra patience—along with a significant level of skill in sawing straight lines, which I admittedly lack at times. Throughout the 11-minute video, Dorian effortlessly wields Japanese hand tools like marking gauges, saws, and hand planes, making the entire process look deceptively easy. I can’t help but wonder how many practice examples he went through to master this art!
Although Dorian doesn’t explicitly explain why he chose to explore this path, I can only imagine that he was driven by the same curiosity that now fuels my own interest in this fascinating world of Japanese joinery. It’s incredible to think that the stunning, ancient temples in Japan were all built by hand using these and many other intricate joint types.
After discovering Dorian’s channel, I’m definitely adding “Joint Venture” to my list of favorite woodworking channels on YouTube. His content is not only informative but also incredibly inspiring, and I can’t wait to see what other Japanese joinery techniques he shares with us in the future. Who knows, maybe I’ll even muster up the courage to try my hand at creating a “Wari kusabi” joint myself!
