Kaare Loftheim inspecting a candle stand at Colonial Williamsburg Hays cabinet shop

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

Name: Class: 18th Century Wood Carving with Kaare Loftheim (2 Days)
SKU: WS-KL-WC
Price: 320.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$320.00

In stock

CLASS LENGTH: 2 Days

CLASS DESCRIPTION: Take this rare opportunity to join master craftsman Kaare Loftheim for a two day introductory wood carving class. Kaare spent the past 40 years as a cabinetmaker in the Anthony Hay’s cabinet shop at Colonial Williamsburg, and has agreed to share his expertise by teaching colonial carving techniques to our students, including carving fundamentals and carving a classic ball and claw foot for tables. See below for class details.

WAIT LIST: If the class becomes sold out, click here to get added to the wait list. People may cancel, we may add more slots, or we may decide to add another class date.

PAYMENT: If you would like to pay for a class using a different method than online with a credit card, email us here to arrange to pay by check or cash. We don’t accept credit cards over the phone.

SKU: WS-KL-WC Category: Classes

Description
Additional information

Description

ball and claw foot wood carving kaare loftheim side view

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.

ball and claw foot wood carving kaare loftheim front view

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 Cabinetmaker at Colonial Williamsburg holding a wooden hand planer

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).

Kaare Loftheim carved flower detail on a candle stand at colonial williamsburg

You can see Kaare Loftheim featured in these videos & articles of the Anthony Hay’s Cabinetmaking Shop at Colonial Williamsburg:

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:

Pfiel swiss made chisels

#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.