Instructor - Craig Stevens

• To be scheduled

In this tool-making class, woodworkers can add a hand-made knife and bronze hammer to their collection of essential hand tools. The construction of both tools provides insight into working with small parts, dissimilar materials and working to careful tolerances. The class helps students understand the tool’s use and care, and teaches students how to build these tools again independently. Perhaps most importantly, a handmade tool has an immediate connection with its maker, already broken in and ready to work.

Each student will make a small bronze hammer with a hand-shaped hardwood handle. Once the bronze hammer head is drilled and shaped, the work shifts to the handle. The tenon is cut and the handle is shaped using the bandsaw and spokeshaves. The finished hammer can be used for adjusting plane irons in wooden planes, assembling parts, chisel work for joinery and dovetails, as well as all the other nudging and tapping of things that hammers excel at.

Students will also make a very useful knife handle for an excellent Hock Tools 1/2” wide “Violin Makers Knife”, which is included in the cost of the course. The knife blade has a bevel on both sides and a long cutting edge for general purpose cutting and shaping. This type of knife is useful for cleaning up joinery, hand shaping small parts like door and drawer pulls and many other daily carving, whittling and other cutting needs. Participants complete both projects during the 2-evening class.