Antiques & Tools

The Spirit and Meaning of the Highly Skilled Craftsman can lead to enlightenment that can only be achieved with one’s ability to be our own worst critic and most demanding client. As time goes by some become wiser and more accomplished according to the standards they set themselves, eventually making it easier to achieve things […]

So you heard from somewhere that old tool steel is much better than new tool steel, but modern toolmakers will always be more than willing to trash this idea because of modern manufacturing techniques. My first instinct would be to ask who would benefit more from these claims and who made them, however, the proof […]

So how often have you seen online videos with ‘Tutors’ using diamond plates to sharpen their plane irons, chisels, etc? They work well, right? But for how long, even with the ‘Recommended lapping Fluid” promoted as a requirement? When I started the Tooltique business I, like many others, got sucked in by these ‘new Improved’ […]

Many people will experience the pitfalls of buying unrestored vintage Tools at some point which can be an expensive mistake most will not forget, so in this article I thought it might be worth going over a few things. I work on old vintage tools most days, restoring them to a standard of sharpness, precision, […]

Cheap tools are a false economy – and referring back to an old book called ‘Cabinet Making for Beginners’ By Charles H. Hayward, Chapter 1: The Kit of Tools:  The first paragraph reads: When you set out to buy tools, there is a golden rule to remember: “Buy the best you can afford”. The reason […]

I stumbled upon this video the other day and couldn’t help but recognise that the information might be useful to some of our customers. We often see many bespoke bits and pieces in tool kits but I’ve yet to see this gadget. This shape transfer method opens many possibilities when trying to create something unusual. […]

The importance of having a flat sole on a woodworking plane is necessary if you want to minimise tearout and is one important factor in making the plane perform to a high standard, this is not the only factor but I’m addressing this specifically in this article. The plane’s sole flatness is important if a […]

I was traveling to my workshop earlier this summer (a 4-mile trip) and couldn’t help but notice that the grass had been cut on one of the roundabouts along the route. Why did I take notice of such a minor thing? Well, it was like a bad haircut with short and long bits sticking up […]

Oscar Wilde’s quote about “Knowing the Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing” is highly relevant within Old Tools. Hopefully, this article will also help some people think about the value rather than the price of things in many aspects of what we do in life. Over the years we have become accustomed to […]

Finally, we have had a little sunshine and I’ve been able to catch up on some essential outside jobs that have been neglected over the winter months. This has temporarily taken me away from refurbishing tools but I will start again on Monday with a sense of relief these nagging jobs have been done. I’ve […]