Sharpening

Yesterday at ESSA, I had 7 students who brought lots of various tools as I had requested. The tools ranged from spokeshaves, to drawknives, and regular knives. They included chisels, gouges, plane irons, axes and lathe tools. We sharpened them all. We used grinders, Japanese water stones, old fashioned Norton oil stones, hard Arkansas translucent oil stone, diamond stones, and a system using sand paper that makes tools "scary sharp."

I had fun. It was a class I'd never taught before, so I was uncertain, but hopeful that my students gained what they needed from it. My thought is that what folks may need most is the confidence to get started, and a bit of experience to help them make decisions as to what they need and what tools offer the best chance of them proceeding on their own. We gave them those things and they journeyed home with satchels of sharp tools.

Today I prepare for Monday's classes at the Clear Spring School, do some home maintenance and inlay the lids of boxes.

Make, fix, and create. Increase the likelihood that others learn likewise.