Make your own cooking utensils! Learn the basics of green woodworking and working with the grain. Make a locally grown spatula to take home with you. We will be using a shave horse and draw knife, traditional chair making tools that are very safe to use. Suitable for complete beginners.

This is a great taster course for anyone who's considering our longer courses.

Limited low income and unwaged discounts are available for this course for those who would otherwise be unable to attend.

This is a seated course, we will be working on shave horses, so it's suitable…

Things to remember

We have no indoor space and will be working outside in all weathers (under a tarp if it rains) so please come prepared.

Warm, outdoor clothes in the winter.
Sunhats in summer.
Raincoats whenever.
No sandals or bare feet please.
Walking boots or work boots if you can, a thick…

Do you offer concessionary rates this course?

Yes, we offer a limited number of low income rates on our courses. There is no eligibility criteria, these discounts are available for anyone who needs them. This is a trust based system, we do not require proof or even an explanation of the rate you choose.

Can I change my booking?

You can cancel or reschedule your booking for any reason up to 7 days in advance of the course. However, the more notice you can give us the better so that we can offer your space to someone else. If you are unexpectedly ill or injured and unable to attend a course, we will reschedule your space for you. However you must inform us as soon as you become unwell and before the course. If you would like to change your booking at late notice (within 7 days of the course) and you do not have an exceptional circumstance, we will offer your place to the waiting list and reschedule or refund your place only if someone else takes it up.

I am booked on a course, is it going ahead?

Yes, you will receive an automatic reminder email 3 days before your course, via our booking partners Obby.co.uk. If you haven’t received this please check your spam.

It’s raining, is the course going ahead?

I’m afraid so, please come prepared. We have tarps to put up, so even if it’s torrential we’ll try to keep you dryish. We work outdoors in all weathers and will only cancel courses in the event of extreme weather conditions which would make the courses unsafe (ie. a red warning from the Met Office with risk to life).

Do you offer private courses?

Yes, most of our courses have private booking options. We take private bookings up to 2 weeks in advance. The early you put in a request, the more likely we are to be able to accomodate you. If you have a last minute need for a private course, please contact us and we'll see what we can do.

Do you sell gift vouchers?

Yes, you can buy gift cards through our booking partners Obby.co.uk. These are valid on over 2500 classes available on the Obby site, including all London Green Wood courses. Gift cards can only be redeemed through Obby.co.uk and will not work on bookings through our own website (the commission is different). Gift cards are valid for 1 year. If you have any queries about gift cards please contact hello@obby.co.uk directly. If you are buying a course as a gift for someone we recommend you come together, it’s more fun that way. We also recommend that you book a space on a specific course date rather than buy a gift card to avoid disappointment, as some of our courses book up several months in advance.

Can under 18s join this course?

No. This course is for over 18s only.

Do you have sessions for children and young people?

Yes, see our Family Whittling courses for 6-8yr olds and 9-18yr olds. These courses are for kids and young people to come accompanied by an adult who will supervise and work with them at all times, each course space is for 1 adult and 1 child to attend together. We recommend that parents/ carers join the course so that they can keep their child safe when whittling at home and be confident in their child’s abilities to work with knives and wood.

Can I bring my dog?

Only guide dogs and assistance dogs please. If possible, please let us know in advance.

Is the workshop accessible for people with disabilities?

Our workshop is outside and at ground level, but there is uneven ground on the way in through the farm. The toilets are on the ground floor, and there is a disabled cubicle. We will do everything we can to make all our courses accessible to everyone regardless of disability. If you are thinking about a course and are unsure if this would suit you, please contact us to discuss. Often in these instances we find the best thing is to arrange a visit, so you can see the workshop and decide for yourself.

Do you have any more dates planned?

Yes. You can join a waiting list to be notified of new dates, https://london-green-wood.widget.obby.co.uk/event/knife-skills-woodworking-north-london/dates Each specific date also has it's on waiting list, which you can join to be notified if there are any cancellations.

Sean Eke - 9 October 2023

Excellent session and very fun. Very well informed instructor.

Sanaya Buhariwala-Collins - 16 August 2023

This was such a beautiful, memorable experience and a perfect gift for my boyfriend's birthday. Thank you to our very attentive teacher Sam, who was an extremely helpful, chatty and engaging - a real inspiration! Will absolutely book again, a wholesome experience!

Mei-Mei - 14 August 2023

My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop. It was a very calming and meditative experience working outdoors in a small group. Sam is a highly skilled, calm, and patient teacher. The techniques we learnt were simple for beginners to grasp. It is very intense on the hands and upper body - I was aching for a couple of days afterwards. Perhaps something to consider if you have any disabilities or chronic illnesses like myself.

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3hrs workshop1 class

from £20

Private BookingFor groups of 4 to 6 guests

£50

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Age Requirement

Flexible cancellation policy

Any class can be cancelled and fully refunded within 24 hours of purchase. See cancellation policy.

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London Green Wood

London Green Wood is cooperative of woodworkers practising rural crafts in the city. Based at Hackney City Farm, we work with green wood straight from the log and hand tools. All the wood we use has been felled locally.

We have been running events and teaching courses since 2011. We promise a beautiful setting, friendly people, the satisfaction of learning new skills and a fire when it gets chilly. We run courses for adults and for families. We offer low income and unwaged concessions on many of our courses.

People who have completed our Induction to the Workshop course can…

Hackney City Farm

Hackney

1a Goldsmith Row

E2 8QA

London