Tools-for-the-Craftsman

This page was last updated on: October 30, 2019

I started my business in 2003 with the intention of making the tools that could not be found by so many of the re-emerging crafts. Today I still do that and even though some factories (and other blacksmiths) have started to make these tools again, I don't often find one that is as good as the ones that I make!

The materials I use are chosen to be the best for the job, so for cutting tools it is a spring steel (for heavy duty tools like billhooks) or a high carbon tool steel (chisels and the like); all of which are heat treated using MODERN techniques which allow for more control and repeatable results (ie better edges and toughness than more traditional methods). The handles and other wooden parts are sourced from my own woodland and cleft rather than sawn, so retaining more strength than those taken from a plank.

The tools shown here are just the ones that I make on a regular basis (and try to keep in stock), but over the years I have made all sorts of original and experimental tools for various craftspeople. So if you are looking for something particular but can't find anybody who makes it, then please get in touch as I'm sure I will be able to help :-)

I am happy to supply you with just the metal parts in a ground but not honed state if you wish to fit your own handles. Not only does this make for a more personal tool, it reduces the cost to you

Many tools are used by multiple crafts, so please scroll through the other catagories listed (I may have put your tool in a different place! Afterall, a billhook is used by many crafts but I have put them in the Greenwood catagory)

Please click on the images to get a better view of the tool!

Tools for the Craftsman

Woodworking

I can supply superior replacement blades for planes and the like if you have an original I can copy. Equally if you require a bespoke shape carving tool, then I am happy to help

Socketed Bevel Edged chisels. a set of 1/4", 1/2" and 1" would be £150 complete with handles

Socketed firmer chisels.

My far my preference when it somes to making chisels is to make them both socketed and straight sided (ie not bevel endged)

Tanged chisels based on some Anglo Saxon examples. These are not designed to be struck and have a slightly curved cutting edge

these gouges are based on some medieval examples and provide a very fine cutting action. The hooped and socketed gouge can be struck.

Chisels and Gouges

I can make these any size and configuration you like. Please state blade width, gouge sweep and internal or external bevel (if appropriate) when ordering. Blades only are supplied ground to an edge, but not honed.

Bevel edged blades only from £45 (1/4")

Firmer/straight edged blades only from £40 (1/4")

Can also be supplied with handles at extra cost.

Bowl Adze. after speaking to expert carvers about which elements of the best bowl adzes they like, I combined them and came up with this!

2" wide cut, 550g (ish)

Flat adze. In this case, an internal bevel.

Curved adze. In this case, an internal bevel, blade widthis 3" and it has a curve of a 16" circle

this is a double bevelled adze with a compound curve to the edge (flatter in the centre than the ends). There is no defined internal or external bevel, rather the two surfaces very gently curve to make an end in the centre of the blade.

close up of the 3/4 closed socket, or dovetail if you prefer

Adze

I can make these any size and configuration you like. Please state blade width, gouge sweep and internal or external bevel (if appropriate) when ordering. The 'spooning' Adze are essentially double bevelled and based on some that I have seen used for carving spoons in Eastern Europe. They take practice to use and if you don't take to the double bevel, then you can set up a secondary bevel on one side to your preference.

Bowl carving adze: £180 (£120 head only)

T-Adze: Heads from £160

'Spooning' Adze: From £200 (£130 head only)

Socketed adze from £110 (2 1/2") (£55 head only)

Drawknives & Shaves

Drawknives of any size and handle angle can be made, as can inshaves, outshaves and replacement blades for spokeshaves and planes.

Small Drawknife £80

Replacement spokeshave blade £40

Billhooks

In a variety of shapes and sizes, but not double edged (I made one once, never again)

Prices start at £80

unlike other bowl hooks out there, these are MUCH stiffer (and heavier) and made from better steel at the edge. This means a tool that doesn't chatter, is easier to use and will hold an edge better than a normal 1/2" spring steel one

Bowl Turning Hook tools

Made from either 12mm or 14mm high carbon steel and available as single or double edged, left or right hand hooks and as straight or cranked. Also in a range of hook sizes.

Hook tool blades only from £50

bottoming tool £40

Canister tool £55

Left are my preferred hooks with rustic stick handles. This offers some personalisation to be carried out by the user and keeps the cost down.

Right are my fully shaped handles. Some love them, some don't.

Wide and open (right) is good for cleaning a furrowed surface but not good for hollowing. The middle one is the best general purpose hook. The small hook is no longer available

Available in left and right or left handed

For bigger spoons or when you want more oompf in your carving hook. these are based on the Welsh Twyca and have a long handle that is braced against the forearm for extra leverage

standard twca hook, I can also make them with a larger radius or compund curve if desired.

