About

In this two-session class, you will learn how to sharpen Japanese chisels and plane blades using water stones —  working by hand, without a honing guide. You will also learn how to use a scraper blade to condition the base of the wooden planes. There will be time for practice cuts and help in troubleshooting any problems.

BARN will supply the tools and water stones needed for this class. You are also welcome to bring your own Japanese chisels and planes to work on. If your tools have not already been set up for use, there probably will not be enough time in this class to get them fully functional and well tuned. The instructor will discuss the necessary steps with you, however, and if you do that work between the two sessions, they should be in good shape by the end of the class.

Instructor: Gary Bella  grew up in western Pennsylvania. After college and art school, he moved to the Bay Area in California and began working in Marin County with several firms in residential construction. Later, he specialized in finish carpentry while developing a design/build business. He took classes with traditional Japanese teahouse carpenter Makoto Imai and later worked primarily with Makoto building traditional houses and tea houses in California, New York and Washington. After he moved to Bainbridge in 2003, he continued to build Japanese-inspired projects for private clients. He was among the craftsmen who restored the Japanese guest house at the Bloedel Reserve.