The Beauty of Tools

Plus one for Gedore. I am still using a Gedore set of Whitworth spanners I bought in the sixties. The open ended ones are unplated but are now nicely polished up with use, British motorcycles and old Land Rovers ensure plenty of use.

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The link didn't open anything Bill but I'll take your word for it. There is something about a precision made tool that makes you want to take good care of it. For me it is the knowledge of the time and skill put into it by someone to make it. That deserves respect in my opinion. I've often seen tools as almost votive objects. They should be treated with a great deal more respect as artefacts in their own right. At the end of the day they are the things that have shaped and made our world into what it is today.

Perhaps though the cavalier attitude many have to tools is just inbred. After all, archaeology would be a seriously diminished discipline if early man had not thrown his tools away.

Michael, my brother uses the Facom cranked box spanners (cle a pipe sounds nicer) in his motorbike restoration work. I have a lot of them too, upwards of 50 I would say.

And they are in size order in the photograph, though it does irk me that they aren't exactly in line. Yes, I have OCD too. My wife, who is a nurse, is of the opinion that OCD is an essential part of the mental make up of all engineers.

Carl.

Guys,

I'm really sorry, but it has to be said - you all need to get out more!

Drooling over a bloody scriber - get a life!

Tom

Also about 30 years ago I found these cheap copies in a French supermarket. Very useful, and still better quality than the latest China/India imports

I've never understood this worship of tools to me they are only of value to enable you to make something more interesting, like a locomotive or traction engine. It's probably why I find Model Engineers Workshop as interesting as watching paint dry. I can appreciate a well made quality tool if it is good to use.

Mind you I might be biased by the hundreds of tools made as a time served toolmaker.

Michael

Some of the nicest looking tools I have seen were very old ones for woodworking, even the handles of chisels often featured multi coloured banding.

Fittings usually featured in decorative brass, the saw handles were excellently sculpted to fit the hand, and blades often had the makers name in large fancy script.

Sorry to say I really dislike doing woodwork so do not have any example photos.

Edited By V8Eng on 03/01/2017 15:45:10

Ceci n'est pas un pipe.

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No problem at all with that, Carl

What surprised me about the Facom 234.S Scriber, though, is that neither you nor anyone else [so far as I can find] has provided any detail shots to show its beauty ... where are the images of the perfect knurling; the screw threads on those interchangeable tips; and the exquisite grinding of the points ?

I think perhaps they need someone of Nick_G's ability to do the promotional shots.

I don't doubt your word, but nothing I have seen generates any lust to handle one.

MichaelG.

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http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/punch-sets/2550367383/

Edit: Yes, I am aware of the caveat in your second post.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 03/01/2017 16:38:25

I have had a very comprehensive set of FGacom tools for almost as long as I can remember, bought for me by my Dad in the late 60's, quite simply superb tools that have had a lot of use over the years.

My absolute 'go to' tool for any shifting work is this one, makes a Mole wrench look silly; can get in anywhere for a really good grip:

early woodworking tools were also the joiners papers, when he went to a job, the forman would look at his tool box and tools, and if they were up to standard then he got the job, as most tools and handles were made by the joiner themselves during there time.

I have got to agree that tools can be a thing of beauty, but then again I am a self confessed tool junkie

Ceci n'est pas un pipe.

Aussi, n'est pas un pissoir1

Neil - you're bored again!

rgds

Bill

Carl,

I know your thread is really about hand-tools, and I apologise if you think this is off-topic; but it does seem a good place to mention this: ebay item 122288779692 is a large Schaublin vertical slide.

It's a lot of money, but you can see why

So ... Is this the 'definitive' design, or can anyone offer 'better' ?

MichaelG.

Hand tools Schmand tools. That is a beautiful object and it is not off topic at all.

"My wife, who is a nurse, is of the opinion that OCD is an essential part of the mental make up of all engineers."

Not guilty, personally, but there are serious questionnaires abroad about assessing for Asbergers/Autism. It is my belief that it is characteristic male pattern behaviour, and we are all on it somewhere. I'm not telling what my score was...

As for "c'est ne pas un pipe", Culture, yet!

Geoff

The question of use versus beauty is nowhere better illustrated IMHO than in the area of woodworking hand planes, probably the most collected and varied of all woodworking tools.

The later offerings by Lie Nielsen of versions of earlier Stanly planes but using modern materials and mmanufacturing methods illustrate function as well as beauty, the ones from Veritas give a different take on the same theme.

Both makers offer products of vastly superior quality than the originals at a price!

Then you can go to the likes of Carl Holtey & Bridge City Tools for planes that approach artwork and many are never used. Deep pockets are needed here.

The topic under discussion here is often clouded regarding tools like the above by financial issues and collectability as many are superb 'investments'!

A plane by Israel White recently made in the region of £20,000!

A new (ish) English maker Phil Edwards (Philly Planes) has started making hand made wooden planes to old designs with his own personal touch and he is back ordered for years now and they are not cheap.

There is something so nice about picking up a quality tool to do a job that you know will do it well, within the limits of your own skill.

I derive a great deal of pleasure from restoring and bringing old tools back from the dead and am always pleased when an end user takes the time to say how much they enjoy using them.

Martin

When I visit Axminster tools I often cop a feel at the Lie Neilsen display even though my occasional activities as a wood spoiler would never warrant purchasing one. There is pleasure in handling and using well made tools, the downside is that you then realise the shortcomings of lesser equipment. When I used tools for a living buying the best was worth it, Lindstrom cutters were a pleasure to use, the price is high but in my opinion worth it for a tool that earns my living. The hobby user has different priorities unless lucky enough to have a very generous hobby budget.

Mike