Presentation

Edvin Thorheim Steen

I am the owner and, at this time, the only employe at Retrosnickeri AB.
I grew up on Gotland and after 23 years on the island, I was ready to move on to new adventures. It was at that time I started my journey towards fine carpentry and furniture making. After three years of studying, I passed the journeyman's test and have since worked with carpentry in many different ways and developed a great passion for the profession.

The most important thing for me when facing a new project is to understand my client's vision, so I can take an idea and bring it forth to a finished piece of furniture. There are many details to consider in order for a project to fully blossom.

Another big part of my job is to preserve what already exists. Furniture, windows and doors restoration. I am proud of this part of the business, it feels good to collect some good karma by not replacing fully functional and usually very beautiful objects.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Journeyman's test, what's that?

A journeyman's test is a proof of craftsmanship and there are many different types, depending on what type of trade that you eventually want to work in. As a journeyman's test to become a Cabinetmaker, you make a piece of furniture, usually from your own design.
You go through all the steps to create your piece. Draw a blueprint, make all the parts, join them together and finish them.
All parts of the process are examined by at least two people who hold the title of Master Cabinetmaker and have been appointed by the Journeyman and Master Craftsman Certificate Office.

My own journeyman's piece is a cabinet with a frame of self-made board. In the frame are two sliding doors with reused, mouth-blown window glass that my teacher generously gave me from old window frames.
Beneath the sliding doors are two drawers with dovetailed corners, and the drawer fronts have a Kumiko pattern that doubles as handles.
The whole cabinet rests on a leg frame of slim dimensions and hidden behind the front piece is a locked compartment.
Materials: ash, pine, birch, ash veneer, glass, recycled wool, brass, leather.