Sword Sharpening

In this ten part series you will get three total hours of meticulous instruction on the art and science of sharpening a katana sword.  Bladesmith Spencer "2 dogs" Bolejack shares his 20 years of knife making experience with the added benefit of being a martial artist who loves what he does!  Students will learn about blade development and history, cultural influences on shapes and design, and how to take a dull or factory supplied edge to a razor finish.  A final demonstration of shaving clean is provided.

No special materials are needed to recreate and work along with Spencer other than a 4x36 belt sander, a 1000/6000 double sided Japanese water stone, and whatever blade you choose to work on.  It is imperative that learning is done and practice repeated on non-essential blades to master the craft.

Burrs, angles, bevels, differential sharpening, stances and positions of working, heat treatment and tempering, common problems and fixes, hazards, internal state and focus, tip care, safety, and final touches are covered in detail.

This class includes an extensive review Exam to test your knowledge retention.  The test is provided at the beginning of the class to assist in notetaking and learning, and is divided into sections matching the video course.

Spencer's knifemaking has been shown on Discovery Network's Hillbilly Blood show in which he starred for 59 episodes.  His knives are sold the world over, forged in coal fires on Cold Mountain in western North Carolina.  He is also an avid student and teacher and continues live events at Land of the Sky Wilderness School and Riverside Martial Arts in Canton, NC.