San Francisco Center for the Book

In this three day knife making and sharpening workshop, we will make several knives by hand using stock reduction, and discuss, sharpen, alter, clean and restore a wide variety of edge tools that participants bring.

Specific attention will be paid to the tools that book and paper conservators frequently use: paring knives, lifting knives, spatulas, scissors, hole punches, spokeshaves and board shear blades.

Basic principals of steel and blade geometry will be discussed. This class will focus on the techniques of efficient free-hand sharpening, which is applicable to any sharpening system.

Participants will use 3M Microfinishing film to make a large paring or lifting knife, two small knives of their choosing, and refurbish and sharpen existing knives. The goal is to free participants from the plethora of misinformation and mystique that surrounds sharpening and the shaping material using hand tools, and learn fundamental freehand techniques.

Click here for a preview of how and why to sharpen your knives correctly.

SFCB's Windgate Scholarship Fund is dedicated to providing need-based financial support to individuals interested in learning bookbinding, letterpress printing, and related book arts. There is a 50% need-based scholarship set aside for this class. Click here to apply.

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to bring:
All tools and materials will be provided. Students should also bring their own knives or other edge tools in need of sharpening.

About the Instructor:
Jeff Peachey is a bookbinder and book conservator providing a wide variety of bookbinding and conservation services for institutions and individuals. He is a Professional Associate in the AIC and has served as Chair of Conservators In Private Practice.

He is the inventor of the Peachey Board Slotting Machine, which is used by many institutions worldwide to help treat books with detached boards. He is also active in researching the history of bookbinding. 

One of his current passions is investigating the philosophy of tools, which he maintains have a much larger role in craft than previously thought. For the past 25 years, Jeff has been designing and making innovative bookbinding tools, see more at: peacheytools.com