Newsletter – Summer 2023
James Mursell
Welcome!
I am in the unusual situation of having no courses for three months and it’s a real treat to have the time to develop new chairs and other chair-related ideas! Below you will see a new sack back chair, which you can make on a course, and after a long wait, my card scrapers are now for sale from my website. I hope to be able to announce two more tools before the end of the summer, but there’s still a little work to be done on them yet!
I will be at Hever Castle for a ‘Craft in Focus’ show in early September and it would be great to see you there if you are in the area – details below.
Finally, and not directly chair related, I treated myself to a superb kitchen knife recently, made by Ben Orford, who makes my travisher blades. What a joy it is to use and also just to look at and feel!
I hope you enjoy your summer and perhaps I may see you at a show or in the workshop some time, to make a chair or stool!
Best wishes
James Mursell
New Course Dates
I have added dates for 7 new courses in the first three months of next year and will add more in time. These include a stool making weekend course in March. If you are interested in attending a course, please email me and I will let you know availability. I will treat enquiries strictly on a first come, first served basis.
At the time of writing I have places available on the following courses:
Accommodation for Courses (and at other times!)
You may already know that we have two self-catering cottages on farm within a minute’s walk of the workshop. If you are coming from afar to take a course, they can make a great base for you and even eliminate the need for a car.
If you are looking for accommodation in West Sussex outside a course, do please bear these in mind.
New Course Chair
I have developed a new sack back chair to be made on a course and it will supersede my previous sack back design. (Sack back is the term for American double bow chairs, as opposed to my Classic chair, which is predominantly English in style).
The chair is light in weight and yet quite generous in size and the unique shaping of the seat is designed to enhance the lightness and elegance of the chair. It can be used as a dining chair, or on its own for relaxing!
The first course for this chair is 5-9 February 2024. Please email me if you are interested in making one.
Craft Shows
7-10 September Craft in Focus Show at Hever Castle, Kent
I attended this show two years ago and can thoroughly recommend it to you. I will have my full range of course chairs on display and there will be around 180 talented exhibitors at the show displaying a wide range of crafts. The castle itself is well worth a tour and the beautiful gardens and grounds are perfect for exploring. The 38 acre lake, which was created by 800 people in 1905, is great to walk around!
Have a look at the video below for a flavour of the show and the location, and book discounted tickets using the other button.
Entrance is free to RHS members on weekdays!
Other Shows Later in the Year:
RHS Wisley Gardens 9-12 November: https://www.craftinfocus.com/next-fair/rhs-wisley-november-2023
Sussex Guild at Midhurst Rother College 2-3 December: https://thesussexguild.co.uk/sussex-guild-events/midhurst-contemporary-craft-show/
If these appeal, please add the dates to your diary!
Card Scrapers
If you have been on one of my courses you will have used scrapers extensively during the week. These range from the specialist spokescraper and traviscraper to the simple card scraper. I use the same spring steel for all these tools and the edge lasts a very long time!
The curved card scraper is perfect for chair making and works well on both concave and convex surfaces.
The scraper comes already sharpened (4 edges) and is ready to use straight away. This is different from almost all other scrapers on the market which are sold unsharpenend. I include written instructions (with QR codes to videos) about how to resharpen and regrind the scraper when this becomes necessary. The job is quite simple and if you have not done it before, it worth taking the time to learn the process as this simple piece of steel will then serve you well for many years!
Price: £20 plus postage
‘The Provider” from Ben Orford
Ben Orford https://benandloisorford.com/ has been making my travisher blades for many years now. He also makes a superb range of bushcraft and carving knives, though I have never needed them myself!
He now produces a kitchen knife to the same high standard as his other knives and this caught my attention.
My new knife called ‘The Provider’ was bought to replace one that I bought on Grand Central station (NY) 40 years ago! The blade is 14c28n stainless steel and the handle is masur birch, which both looks and feels superb.
If, like me, you have never used a fine knife, then using it is a revelation! When cutting and chopping I feel like a top chef and although it doesn’t improve my cooking, it certainly adds greatly to the pleasure!
Have a look at Ben’s range of knives that he has currently available: https://benandloisorford.com/collections/available