An Evening of Maintenance, Butchery and Craft

Labour and Wait are pleased to host Gareth Heaton of Community Cutlery to celebrate his new book Do Maintain: How to Sharpen Your Knives, Scissors and Garden Tools (Do Books, 2025) which retails at £11.99, alongside an evening talk and drinks in collaboration with Blacklock.

Taking place at the new Labour and Wait Covent Garden shop, the event celebrates craftsmanship, maintenance, and the value of caring properly for the tools we use every day. With our long-standing appreciation for craftsmanship, repair and everyday utility, hosting Community Cutlery and Blacklock to celebrate Do Maintain felt like a natural collaboration, bringing together shared values of sustainability and maintenance.

During the daytime, Gareth Heaton will be sharpening kitchen knives in-store from 11.30am onwards. Visitors are invited to bring one knife to be professionally sharpened in exchange for purchasing a copy of Do Maintain. Spaces are limited to the first 50 knives dropped off in the week running up to the event. 

Gareth Heaton lives and works in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, where he runs Community Cutlery, a kitchenware business specialising in the selling and sharpening of kitchen knives. Sharpening professionally since 2019, Gareth has revived thousands of knives for both domestic and professional users. Passionate about sharing practical sharpening skills, Gareth encourages people to maintain and repair the tools they already own rather than replacing them.

In the evening, Blacklock will join Labour and Wait and Gareth for an informal talk exploring knife care, home butchery, and choosing the perfect cut of meat. Guests will hear more about Blacklock’s approach to whole-animal butchery and sustainable sourcing, alongside practical tips and tricks for use at home.

Founded in 2015 on Soho’s Great Windmill Street, Blacklock is a group of chophouses serving sustainably sourced produce at exceptional value. Working closely with long-standing partners, family farmers and butchers Philip Warren, Blacklock champions whole-animal butchery to minimise waste while maximising flavour. Led by founder Gordon Ker, the business achieved B Corp certification in 2023 and has been named one of the UK’s Best Companies to Work For for the past two years. 

Throughout the evening, guests will be served Negronis and Old Fashioned cocktails alongside pre-chop bites from the Blacklock team.

Daytime Knife Sharpening
11.30am onwards
One knife sharpened with purchase of Do Maintain
Limited to first 50 knives
Tickets here

Evening Talk & Drinks 7pm onwards
Talks from Gareth Heaton and Blacklock
Cocktails and bites served throughout the evening
Tickets here