Class: 18th Century Wood Carving with Kaare Loftheim (2 Days)

Over two days students will have the amazing opportunity to learn the fundamentals of traditional wood carving from one of the world’s most experienced hand tool woodworkers, Kaare Loftheim. Students will properly shape and sharpen their carving gouges, learn wood carving fundamentals through some preliminary carving exercises, then implement their new skills into carving the traditional ball and claw foot. This class is open to beginners, but will also be helpful to those with some more advanced carving experience.

DAY ONE:

• Shaping and sharpening carving chisels
• Learn claw foot aesthetics and leg pattern
• Preliminary carving exercises
• Layout ball and claw on profiled leg blank

DAY TWO:

• Carving the ball and claw foot

About the Instructor:

Kaare Loftheim became a cabinetmaker at the Anthony Hay’s Cabinetmaking Shop at Colonial Williamsburg in 1980. Over the past four decades Kaare distinguished himself as an expert on building classical furniture, using only 18th century hand tools. Kaare has spent countless hours not only building furniture, but demonstrating to millions of Williamsburg visitors and at the annual Working Wood in the 18th Century conference. He is a member of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers (SAPFM) and the Mid West Tool Collector’s Association (M-WTCA). You can see Kaare Loftheim featured in these videos & articles of the Anthony Hay’s Cabinetmaking Shop at Colonial Williamsburg:

• Anthony Hay’s Cabinetmaking Shop Tour part 1
• Anthony Hay’s Cabinetmaking Shop Tour part 2
• Anthony Hay’s Cabinetmaking Shop Tour part 3
• Secret Mitered Dovetails with Kaare Loftheim

Materials Fee & Required Tools:

The class material fee is $25. It is payable to the instructor before or on the day of the class. This class also requires students to bring some of their own tools:

• #3/25mm (1”) carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• #5/12mm (1/2”) carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• #5/16mm (5/8”) carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• #5/25mm (1”) carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• #8/13mm (9/16”) carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• #12/8mm (60-degree V 3/8”) carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• #49 Cabinetmaker’s Rasp (or similar second cut rasp)
• Tools provided by the school (which you can bring if you prefer): Mallet, spokeshave, folding rule, calipers, dividers, pencil.
• Optional: #8/10mm spoon carving gouge (similar to this gouge)
• Optional: #3/14mm fishtail gouge (similar to this gouge)

How to Get Here & Where to Stay:

The address of the school is 5700 Buffalo River Rd. Earlysville, Virginia 22936 (Google Maps here). The school is convenient to quite a few hotels, stores, and restaurants, and is only 8 minutes from the Charlottesville airport. Many more details are listed on the school’s main page here.

Class Policies, Liability Waiver, & Cancellations:

A PDF document with the full class policies and a liability waiver will be sent in the order confirmation email. All students are required to sign and return this document prior to attending the class. Anyone can cancel a class up to 2 weeks prior to the class for a full refund (minus a $25 fee that covers credit card processing fees and administrative work). Cancellations under two weeks before a class begins will be given a refund (less $25) if we can find someone else to fill the slot. If we have to cancel a class for an unforeseen emergency, inclement weather, or low number of registrations, a full refund will be given to students.