I loved watching Norm back in the day, but I did not have $100K for tools and 10K sqft for a shop. It took another 20 years for me to find hand tools, now in a small space with a small set of tools I am making the projects I did not think were possible back then. THANK YOU AND KEEP MAKING MORE (of everything, magazines, podcasts, videos, etc.)
A great subject! I have refurbished quite a number of tools and am using them, but, what I learned was trial and error a lot of the time. This class will be greatly anticipated. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Back when I started out, I found old tools and fixed them up precisely because I couldn't afford new tools. Ended up buying a number of old carpenter's tool chests, or was even given "grand-dad's old tools" by several people when they found out I was doing woodworking. Restoring old tools became a whole hobby in itself and I often sold off extras/spares to people who were looking for good tools.
Excellent series idea. So many youtube restoration videos the guy goes way off the deep end. My experience agrees with yours, getting an old plane up and running is generally a quick and simple process, and I've managed to get a pretty well equipped shop for little money. Folks need to know that restorations don't need to be intimidating. One of my latest finds is a Disston No. 32 pruning saw, which I sharpened and it works really well for greenwood or heavy cuts in timbers, probably every bit as effective as a modern Silky saw, but only cost me $3, and its sharpenable.
I've restored quite a few tools now. I like doing it and I like using them after they are restored. They just feel good in your hand. However I will say it turns into a rabbit hole in and of itself. I am kinda compulsive in the process. I find an antique #4 Stanley Bailey for the sole purpose of gutting it for a chip breaker screw for another plane I've already restored and what happens? I wind up committing to restoring that one too. Always chasing my tail. It seems I am constantly one part away from restoring another one. Sometimes it would be nice to just flat out buy a brand new tool. On handplanes in particular I like new planes but the new makers always design them with the Bedrock style but in my opinion the Bailey style is more awesome. Also the brand new planes feel clunkier and heavier than a Stanley Bailey handplane. I'd probably be out a bunch of money if new handplane makers made planes exactly like the Bailey planes. Also, I have yet to restore a single tool that happened as fast as others say it takes. Some tools have taken hours and hours to restore. Some handplanes take forever to true and flatten the sole. Nowadays I don't even screw around with finer grits on soles until that thing is pretty near where I want it. I start with 60 grit glued to a big flat piece of granite. For me the best rust remover is vinegar and water not some high dollar rust remover. I know someone will screech, "How dare I use vinegar and water on some tool?" I find that it works the best and honestly I don't care one drop about the museum value of some tool. I buy them to use them.
Never considered going to ebay for old tools. You're right that you have more availability at flea markets in New England than here in California. Many old tools are better than the newer ones, and if you can save some money why not.
I would love to hear your thoughts on krenov style laminated planes, versus mortised plan bodies. Especially for the intermediate wood worker who’d like to make their own. Did the people in the heyday of planes avoid laminating the body because it was better - or just because glues sucked ?
"Krenov planes" and "laminated planes" are two different categories. From a user's standpoint chopped or laminated doesn't make any difference assuming a good job making them. People of heyday didn't avid laminating planes, it's just very few have survived - something that shouldn't really bother you a user. The real difference is the form of a plane and hence ergonomic: Krenov planes are strictly finishing tools for machine milled surfaces, can't use them for heavy shaping. But if you want yourself a traditional jack plane and don't want to invest 500$ into floats - laminate it, it will be a great plane. Actually, there's a video class by Richard McGuire (The English Woodworker) where he builds a jack by lamination and then he uses it in subsequent builds for heavy stock removal.
You can use the "Krenov method " of laminated plane construction to make pretty much any style or type of bench plane. I've been using jointer and jack planes with traditional totes for over 15 years with good results. The planes have the look and feel of traditional English planes and perform extremely well.
I saw a list of places we can find old tools you posted a while ago but can’t find it anymore!! In Canada Quebec, pretty difficult to find some good backsaws… is there places online where we can find these except from ebay? Thank you so much!
There are online antiques stores, but it still going to be more expensive than eBay because of shipping. And it's still a lottery. An option for you is to consider gent saws by Crown (all the English gent saws are made at one factory, so the brand doesn't matter - G&C, Lynx, Crown, etc), they're excellent for dovetailing and can saw tenons up to 1 1/4" deep. This assumes you can set and sharpen saws already. Or just bite the bullet and go with Veritas, gent or toted - they're not too much more than a good vintage saw. I would recommend the latter, because you will end up buying a premium saw anyway (for a number of reasons). Nothing against vintage saws, but in the long run it's more expensive for a novice who is starting alone. But this is up to you - nothing in this hobby is cheap.
I don't restore old tools. I find GOOD usable old planes and chisels (some were my Great-Grandfather's like his Disston saws) clean and sharpen them and use them. I bought a Bailey Number 20 jointer plane for $25 at an estate sale that just needed some plane-tuning and TLC and sharpening and I've been offered $500 for it now. The English Shipwright's chisels (can't think of the brand right now!) I bought for $200 for 3/8 to 3" that were worn rounded have been stropped on my straight razor strop and I can shave with all 8 or 9 of them-same with the Firmer chisels. Except for the Japanese style chisels (I'm not good using them) good steel new hand wood tools hardly exist for under four figures each. The English chisels don't hold an edge, and the Swiss, Swedish and German tools cost as much as a new car. So many excellent old chisels and such get made into trash knives because they are good tool steel, but they aren't "working knives" they are ugly dumb useless DISPLAY knives. I believe things have a purpose for being and should be USED. GrandPa, Pawpa and my Daddy taught me that way and so did Momma. If you feel differently that's OK, but you know the way I feel. A Disston D7 crosscut handsaw needs to cut wood and it's rip brother does too.
I don't know where you guys shopping, but at the time of writing a decent vintage back saw online is in the 40-50$ range delivered. Let's say we spend 10$ in time & materials for restoration, labor is not included. This brings us to the 50-60$ range per saw, which is really close to what Veritas asks for their saws, that are ready to work out of the box and replaced no questions asked in case of any issue - even if it's just a perceived one. Also you'll have to try very hard to spend 300$ on a dovetail saw, they're actually in the 150$ range (LN and a bunch of other boutique makers).So it's not really 1/10th, it's rather 1/2 the price. I get that you aren't trying to be scientifically precise, but a gross exaggeration kinda kills the trust in what trying to tell.
The last antique backsaw I restored cost $5 at a flea market. Maybe $.50 in materials. Compare that to the frankly unattractive $130 Lee Valley tenon saw, and it is a no-brainer.
One of my greatest joys is restoring vintage hand tools.
I loved watching Norm back in the day, but I did not have $100K for tools and 10K sqft for a shop. It took another 20 years for me to find hand tools, now in a small space with a small set of tools I am making the projects I did not think were possible back then. THANK YOU AND KEEP MAKING MORE (of everything, magazines, podcasts, videos, etc.)
You and everybody else!
I also love old tools, but even more, I can't stand to throw away a rescue tool. Keep it up, guys!
A great subject! I have refurbished quite a number of tools and am using them, but, what I learned was trial and error a lot of the time. This class will be greatly anticipated. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Back when I started out, I found old tools and fixed them up precisely because I couldn't afford new tools. Ended up buying a number of old carpenter's tool chests, or was even given "grand-dad's old tools" by several people when they found out I was doing woodworking. Restoring old tools became a whole hobby in itself and I often sold off extras/spares to people who were looking for good tools.
I used to have piles of tools to go through. I made a plywood tray with a carpet tile inset. I would watch TV and go over tools with steel wool.
Love refurbing old tools!
It can be a whole hobby in itself. I know it was for me during lockdown!
Damn I miss you mates . Hopefully one day , again!
My gentlemen!! Cheers to both of you !
Looking forward to seeing the course.
Excellent series idea. So many youtube restoration videos the guy goes way off the deep end. My experience agrees with yours, getting an old plane up and running is generally a quick and simple process, and I've managed to get a pretty well equipped shop for little money. Folks need to know that restorations don't need to be intimidating. One of my latest finds is a Disston No. 32 pruning saw, which I sharpened and it works really well for greenwood or heavy cuts in timbers, probably every bit as effective as a modern Silky saw, but only cost me $3, and its sharpenable.
Thanks for sharing 👍 I can't wait.
We enjoy taking something old and fixing it up like new. Wish someone would do that to me.
I've restored quite a few tools now. I like doing it and I like using them after they are restored. They just feel good in your hand. However I will say it turns into a rabbit hole in and of itself. I am kinda compulsive in the process. I find an antique #4 Stanley Bailey for the sole purpose of gutting it for a chip breaker screw for another plane I've already restored and what happens? I wind up committing to restoring that one too. Always chasing my tail. It seems I am constantly one part away from restoring another one. Sometimes it would be nice to just flat out buy a brand new tool. On handplanes in particular I like new planes but the new makers always design them with the Bedrock style but in my opinion the Bailey style is more awesome. Also the brand new planes feel clunkier and heavier than a Stanley Bailey handplane. I'd probably be out a bunch of money if new handplane makers made planes exactly like the Bailey planes. Also, I have yet to restore a single tool that happened as fast as others say it takes. Some tools have taken hours and hours to restore. Some handplanes take forever to true and flatten the sole. Nowadays I don't even screw around with finer grits on soles until that thing is pretty near where I want it. I start with 60 grit glued to a big flat piece of granite. For me the best rust remover is vinegar and water not some high dollar rust remover. I know someone will screech, "How dare I use vinegar and water on some tool?" I find that it works the best and honestly I don't care one drop about the museum value of some tool. I buy them to use them.
thanks
Never considered going to ebay for old tools. You're right that you have more availability at flea markets in New England than here in California. Many old tools are better than the newer ones, and if you can save some money why not.
What is the correct type of primer to use under a gloss enamel when restoring old steel and iron tools?
I would love to hear your thoughts on krenov style laminated planes, versus mortised plan bodies. Especially for the intermediate wood worker who’d like to make their own. Did the people in the heyday of planes avoid laminating the body because it was better - or just because glues sucked ?
"Krenov planes" and "laminated planes" are two different categories. From a user's standpoint chopped or laminated doesn't make any difference assuming a good job making them. People of heyday didn't avid laminating planes, it's just very few have survived - something that shouldn't really bother you a user. The real difference is the form of a plane and hence ergonomic: Krenov planes are strictly finishing tools for machine milled surfaces, can't use them for heavy shaping. But if you want yourself a traditional jack plane and don't want to invest 500$ into floats - laminate it, it will be a great plane. Actually, there's a video class by Richard McGuire (The English Woodworker) where he builds a jack by lamination and then he uses it in subsequent builds for heavy stock removal.
You can use the "Krenov method " of laminated plane construction to make pretty much any style or type of bench plane. I've been using jointer and jack planes with traditional totes for over 15 years with good results. The planes have the look and feel of traditional English planes and perform extremely well.
I saw a list of places we can find old tools you posted a while ago but can’t find it anymore!! In Canada Quebec, pretty difficult to find some good backsaws… is there places online where we can find these except from ebay? Thank you so much!
Can’t wait to watch this new course!!!
There are online antiques stores, but it still going to be more expensive than eBay because of shipping. And it's still a lottery. An option for you is to consider gent saws by Crown (all the English gent saws are made at one factory, so the brand doesn't matter - G&C, Lynx, Crown, etc), they're excellent for dovetailing and can saw tenons up to 1 1/4" deep. This assumes you can set and sharpen saws already. Or just bite the bullet and go with Veritas, gent or toted - they're not too much more than a good vintage saw. I would recommend the latter, because you will end up buying a premium saw anyway (for a number of reasons). Nothing against vintage saws, but in the long run it's more expensive for a novice who is starting alone. But this is up to you - nothing in this hobby is cheap.
I don't restore old tools. I find GOOD usable old planes and chisels (some were my Great-Grandfather's like his Disston saws) clean and sharpen them and use them. I bought a Bailey Number 20 jointer plane for $25 at an estate sale that just needed some plane-tuning and TLC and sharpening and I've been offered $500 for it now. The English Shipwright's chisels (can't think of the brand right now!) I bought for $200 for 3/8 to 3" that were worn rounded have been stropped on my straight razor strop and I can shave with all 8 or 9 of them-same with the Firmer chisels. Except for the Japanese style chisels (I'm not good using them) good steel new hand wood tools hardly exist for under four figures each. The English chisels don't hold an edge, and the Swiss, Swedish and German tools cost as much as a new car. So many excellent old chisels and such get made into trash knives because they are good tool steel, but they aren't "working knives" they are ugly dumb useless DISPLAY knives. I believe things have a purpose for being and should be USED. GrandPa, Pawpa and my Daddy taught me that way and so did Momma. If you feel differently that's OK, but you know the way I feel. A Disston D7 crosscut handsaw needs to cut wood and it's rip brother does too.
I don't know where you guys shopping, but at the time of writing a decent vintage back saw online is in the 40-50$ range delivered. Let's say we spend 10$ in time & materials for restoration, labor is not included. This brings us to the 50-60$ range per saw, which is really close to what Veritas asks for their saws, that are ready to work out of the box and replaced no questions asked in case of any issue - even if it's just a perceived one. Also you'll have to try very hard to spend 300$ on a dovetail saw, they're actually in the 150$ range (LN and a bunch of other boutique makers).So it's not really 1/10th, it's rather 1/2 the price. I get that you aren't trying to be scientifically precise, but a gross exaggeration kinda kills the trust in what trying to tell.
The last antique backsaw I restored cost $5 at a flea market. Maybe $.50 in materials. Compare that to the frankly unattractive $130 Lee Valley tenon saw, and it is a no-brainer.