The Foxfire Book Chapter Summary & Analysis - "White Oak Splits," "Making a Hamper out of White Oak Splits" and "Making a Basket out of White Oak Splits" Summary

"White Oak Splits," "Making a Hamper out of White Oak Splits" and "Making a Basket out of White Oak Splits" Summary

These three articles discuss the construction of white oak splits, as well as their use in hampers and baskets. The first article, "White Oak Splits," begins by discussing the creation of a "split," or a strand of pliable, soft wood often used in baskets and chair bottoms. The authors of the article interview Lon Reid and Daniel Manous to obtain instructions. First, the selection of wood is important, in that the tree should be a young white oak sapling of straight bark lines, indicating a straight trunk. Often, split makers travel to dark, moist coves on the lower mountains. Trees further up the mountain tend to be more brittle. Most split makers work the wood the day of cutting, in order to avoid drying. The split maker begins by bracing the tree to avoid movement.

Using a mallet and froe, one first splits the wood slightly, and then inserts a...
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