# Good shop for hand tools in Manchester



## Bernhard (2 Dec 2005)

Hello,

this is my first topic in this forum so I wish to introduce myself. My name is Bernhard and I am located in a smaller town close to Hamburg/Germany. I found this forum via another forum.

Next week I am going to visit my daughter in Manchester and of course I am looking forward to visit a good shop for cordless tools. I like very much the planes made by Clifton, LN or any other high end manufacturer.

My problem is that I cannot find any address in the Internet and as you can imagine my daughter has other hobbies than to find me a suitable shop.

Thank you for any recommendation including the address.

Best regards
Bernhard


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## AndyG (2 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard, welcome onboard. I'm fairly new here too, but it's a great forum.

One way of getting hold of these planes is to order them from a UK online company and have them delivered to your daughter. Then you can pick them up when you visit. I did a similar thing the last time I went abroad.

www.axminster.co.uk carry a very good range of LN planes. You might have some trouble ordering if your home address does not match the delivery address, but perhaps you could get your daughter to make the order once you passed over the funds?

BTW, I'm assuming that you mean hand planes rather than cordless (battery powered) planes.

Hope that helps
Andy


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## Bernhard (2 Dec 2005)

Thank you for the quick response Andy.

Correct I am looking for hand tools (thanks for your help). My favorite are the Clifton and LN planes but also fine hand saws which are difficult to find in German shops.

We do have the opportunity to buy from an online shop but I appreciate to go to a shop and gather around before buying.

Best regards
Bernhard


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## AndyG (2 Dec 2005)

Ahh... I'm afraid I can't really help there then. I don't know Manchester at all. But there must be some good shops. I'm sure someone will be along soon with a helpful reply.

Although it's always nice (best) to be able to handle a tool before buying, I'd say you can't go too wrong with a LN. I've a 62 and a 4 1/2, both are amazing. When the budget allows, I'll soon be adding to them. I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed if you bought one online without trying first.

Good luck in your search.
Andy


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## Newbie_Neil (2 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard

I'm sorry that I can't hep you, but welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil


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## syntec4 (2 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard,
This is also my first post, so hello to everyone. I live in Manchester and I'm afraid I don't know any shops here that sell the quality tools you are looking for. I have searched all of the local directories etc and have found nothing. 
There is a nice tool supplier called Boggle and Timms but they mostly supply power tools and machinery. They are located in Eccles on the Western edge of the city and might be worth a visit anyway if you are over here. 
AndyG suggested that you buy from axminster and have the tools delivered to you're daughter, this is probably the best idea. 
Of course if someone can suggest a quality tool shop in Manchester I would love to know where it is  

Regards
Lee.


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## houtslager (2 Dec 2005)

hi Bernhard, welcome to theforum, where are you in Germany, I have just moved to Remels and would love to chat and have a beer one day with you.

all the best from HS


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## engineer one (3 Dec 2005)

bernard, nice to welcome you. to make your life easier when 
talking and searching in britain, you should talk about hand tools
not cordless, since in our country cordless tools tend to be
drills and now circular saws and jigsaws etc.

you are looking for hand planes and such.
unless you visit axminster or tilgear, (see and earlier post)
then touching and feeling LN planes will be difficult.
clifton will be easier. 

i guess one question would be will you have access to a car,
in which case a supplier not too far from manchester might be 
found.

good hunting, and by the by look out for LV planes too.

paul :wink:


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## Matt1245 (3 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard, welcome to the forum. 



> I live in Manchester and I'm afraid I don't know any shops here that sell the quality tools you are looking for.



I can second that, quality hand tool shops, stocking LV LN and clifton are definatley lacking in this part of the world.

Matt.


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## Newbie_Neil (3 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard

I've just remembered that Craft Supplies sell Lee Valley planes. If you go to www.craft-supplies.co.uk and type _*plane*_ in their search, then scroll down and look at the more expensive planes.

I think they had five or six Lee Valley planes on display when I visited earlier this year. They are about 25Km (?) from Manchester.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Neil


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## Alf (3 Dec 2005)

Welcome to the forum, Bernhard and Lee. 'Fraid I haven't heard of anywhere in that area either.  How about a trip to Sheffield? Gotta be somewhere there, being the centre of what's left of the toolmaking industry in this country. And I apologise if that's a stupid idea 'cos the trip from Manchester to Sheffield is notoriously ghastly - blame it on my being a hopeless Southerner since early childhood. 