Available in left or riht handed

Chip carving blade fitted into a large pencil like handle

Carving knives and hooks

Chip carving, spoon hooks, straight whittling knives of all shapes and sizes. Please state which curve and whether you would like a left or right handed hook

Spoon Hook (rustic) £45 (blade only £35)

Spoon Hook (carved handle) £55

Twca Hook £65 (blade only £50)

Chip carvers £40 (please state blade shape) (blade only £25)

Auger bits historically spoon augers come in two shapes. The round ended tip works well into side grain and is great for blind holes. The pointy end is better into end grain, so more suited to things such as shrink pots.

An elaborate chest brace as used with augers dating back for much of the last 2000.

Drills and Augers

Mostly I make spoon augers, but I can also make reamers and spade bits to suit your size. Augers can be made with an ancient flat tang, an eye (as in 'scotch eyed auger'), hex or Jennings pattern

I can also provide simple branch handles or elaborate chest braces with brass bearings if requested.

Spoon Auger (bit only) from £55 to £70 (3/4" to 2 1/2")

Simple handle £15

Chest Brace handle £70

Gimlets £15

Pump drill £40-£50

Basketry and Weaving

When I started out making tools I was taken under then wing of renowned basket maker Linda Lemieux, so it was inevitable that the first tools I learnt to make were for rush and willow work. Since then I have begun making Gripfids for ply splitting and a variety of other basketry and weaving related crafts.

some folk prefer to slide their willow down a fid instead of using a bodkin, esepcially when finishing off in tight spots.

Bodkins and Fids

My standard bodkin has a spike of 6" x 1/2", but they can be made smaller and larger in any dimension.

Standard Bodkin (8mm or 12mm) £20

Small bodkin (6mm) £15

Large Bodkin (16mm) £30

Cane bodkin (needle sharp point) £25

Standard Fid (1/2" wide) £25

Gripfids

Primarily used for ply split braiding. Also useful for knotwork and sewing objects such as books

3mm, 4mm, 5mm and 6mm available

£10

Rush Threaders

large or small. The larger of the two is normally used for chair seating, but both are used in rush basketry and hats (depending on the size rush you are using naturally)

£15

Rapping Irons.

Made to traditional styling and with no rough edges and sharp corners that can damage your work.

I can also make a leather sleave to fit, which will help to protect the bark of you willow from bruising

Rapping Iron £20

Leather Cover £5

Sickles

These are designed for harvesting your willow. No two will be the same, but it will have a ? shape that allows you to easily cut individual or multiple rods with a simple pulling action. Please let me know if you would prefer a more or less open shape and I can pick one out for you. Other hooked knives and sickles are also available, to no fixed pattern

?- shaped harvesting sickles £75

small hooked serpette £55

larger sickles from £85

Shell Bodkin

Used for cane work

£15

Leatherwork and Bookbinding

Over the last few years I've been doing more and more work for the bookbinding communtity, ranging from making tools to teaching sharpening course aimed at the tools of the trade. Many of the tools are based on Victorian or Edwardian examples used daily in the bindery at Windser Castle.

I was introduced to the craft by my friend Dr Roderick Lane, Head of Book Conservations at the Royal Library, Windsor Castle: ‘Thank you Dave for the wonderfully hand crafted knives. They needed no additional preparation or resetting and are superior to any other knife I have ever used. They are cheaper, sharper and easier to use than the Japanese equivalents. Many thanks for your wonderful work.’

Paring Knives

Three shapes. English, Quarter Round and French.

Standard and large sizes

English Pattern (standard) £40 (large) £45

Quarter Round (standard) £40 (large) £45

French Pattern (standard) £55 (large) £60

Gilding Scrapers

2" curved edge as standard then a choice of 1" or 1/2" on the other end. Available in 0.4mm or 0.7mm thickness

£5

Backing hammer

This example (made for the Royal Library) is no toy at 33oz (940g)

£90

Plough Blade

Can be made to fit most ploughs. I normally have 1/2" and 5/8" blades for Dryad ploughs in stock. I can also make replacement blades for other ploughs if you have an example to copy

1/2" dryad £35

5/8" dryad £40

Sharpening

These are the tools that I use for most of my sharpening and are the items that I normally recommend to people when they ask.

Twybil

Also known as a morticing knife, used for cutting out mortices. I currently make the more conventional triangular bladed form, but also an older chisel-bladed version. Both about 11" end to end

£85

As of 2016, I am stocking these three new combinations. Same Chinese manufacturer of these great stones though.

please note, that the stones pictured are the old combinations, but this picture is to illustrate the size of the small compared to full sized blocks

Artificial nagura stone by Naniwa. Rub onto a fine waterstone during use to clean, degalze and provide a polishing slurry

hard to make a red block of stone look good!

Chinese Waterstones

I am now using and stocking these rather than the more commonly available Japanese stones (Ice Bear/Kingstone). Why? These are nicer to use, wear better, are wider (good for planes), come in a more sensible increment of grits and also happen to be cheaper!

Simply saturate with clean water before use and keep lubricated with water. When a hollow wears,just rub on a paving slab with sand until flat.

For general sharpening I suggest the 600/2000 grit combination. The coarse combination (120/400) is ideal for VERY blunt or chipped edges. The finest stone (3000/8000) is perfect for fine edges such as wood carving tools, leather working knives and razors.

Large stones are approx. 18cm x 6cm x 3cm

Small stones are approx. 9cm x 3cm x 3cm

120/400 grit stones: Large £15 Small £8

600/2000 grit stones: Large £20 Small £10

3000/8000 grit stones: Large £25 Small £12

Nagura Stone (30mm x 25mm x 65mm): £5

Firn 1.2mm leather on a pine backing. Great for everyday sharpening and scandi ground carving knives without causiing round of the edge

blue is a good general purpose paste. White is for the finest edges on carving knives. Pink is pretty much the same as white but slower going

Leather Strop and Honing Compounds

The leather strop is the final stage in sharpening, and can bu used to touch up an edge between visits to a stone. By using a thin yet firm leather and backing it with wood, you are able to ensure a flat honing surface (vital if you have spent time perfecting a flat and consistant sharpening bevel!). The use of a loose belt like a barbour has the effect of ounding and potentially dulling an edge.

Honing compound/stropping pastes come in varying grades (see images for details) and are applied to the strop as needed.

Leather Strop (large c.12" x 2" x 1/2") £8

Leather Strop (small c.5" x 1" x 1/2") £4

Blue Compound ('Smurf Poo' Medium grade, fast paste) 50g £2

Pink Compound discontinued

White Compound ('Bird Poo' Very fine polish for finest edges) 50g £3

Convex Sharpening kit

I have made these clever devices to help you to sharpen axes and other blades that have a convex edge. This block has a rubber backing that follows the curvature of your cutting edge, so making sharpening a true convex a doddle. The finesess of your edge can be tuned by the choice of grit paper placed on teh block. Should you be in need of a fine polished edge, then just turn the last paper over and apply stropping paste to the smooth side.

Each set comprises:

Block with foam backing and clamps

Hex key (stored in the side of the block)

4 strips each of abrasive paper (c120, 240, 600 and 1200 grit)

£50

Dog Legged and Hollowing Gouges

These gouges are specifically designed for hollowing bowls, cups and troughs. The dog legged gouge is most suited to finishing the bottoms rather than the actual hollowing.

Prices from:

Blades only £55

Rustic handled £65

Carved handled £75

Ideally suited to finishing the botoms of bowls and troughs.

various sweeps, angles and sizes, for one or two handed use. My favourite it the top one with a 1 1/" sweep and pretty curved shank. It is particular.ly good at hollowing bowls and cups

All tools are also available as blades only, allowing you to create your perfect tool

Picking knife

The traditional alternative to side cutters for cutting (or 'picking') ends flush with the basket.

£45

Pocket Auger

I've modified these auger bits to fit the needs of the bushcrafter. They are small, compact and can be fitted with a handle quickly in the woods.

Other than attching a tube to the top, I have ground and polished the flutes to prevent cutting your hands in use. I also regrind and sharpen the bits to make them cut almost effortlessly.

I stock these in approx. 1/2", 3/4", 1" and 1 1/4" diameters, but can make them to any size that you require. (length is the depth of a drilled hole)

12mm x 110mm £25

19mm x 110mm £30

25mm x 70mm £30

25mm x 420mm £30

32mm x 110mm £35

32mm x 180mm £35

Axes

I don't have any set patterns of axe that I make, but I do tend to turn out similar styles. Small hatchets (3-600g), largish bearded axes (1-1.5kg) and smaller bearded carving axes (800-1.2kg) are the general trends. I can of course make other styles of axe upon request and am particularly keen to make interesting historical examples. I also make side axes and now broad axes

Small axes tend to run at about £180

Medium (carving) axes about £200

Bearded axes about £250

T-axes from £200 for the head

Complete axes come with a thick leather sheath and a and cared ash handle

Stocknife

Used for making clogs, spoons and the like. Not something that I make very often, but can do larger, smaller or different shaped blades upon request.

