Tool Sharpening

and

Refurbishment

In a small group I’ll show you how to bring your old tools back to life using simple hand tools and a few machines to help make life easier. Just bring along the tools that you would like to learn how to sharpen or restore and I will teach you all you need to know! This can be as simple as learning how to sharpen your kitchen knives or it could involve removing a broken handle from an axehead before replacing it and regrinding the axe to an edge. We will cover maintenance and day to day care of your tools as well as going through the types of equipment that you might want to use.  I have a range of sharpening stones and kit available for you to try out as well as some to buy!

The actual syllabus of these two day courses varies from session to session based on what you and the other participants bring with you, but as a guide to what could be covered...

Tool refurbishment

•Removal of broken handles without damaging the tool (axe, forks and slashers are favourites here)

•Fitting of new shop bought handles, including what to look for when buying handles

•Rust removal

•Safe regrinding of edges such as axes and billhooks

•Fixing of loose handles

•Maintenance of wooden and metal parts

Sharpening

•Knives (penknives, kitchen knives, hunting knives, bushcraft knives, etc)

•Chisels

•Plane and spokeshave irons

•Axes

•Adze

•Drawknives

•Handsaws

•Carving tools (gauges, spoon hooks, etc)

•Augers and other drill bits

•Scissors

•Shears

•Billhooks, Slashers, Sickles

I’ve also run specialist courses for groups who have very particular tools or requirements. For example I have run courses for a nature reserve that needed to train their volunteers in the care and use of rough cutting hand tools.  One recent bespoke sharpening course was focused on the tools used in all aspects of Bookbinding, when Her Majesty’s Bookbinders  from Windsor Castle came out for a two day course with a fine selection of Victorian tools!

Below are some pictures to give you an idea of what happens: