Review of some tools I got

It was a while ago now, that Steve Caldwell, or ecosteel, sent me some of his handmade tools for review. It was one of the best packages I've ever opened, the tools are all superb! And of
course I meant to write a favourable review right away.

But things came between me and doing that, and that was actually a good thing. Because it means I've had time to use the tools and try them out properly.

I got the small block plane, the even smaller brace plane, two miniature chisels and a marking gauge. Mostly made of cherry wood and the steel parts are also made by Steve.

I learned to adjust the planes from the instructions on Steve's homepage and got to the point where both planes removed perfect shavings without jamming or tearing fibers. The block plane was used quite a bit before I had to hone the edge some, that was after wenge wood. The brace plane is still sharp, I haven't used it as much yet.

The chisels was a bit of a surprise really, I thought I had all the chisels I needed. But I've used them for everything, cleaning out nut slots, binding channels, notching lining for braces... I even removed glue with one but went for an older chisel after a bit. My new ones seemed too nice for glue cleanup.

So if I'd written my review right after receiving the tools, I would have written "these are lovely, you should buy some!" But this is a review written after some serious trying out and some consideration, so the bottom line is more like this: "these are lovely, you should buy some! And while you're at it, buy some for your friends!"

I got mine free, and I've thanked Steve for them. So I'm being honest. If you enjoy working with hand tools, these are great tools. If you do not enjoy working with hand tools, these might be even
better, they'll change your view and make your work easier.

And they're not expensive, at all.

The only suggestion I could come up with for further refinement was a hole through the planes, I like hanging my tools on hooks. A hole would also mean you could wear them on a necklace.

So, spend some quality time on this here homepage:

http://www.weazelwharfukuleles.co.uk/html/tools.html

Cheers / Sven

Nice. I have a very old marking tool like that. Not sure how old it is, but I would bet to guess turn of the century. Even as old as it is, I use it all the time. Love the "classic tool" thing.. Nice work..

I too have Steve's handmade block plane and brace plane and I would like to echo everything Sven has said. These are the kind of tools you will always want to keep close-at-hand. The block plane is perfect for the kind of delicate tasks where a heavier metal-bodied plane would risk damaging your work. The brace shaping plane does its job efficiently and is very satisfying to use.

Steve is a mate, so I was "in" on the development of these tools almost from the start. So I know just how much work went into getting them right, from the woods selection to the tempering of the steels...

...And as Sven says, they really are amazing value for hand-made tools that will be used pretty much every day in my workshop..


Cheers,
Rob.

Own one of his chisels and a bracing plane and they're amazing

Samples never arrived but tools look nice. Cherry is however not a durable wold for a plane sole - my chinese ebony small plane needs regular truing since most operations start with tackling a corner... I got around to fettling my Millers falls block plane the other day; having a nice shiney well chamfered body can make it hard tl hold!

Ah, yes you're right about that Pete. The planes have a rosewood sole, so they can take a lot more than if they'd been all cherry.

Steve's block planes and bracing plane look very very nice...

being a plane freak, I would love to have those...