D. Martell 1 on 1 Sharpening Classes

Japanese Knives - by Tokushu Knife
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Dave Martell

Dave Martell

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Recently, within the last month, I've had the opportunity to host two 1 on 1 sharpening classes here in my shop. I haven't done a lot of these since moving a few years ago and I had forgot how nice it is to meet with like minded people and share some knife geek time. What was even nicer than all that was how rewarding both experiences were in how each student progressed and achieved success. Each had their own issues that were holding them back and we were able to get passed them by identification and solutions. I received nice follow up emails from each student, here's a few snippets...

Dave,
I just wanted to let you know that I could NOT be more pleased with Sunday's outcome!!!!! First of all, I got waaaaayyyy better results than I ever dreamed possible, not to mention your teaching methods which I seemed to grasp rather quickly (ok, maybe that's partly from reading your 'words' for well over a decade....

... I suppose that I knew WHAT to do but didn't know HOW to do it. Thanks to you, I believe that is no longer true. In my eyes, I got WAAAAAAYYYYY more than my money's worth and would heartily recommend you as a teacher....

...By the way, I only used the Ryusen that I sharpened at work today but it performed very impressively. My co-workers were equally impressed!!
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I have been to knife sharpening classes at places like Sur La Table and at different cooking classes in the past. Generally, those classes entailed 10+ people standing around a table watching and listening to someone talk about sharpening and giving a cursory few swipes of a blade across a sharpening stone. And, perhaps worst of all was a cooking class I went to where the chef did exactly what you said yesterday was useless . . . did a few haphazard swipes across a sharpening stone, no stropping, and then announced, “Now you have a knife that is as good as new!”

In either event, this was an incredibly fun and informative day for me and I really appreciate your time. You are a fantastic teacher. I have left with the confidence to go sharpen, and perhaps scrape the sides!, of my own knives now.
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I realize that it's a great expense in time and money to travel out here to PA for a sharpening class so it's obvious that this is out of reach for most, but none the less, I want you to know that I'm available for classes if you're ever in the neighborhood. PM me for details. :)

Regards,
Dave
 
I took a private class from Dave many moons ago. It was a fantastic experience. I was a fairly competent sharpener going in and I never imagined how much I would learn that day. Learning from video clips on YouTube is one thing but learning directly from a pro who has been doing this full time for the past 87 years (sorry Dave) is completely different. I became a much more competent sharpener. My knives are sharper, my edges last longer, I sharpen faster and with less effort and my knives are better for it too. Since the class I haven't encountered a sharpening job that I don't have the skills or confidence to handle.

I put in two full days of driving and two nights at a motel to take the class and it was more than worth it. Before this class buying knives was the easy part but maintaining them to perform to their potential was sometimes frustrating. I get a lot more pleasure out of my knives now. I can honestly say that Dave's class was some of the best money I've ever spent on this hobby. It made much more sense than spending more money on knives I couldn't get the most out of. I can't imagine anyone who takes a class with Dave feeling like it was a waste of time or money. Highly recommended.
 
tripleq said:
I took a private class from Dave many moons ago. It was a fantastic experience. I was a fairly competent sharpener going in and I never imagined how much I would learn that day. Learning from video clips on YouTube is one thing but learning directly from a pro who has been doing this full time for the past 87 years (sorry Dave) is completely different. I became a much more competent sharpener. My knives are sharper, my edges last longer, I sharpen faster and with less effort and my knives are better for it too. Since the class I haven't encountered a sharpening job that I don't have the skills or confidence to handle.

I put in two full days of driving and two nights at a motel to take the class and it was more than worth it. Before this class buying knives was the easy part but maintaining them to perform to their potential was sometimes frustrating. I get a lot more pleasure out of my knives now. I can honestly say that Dave's class was some of the best money I've ever spent on this hobby. It made much more sense than spending more money on knives I couldn't get the most out of. I can't imagine anyone who takes a class with Dave feeling like it was a waste of time or money. Highly recommended.
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Hi Norm, I enjoyed the time with you as well and consider you a friend as I've got to know you better over the years. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on the class. :)
 
Right now I'm in the middle of a large multiple knife job that's all Japanese single bevels. While working I'm thinking about how different I do things now compared to years ago, how much more efficient I am, and how I get such better results today. This then got me thinking about what I could show people that's different from what I may have shown in the past, this is especially true with regards to single bevel knives.

If you're a new user of single bevel knives, and struggle with sharpening them, I can offer you a straight path past all the learning curve, associated costs of trial and error, & how to negotiate around all the BS encountered from going your own way.

If you're a seasoned single bevel sharpener, or even someone who has taken a class from me in the past, I know that there's tricks and tips that I can share to make your maintenance easier.

Maybe you hate that first initial sharpening where you have to choose between going all in to flatten the bevel or live with the ugly forever as you work it flat over time?

Maybe you want a beautiful kasumi finish but don't want to spend thousands on natural stones?

Maybe you just want to learn how to sharpen these knives, maybe you struggle with the basics?

These are all things that are easy for me to teach and share as I've tackled them all over time. Wherever your skill level may currently be I know that I can push you up to the next level.

As I mentioned before in this thread, I've been enjoying doing classes and hope to be able to do more. Please feel free to reach out to me if you should have any questions.

Thanks for your time,
Dave

https://martellknives.com/products/japanese-knife-sharpening-class
 
Having paid for one of Dave's 1 on 1 classes I strongly recommend it. He lives in a beautiful rural area so if you live in a hi stress area you can feel your blood pressure drop as you get closer. Dave is a treasure trove of info and technique, you will not be disappointed.
 
Thanks Bill but it was my pleasure to have had you here and have made a friend of you.
 
you know I just realized something....I clicked on dave's link for his class and thought for a second that someone might be hesitant to spend money on a sharpening class.....I can tell you firsthand you'll save a lot of money in the long run for sure......think about how much you just spent on that fancy yangi......im glad I've attended his class for sure....I can remember the look on his face when I pulled out my knife to sharpen....it's worth the equivalent of quite a few shigefusas put together....I would have never tried sharpening it myself before that.....ryan
 
If I’m ever in the northeast I’ll definitely have to take you up on that. Problem is not only will I spend money on the trip out there, money on the sharpening class, but I would find it nearly impossible to get out of your shop without buying at least one of your beautiful creations!
 
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