Handtool Skills | Mike Pekovich

Handtool Skills | Mike Pekovich

I’m often asked about prerequisites for the furniture classes I teach. The answer is pretty simple: You should be comfortable using a basic set of hand tools. That’s it. You should know how to get them sharp and have an understanding of how they work so that you can get the best results from them.

Maybe most important is having the confidence that when you pick up a tool, it’s going to do what you need it to do. After that, the rest is easy. I’m not talking about decades of experience, we can get a good start down that path in just a weekend.

I’ll focus on the:

• chisel,
• block plane,
• backsaw,
• spokeshave
• scraper skills

We will also take time to talk about getting truly sharp with each tool. You’ll gain a better understanding of the physics involved in making a hand tool work for you.

The emphasis of this class is on making shavings, not furniture parts, so there’s no stress involved. The aim is to have fun and gain some skills and confidence with your tools that you can then bring to your woodworking projects.

Mike Pekovich is the creative director and a frequent contributor to Fine Woodworking magazine, and the author of The How and Why of Woodworking. He has been making furniture for over 30 years and teaches throughout the country.