Prices (including spike) £280-£350

eye bolt £15

Awls

awl blades from spring steel, in square or round but diamond by special request (they cost more due to difficulty in making). I also make square and round section curved awls. Bare blades are ground to a point, but finished tools are honed to a fine point and edges ready or use.

Blades only £10

Handled from £20

Stamps, touchmarks and brands

I can make a range of simple designs and images for decorating metal, leather and wood. Prices start at £10

Dowel Plate

Used for making short lengths of dowel. This one makes dowels of 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm. Other sizes upon request.

£50

Splitting Machine Blade

Can be made to fit most manual splitting machines. I normally have blades for a 5" and a 6" Dixon splitter in stock, but can make other types/sizes if you have an example to copy

From £55

Head or Round Knives

Not to any particular pattern, but I make head knives ranging on size from 4"-6" across.

Full Head knife £75

Half Head knife £65

15th Century head knife with Awl

Spindle Turning tools

I make a range of gouges, skews, chisels and scrapers for spindle turning.

Gouges £45-£70

Scrapers £35-£50

Skews £35-£65

Bead Turning tools

I can make cutters to allow the easy turning of beads such as those used in rosaries. These cutters are based on finds from the Mary Rose ship. I created a simple bow lathe to allow demonstrations at living history events too.

Skew chisel £50

Bead cutter £30-£50

Drill (twist bit) £10

Bow lathe £200

Saws

Made for the Living History community, but these saws are all modern quality tools.

V-section forged blade £80-£150

I-section hand cut teeth £60-£180

Machine made blades for horn and bone £20-£35

Frame Saw £120-£250

Like a modern saw, these have flt blades and the teeth are set to either side. These ones are based on medieval examples.

Please note that these are not taper ground or professionally tuned as a modern fine handmade one is, but then they are also a quarter of the price!

the blade is machine made but resharpenable to save costs, but the frame is made from my own trees and disassembles for easy storage. This example takes a 600m blade, but I can make any size. Also a ripsawing version if you like, with the blade at 90 degrees to the frame.

Top two and bottom saws have V-section blades, ie they are akin to a knife blade with saw teeth cut onto the thick spine instead of an edge on the thin side. The teeth are not set like a modern saw, but the thickness f the blade creates the kerf. Many early medieval and Roman saws are this format.

Tailoring

I'm now making tools for use with cloth. On the most part this is due to a number of historical tailors asking for pinking irons and the like. If there are other tools that you think I should be making, then please let me know!

Pinking Irons

Made from high carbon steel and sharpened to a razor edge. I generally make them in sizes ranging from 1/4" up to 1 1/4", but can make any size and with more or less ornate shafts.

Straight cutters £35-£50

Curved Cutters £45-£65

Buttonhole Cutters

Made from high carbon steel and sharpened to a razor edge. I generally make them in sizes ranging from 1/4" up to 1 1/4", but can make any size and with more or less ornate shafts and handles.

£45-£60

Lead Cutting Block

Oak base with a thick slab of lead laid on top. This is the precursor of the green self healing cutting mat and is still often used by tailors for pinking and leatherworkers for punching holes and cutting straps onto.

Approx dimensions 11" x 6" x 2"

£65

Button and Button Mold cutters

Cutters to produce buttons and molds from materials such as wood and bone. The cutters can be made to fit either historical lathes/drills, or to fit into a modern pillar drill. The cutters come in pairs: one to flatten and shape the bottom, then one to cut the top and sever from the board.

Cutter sets £70-£90

Button Hole Iron (Craquette)

A rare tool used to press (or iron) the cloth around a sewn button hole. As depicted in Diderot's encyclopedia in the 1750's. I was first asked to make one for the School of Historical Dress and apparently works very nicely! The four sides of the iron had slots measuring c 60mm long and 6mm deep; one side is 3mm wide, one is 4mm, one is 5mm and the last slot is 6mm wide

£85

Knife Making

Here are a selection of the tools that I use in making my knives and am now offering to other makers as well

Knife Making vices

I'm often asked what sort of knifemaking vice or clamp I use when shaping handles or polishing blades. Truth be told, nothing as nice as these or a very long time! However, I came up with a number of designs and trialled them on my courses. These are the two that were most popular.

Either can be clamped in a vice or mounted directly to your bench. They both have removable wooden jaws, that can be modified or replaced to suit your needs.

Simple vice. Box section jaws will rotate through 90 degrees and is my preferred vice. £95

Complex Vice. This one is infinitely adjustable with it's angles. £140