Hand Tool Sharpening Course

What you'll learn

Learn basic woodworking skills with our woodwork short courses in Sydney!

While most woodwork projects require a sharp tool for high quality results, hand tool sharpening is often seen as a mysterious or inscrutable art. In this course we will demystify the world of sharpening, including how to make and maintain a sharp edge, and teach you how to achieve one consistently and easily for their own woodworking tools.

The introduction course will focus on sharpening a chisel by hand and a hand plane blade using a honing guide. High quality, hollow ground Japanese chisels will be provided as part of the course by Japanese Tools Australia which students will get to practise their sharpening and take home at the end of the day. 

Hand Tool Sharpening course will teach you about the pros and cons of using a variety of sharpening methods and media from high-end water cooled grinders to more affordable and nonetheless effective options such as oil stones.

Feel free to bring in your own tools to sharpen and free time will be given at the end of the course to practise and work on your own tools with the provided equipment and media.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Hand Tool Sharpening Course, you should be able to:

• Understand the importance of workshop safety and demonstrate proper safety practices.
• Safely and effectively utilise various powered grinding tools and jigs for sharpening.
• Demonstrate proficiency in using oil and water stones to hone an edge both manually and with honing guides.
• Apply techniques to achieve a polished edge on sharpened tools.
• Determine the most suitable sharpening method for different tools to optimise efficiency.
• Successfully sharpen chisels and plane blades to a high standard.
• Apply sharpening methods to other woodworking tools with precision and accuracy.

Course content

What will be covered in this Hand Tool Sharpening Course?

• One freshly sharpened Japanese carpenter's chisel with sheath to take home
• The ability to achieve a razor sharp edge on chisel and plane blades
• An understanding of the different sharpening tools such as; grinders, oil and water stones, diamond and steel lapping plates and strops, and when to use them
• An understanding of sharpening options for differing budgets
• An understanding of how to sharpen a variety of different-edged, woodworking tools
• Time on the stones and the grinders to practise their technique

Intended audience

Who is this Hand Tool Sharpening Course for?

Any learner who wishes to improve their personal and practical skills for self interest or the workplace.

Knowledge required

• This course is designed for beginners with no prior experience who have an interest in learning to sharpen and maintain a sharp edge on their woodworking tools.

Information for booking students under 18

Among the Trees  is committed to child safety and has zero tolerance for child abuse. We care deeply about the children’s well-being and are committed to acting in their best interest at all times. You can read our full Child Safe Policy.

Among The Trees accepts students under 18 in two groups:

• Students 13-15 years of age must attend all courses with a parent or guardian. This parent or guardian must also purchase a place in the course and take part. One parent/guardian is able to attend with multiple students.
• Students 16-17 years of age may attend a course without a parent or guardian present.

For all students under 18, the full name and contact information for parents and guardians must be provided when booking. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us.

Course venue

Among The Trees

27 Sydney Street, Marrickville 2204

We encourage students to utilize the numerous public transport options nearby or ride their bicycle to Among the Trees, there is a bike rack on site. Street parking is limited during the day and onsite parking is off-limits for course participants during business hours (Wed-Sat 10am-4pm). Please contact Among the Trees directly if you have access concerns or requirements, there is an accessible parking spot available that we can reserve if requested. Outside business hours there are 3 onsite parking spots available.

About Among The Trees

We can’t get enough of reclaimed and recycled timber, and we believe it should be accessible to everyday people. There’s nothing like working with wood, and to use and love a product that would otherwise have been sent to landfill or be burned off helps keep the story of that piece alive.

We want to show you how and why we love this material, and share with you how to work with it. We are Among The Trees, and we can’t wait to say hello. Please check us out at our website.

Transportation and parking

• Among The Trees is a 7 minute walk from Sydenham Station. There are bus stops for the lines 418, 423, 425, 426 and 430 all 4-6 minutes walk from ATT.
• There are 3 onsite parking spaces available and street parking on Sydney Street and surrounding area.
• If you are riding your bicycle, there is space inside ATT for you to store your bike.

Tools and Materials

What to bring

Attendees should wear clothes that they don’t mind getting a bit grubby. PPE will be available to use but attendees are encouraged to bring their own ear, eye and breathing protection.

A face mask can be provided for each student when booking any course that includes sanding.

Attendees are also encouraged to bring in a tool or two of their own to sharpen. Appropriate tools to bring in include:

• Metal and timber planes such as block planes, smoothers (No.4), Jack (No.5), Jointer and scrub planes
• Router planes, rebate planes and combination planes
• Timber and metal spokeshaves
• Card scrapers
• Sloyd knives and hook knives
• Kitchen knives
• Hatchets
• Rasps
• Moulding planes

If you are planning on bringing in your own tool, particularly if it isn’t on the list, get in contact with us at Among the Trees so we can make sure we have everything ready for you.

If you don’t have any tools to bring in, ones will be provided on which to practise.

Additional information

Please note the following:

• Concessions or discounts cannot be applied to classes hosted at the Among The Tree venue.

Please advise Among The Trees about:

1. your emergency contact (name, relationship and contact phone number), and
2. any special requirements (e.g. wheelchair access) if applicable

Lunch

For Classes running all day, a 30 minute lunch break will take place halfway through the class. Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch, alternatively there are Cafe's and take away restaurants nearby.