I’m going to use this week to give you all a heads up on the London International Woodworking Festival. This is a show with a heavy focus on Hand Tools and Hand tool woodworking. It kicks off on Monday the 28th of October with a week of short courses. There are still places available to make your own saw, and learn to sharpen with Mark Harrell of Bad Axe fame, and Illustration for Furniture makers with Ian Parker. I will be doing a Comb-back stick chair course with Chris Schwarz for the week (currently sold out, but there is a waiting list). And some other lucky soles will Building a Dutch Tool Chest with Megan Fitzpatrick (also currently sold out, but the waiting list is worth a try).

Then on Friday the 1st of November the IWF Bazaar kicks off at noon. There is a long list of retailers that reads like a who’s who of hand tool makers and retailers. There are no seminars on the Friday, but on Saturday you have Mark Harrell speaking on Saw Sharpening, Chris Schwarz on Peasant Furniture, Phil Edwards on Making Traditional Wooden Planes. Megan Fitzpatrick on Shaker Furniture, Derek Jones on Cricket Tables and Richard Arnold on 18th Century Joinery.

You can watch an overview of the event here

All in all it looks like a perfect week for me. Say hello if you are coming along and spot me!

London IWF