Gorgeous spoon carving film
A few years ago I wondered if we would saturate the spoon carving market, now I realise we are only just starting. There are thousands of potters around the country and still only a few dozen serious...
View ArticleThe Grinder, Sheffield grinder Brian Alcock grinding axes
Here’s a short film of Brian Alcock the last self employed grinder working in Sheffield. It’s a trade that dates back many centuries. The city is literally paved with worn out grindstones in places....
View ArticleWhat does apprenticeship mean? why I pay £10 an hour
I am often asked about apprenticeships in craft and want to share some thoughts and experiences. To many the word apprenticeship conjures a picture of a young person working for several years alongside...
View ArticleMichael May Sheffield pen knife maker
I wrote about Michael’s work last year so today about a year on I visited again and took some more photos of him at work making lovely pocket knives at his workshop at Portland Works. He now has a...
View ArticleSPON you didn’t know you needed a book about spoons and then you saw this
Here is a book full of surprises. It could have been a book that just had a spoon course in a book, the spooncarving community would have bought it. It could have been a book of inspirational spoon...
View ArticleThe great axe fundraiser
For the last five years we have been making tools from home. The garage is stacked to the ceiling with stock. The woodshed is full of axes being oiled up and the front room has been turned into a...
View ArticleYou don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone!
This week I was devastated to learn that Clayton’s tannery one of a handful of traditional tanneries left in the country was to close after 178 years making some of the highest quality leather in the...
View ArticleHow to win on Instagram for craftspeople
I’ve been away from the blog for a while and one of the reasons is that I’ve been posting regular daily updates about my craftwork on Instagram instead. The blog is a great place though to share...
View ArticleThe Radical Act of Spooncarving at Harewood Biennial
Its been a whils since I’ve updated the blog and I have exciting news for spooncarvers. The Harewood Biennial is one of the most important craft shows in the UK. This year the focus is “Radical Acts”...
View ArticleBrian Alcock RIP
Its with deep sadness that I am writing about the passing of my friend Brian Alcock the last full time self employed grinder in Sheffield. I had so much admiration for this man and treasured every...
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