Description:

Sharpening tools is a vital skill for anyone doing woodworking. Two of the most used woodworking hand tools are chisels and planes. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but sharpening them all follows the same procedure. This three-hour course will teach you how to get planes and chisels sharp and how to keep them that way.

We will use basic tools for our sharpening. Using your blades and chisels or those supplied by the instructor, you will use a grinder, a sharpening stone, and some oil to get a razor sharp edge. We'll look at different types of stones and some more exotic aids, such as a strop and various jigs.

Class Goals:

This class will teach you how to put a proper cutting edge on the blade of a plane and on a chisel.

The student will learn how to:
* Recognize when a tool is sharp and when it needs to be sharpened.
* Grind imperfections from a blade or chisel on a grinder.
* Hone the chisel on a medium and fine stone for the best edge.
* Test the sharpness of the tool.
* Protect the sharp edge of the tool.
* Properly handle a very sharp blade.
* Strop a tool's edge for the sharpest possible result.

At the end of the class, the student will have sharpened at least one chisel and one plane blade to an acceptable level of sharpness as measured by the ability to slice a piece of paper.

Prerequisites:

None.

Materials:

Students should bring a sharpening stone in good condition to class along with a plane blade and a chisel. If the student does not have these materials, the instructor will them available at a cost of less than $25 for the stone, and less than $10 for either the plane blade or chisel. The instructor will have a limited number of plane blades and chisels for students to practice on. The instructor will supply oil and paper towels.

Instructor Biography:

Michael Goulde was a professional furniture maker for three years after taking courses at the Museum School, Mass College of Art, and Boston University Program in Artisanry. He made a wide variety of custom designed, one-off furniture. Over the course his work he used a wide variety of tools and techniques, and throughout his life he has sought to learn how to use a wide variety of tools and materials in a number of disciplines.