This course will cover the fundamental forging, grinding and hardening techniques needed to create functional and personalized tools for green woodworking. We will start off by making a knife blade especially designed for woodcarving. Once students have achieved this project, they will be able to choose from a variety of small tools that speak to the traditional woodcarver, including hooked spoon knives, drawknives, or gouges. Guest instructor Lars Mørch will be joined by Jim Ricci, providing plenty of skilled one-on-one assistance for students to experiment and personalize their projects, with an aim towards skill-building over production. Each student should leave with a few good tools ready for handles and a new carving project.
Required Tools
- Leather gloves
- Jeans
- Cotton shirts (no nylon clothing)
- Leather shoes
- Clothing comfortable to be outdoors
Optional Tools
- Safety glasses
- Ear protection
- Steel punch
- Steel chisels
- Hack saw
- Vice grips
- Channel locks
- Camera
- Your favorite blacksmithing hammer (non claw types 1-3lb hammer)
- Good file for steel
- Tongs or over-sized pliers
- Any hammer heads that you like to use (non-claw)
- Ball-peen hammer(s) and/or heads to be modified into a suitable blacksmithing hammer
