Micheal - Feb 2023
"Thanks for the course, thought it was great.
A proper broad brush introduction to finishing plus plenty of detail.
Its obvious that your knowledge is deep, and its good to get not just the essentials, but a lot of contextual and historical information.
Felt welcome, and well accomadated, considering my relative inexperience.
I like Stanley the dog as well.
I didn’t feel that it was information overload, you expressed that concern at some point.
All the info was relevant, or at the very least interesting."
Arlyn - March 2022
"I thoroughly enjoyed the course, Harry covered all aspects in a friendly and relaxed manner giving a good atmosphere to the weekend. I love the ethos of The Maker Shed and the variety of practical courses that you offer. I have never heard of it before as I live in Malvern, Worcestershire, it was only when I was googling for DIY and woodwork courses that I came across it. I shall certainly recommend it."
Julian - March 22
"Just wanted to thank the you for an excellent course over the weekend. I did the finishing course and it was excellent. We covered an amazing amount of ground and I can away with a good grounding in the subject. No question was too trivial and answered in detail and with enthusiasm."
Stuart - Dec 2021
"I’ve been a carpenter for about 15 years and sharpening my tools has been an ongoing process throughout. It’s also been something of an obstacle to my work if I’m honest; something to get out of the way in order to crack on with the job at hand. I’ve tried quite a lot of things, and had (before this course) settled on a system that was fairly consistent (although not as much as I’d like it to be), if a little overcomplicated. Having watched a LOT of YouTube videos, and tried a few different systems out I still felt something was missing so signed up to Harry’s course.
Over the course of 2 days Harry showed us an un fussy, reliable method of sharpening using minimal equipment. He taught us what cannot be learned online; all of the micro adjustments and mistakes we make as we hold our tools, he was able to help us identify and fix. This is where the course went from being useful to invaluable. In addition to this we learned to embrace the process and use it to focus our minds ready for the tasks we are preparing for when we sharpen our tools. I now treat sharpening as a mental warm up to the task, which I am able to tackle with a more focussed mind and of course sharper tools!
Other great aspects of the course included Harry’s wealth of knowledge on all manner of tools and processes, and of course a positive and inspiring environment surrounded by like minded people. I went to learn how to sharpen my tools, but came away with a great deal more than that - which is why I cannot recommend this course enough to anyone who is considering it."
Simon - Oct 2022
"Thank you for ‘nourishing’ my grey matter on this subject this weekend. Many of my questions and other confusions regarding this vast subject were well resolved, I appreciate your efforts, nice one Harry."
Racheal - Feb 2023
"The finishing course was a fantastic weekend, very informative and clearly well researched. Anyone looking to start demystifying the subject of wood finishes and finishing techniques, this 2 day course builds a really good foundation and even shows how to make some of your own finishes. ...And all delivered with Harry's enthusiasm and charisma. Definitely worth the trip up from London! "
Cameron - Oct 21
"I was on the Tool Sharpening workshop over the weekend and would like to say what a good helpful course it was. The tutor Harry really knows the subject and is good at putting the information across. I am a relief wood carver and had some unusual chisels which he showed me how best to sharpen them. A really good course."
Calum - July 21
"The course was absolutely outstanding and super useful, it has really made me rethink my mindset when it comes wood finishing and it was really great to see close up how an expert goes about it (visual learning suits me well). I would very happily and wholeheartedly recommend it to others. Please pass on my compliments to Harry."
Arieh - July 21
"This was an excellent weekend course. I am a beginner, but it felt very useful. Some people on the course were vey experienced, and they too learnt a great deal. The tutor was clear, passionate and inspirational. He brought the subject alive."
Calum - July 21
"This was an excellent weekend course. I am a beginner, but it felt very useful. Some people on the course were vey experienced, and they too learnt a great deal. The tutor was clear, passionate and inspirational. He brought the subject alive."
Arieh - July 21
"This was an excellent weekend course. I am a beginner, but it felt very useful. Some people on the course were vey experienced, and they too learnt a great deal. The tutor was clear, passionate and inspirational. He brought the subject alive."
Cameron - Oct 21
"I was on the Tool Sharpening workshop over the weekend and would like to say what a good helpful course it was. The tutor Harry really knows the subject and is good at putting the information across. I am a relief wood carver and had some unusual chisels which he showed me how best to sharpen them. A really good course."
Jo - Jan 22
"I just wanted to let you know that the tool sharpening course was
really excellent. I even came home with a restored ancient chisel that
belonged to my dad and had been rusting on his boat for years with a
massive chip on the end. I’m very happy with it! Harry was really great."
Matt - Jan 22
It was great. Harry v clear, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and nothing was too much trouble.
Jo - Jan 22
"I just wanted to let you know that the tool sharpening course was
really excellent. I even came home with a restored ancient chisel that
belonged to my dad and had been rusting on his boat for years with a
massive chip on the end. I’m very happy with it! Harry was really great."
Todd - Sept 22
"I just wanted to add that I thoroughly enjoyed myself, Harry is an extremely good communicator : very knowledgeable, passionate and all delivered in an engaging manner.
Up until now I had been bamboozled by the amount of differing sharpening advice on the internet, to the point were I had ground to a halt. Harry’s course offered just the right balance of practical and theory and has given me the confidence to make a start on sharpening all the tools I had been putting off in case I damaged them."
Heleana - May 2022
"I cannot praise Harry enough, so helpful, passionate and engaging! So invaluable for upholstery."
Andrew - Sept 2022
"I got a lot out of the weekend, really enjoy Harry's style of tutoring."
Lucy - Sept 2022
"Harry has an infectious passion for true craft and brought a real joy to the weekend sessions. His knowledge and experience were fascinating and he was able to tailor parts of the course to suit our specific interests. I am really looking forward to putting my new skills into practice!"
Anna - Feb 2022
"It was a thoroughly enjoyable course with lots of useful information and practical advice. Harry is a great teacher and so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his subject. It was a joy to attend"