Teaching people to use tools and seeing them increase their confidence and skill is the highlight of running craft courses, whether people are learning spoon carving or scything.
Last weekend I spent two fantastic days teaching a bowl carving course at New Caledonian Woodlands in Edinburgh, Scotland for one of their re-skilling workshops.
The group were a good mix of abilities with some complete beginners, some with more experience of green wood working and my friend Rolf of Created Woodcrafts who has now been on all my courses! Everyone rose to the challenge and it was very fulfilling for me to be able to teach the skills and then watch them being developed. It’s amazing how even a few hours tuition can make a huge difference in how people use new tools.
Axes, adzes, knives, spokeshaves and gouges were all put to good use with each student creating unique and distinctive bowls while experimenting with shapes and techniques.
A terrific weekend where I also learned a lot as well as enjoying the lively atmosphere and good company.
If you’re not already aware, the Austrian scythe is the ideal way to manage your land, whether it’s a meadow, orchard, allotment or garden. The scythe will cut and control grass, nettles, brambles, bracken, rushes, thistles and a whole lot more besides. It is quiet, relaxing, sustainable and fun – the students on my courses have to be forced to stop mowing at the end of the day!
My one-day Learn to Scythe course is a fully comprehensive training day for beginners or improvers. Scythe kits are provided which are also available to but on the day. During the course you will learn:
During the week of scything and hay making, the visit to Viktor-basci was a real highlight, visiting another woodworker and seeing his methods of working. Despite the language barrier, he entertained and informed and clearly enjoyed having visitors come and see how he worked. As the festival has gained attention, more people from the UK scythe scene have taken part and there are now rakes and scythes made by Viktor-basci around the country.
I make similar rakes, as well as the southern split-stail version. They’re terrible to send through the post so I sell them on my Learn to Scythe courses and at fairs around the country. As a result I don’t sell many but I’m glad to be keeping some of the craft alive and making a few by hand, rainy days.
I’m really pleased that my ‘Learn to Scythe’ book has already been getting lots of positive feedback this summer.
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