Tool Sharpening - Sunday, May 19, 2024
Learn about sharpening theory & practice foundations in hand tool sharpening
Sunday, May 19, 2024 12pm - 4pm
Hand tool sharpening can often feel like a daunting skill to tackle, but it doesn’t need to be super complicated.
This is a sharpening class for new and practiced woodworkers who want in-person instruction on sharpening.
In this class we will start by covering the foundations of sharpening:
- What is sharpness?
- Assessing tool edges for damage & the work needed to repair the edge.
- Various options for abrasive surfaces & ‘sharpening systems’
- Considerations for sharpening different types of hand tools and blade shapes
A large portion of class will be spent actually practicing freehand sharpening. I often hear from folks who’ve watched 3 dozen videos online and maybe read a book or two, but who are still really intimidated by the idea of putting a tool to a stone and maybe making a mistake. I’ve 100% been there! The second portion of class will be dedicated to hands-on practice, coaching on the mechanics of the freehand sharpening technique needed for many tool types, and lots of opportunity to ask questions. We can’t cover every aspect of every type of tool, but we’ll try to discuss considerations for many types of hand tools according to the group’s needs and interests.
Our practice will start on a set of ‘learning tools’ I will provide so that everyone can explore technique without the fear of messing up a precious tool. Each student is encouraged to bring their own tools as well if you have some. We will certainly use these as case studies of tools to learn from and each person can spend time working on them as time allows. The focus of this class is on woodworking hand tools, so students could bring sample tools such as carving knives, gouges, axes, hand planes, drawknives, spokeshaves, chisels. While the same theory generally applies, we won’t spend much time on items like kitchen knives or gardening tools.
No prior knowledge or experience in sharpening or woodworking is required to participate in this class, though the knowledge will be most useful to those who arrive with a sense of how they intend to apply it and what tools they want to use and maintain.