Cheers, Alf


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## Scrit (3 Dec 2005)

Sorry to say, as another northerner, that there's nothing much by way of hand tool sales in Manchester, nor for that matter in Sheffield from my recollection (unless Crown, Sorby, Henry Taylor or Clico have started "mill shops"). Most tool retailers will offer you a selection from the Toolbank (or equivalent) catalogue these days. As to Craft Supplies being 25km (15 miles) from Manchester - I wish! Anyone know what Tabwell in Bakewell are like these days? I don't think they are not too far from Craft Supplies and used to have several shops in the middle of the town (where there is, incidentally, a really good baker/deli.....) Getting-out to these places would only be feasible if you have a car and about 3 hours to spend as the roads over the southern Pennines can be ghastly in winter, especially if you get stuck behind a lorry. They also have a tendency to get closed in extreme weather, especially the Snake and Woodhead passes :shock: 

Scrit


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## Jarviser (3 Dec 2005)

Let's face it, without mail order or the www, 99% of us in the UK would be struggling to find a decent hand tool anywhere


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## Alf (3 Dec 2005)

Scrit":26rku3rx said:


> Anyone know what Tabwell in Bakewell are like these days?


Didn't they become Rutlands, or do I mis-remember? (Probably)

Cheers, Alf


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## Scrit (3 Dec 2005)

Yes, I believe they did. Do they still have any shops, though? I seem to recall shops in Altrincham and Harrogate

Scrit


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## MIGNAL (3 Dec 2005)

Bernhard, why not Dieter Schmid - Fine Tools?


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## Bernhard (4 Dec 2005)

Thank you for your quick response  

Unfortunately the situation in England is quite similar to Germany. It is hard to find a shop with highend quality tools unless you visit the www.

Anyhow you safed me a lot of time as I really considered to drive (car is available) to Sheffield - Thank you. Now I believe I have to concentrate on pubs serving "Cream of Manchester". Trust that here the chances are much better :lol: 

@houtslager
I am located about 30 km from Hamburg. Please let me know when you be around. Cold beer will be available.

Best regards
Bernhard


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## Scrit (4 Dec 2005)

Bernhard":3ftv976e said:


> Now I believe I have to concentrate on pubs serving "Cream of Manchester". Trust that here the chances are much better :lol:


Or Robinsons (Stockport), Holts (just behind Strangeways) or J W Lees (Oldham) - all still brewed in the Manchester area . We lost Threllfalls and Wilsons a few years back and even Boddy's has been under threat once more quite recently (it is now owned by Interbrew - the Stella Artois firm). If nothing else if you are in the centre Manchester has its own distintive brand of architecture sometimes referred to locally as "Manchester palatine" and the town hall has the most phenominal Victorian interior. Well worth a look.

Scrit


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## Bernhard (5 Dec 2005)

MIGNAL":1nelfa9t said:


> Bernhard, why not Dieter Schmid - Fine Tools?





yes I know him very well and I am participating in his famous forum. Pls check you will find fotos from my workshop.

As he is located in Berlin it is quite difficult for me to purchase as I prefer to touch the tools before buying. Maybe I am too conservative.

Cheers
Bernhard


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## Philipp (6 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard,

give Dieter a chance. If you don't like the ordered plane why not just sending it back? As you know Dieter really has a great customer service.

Apropos being conservative: Since I will go to UK/Cornwall for some days next week I tried to order from Axminster telling them to pay in advance and asking to send the goods to the hotel I have booked. Regrettably, they did not want to follow this procedure (although it should be rather safe for them, cash before shipment - where' the problem?) but insisted upon their rather conservative policy. But I really would prefer spending some pounds or Euros for tools than for postage.

I you should happen to order from Axminster, please let me know (some items are cheaper there than here). Maybe we could put our items together and share the shipment charge. Contact me bc (not necessarily in English  ).

Tschau, Philipp


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## Newbie_Neil (6 Dec 2005)

Scrit":1rdel07e said:


> Anyone know what Tabwell in Bakewell are like these days?





Alf":1rdel07e said:


> Didn't they become Rutlands, or do I mis-remember?



I assume this is what's called Uppertown Tools. They're right next to the car park and have nothing to do with Rutlands.

Great excuse for going to Derdyshire for the day. :roll: 

Cheers
Neil


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## Newbie_Neil (6 Dec 2005)

Scrit":17nnxxmc said:


> As to Craft Supplies being 25km (15 miles) from Manchester



OK, it's 36 miles.  

Sorry
Neil


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## Scrit (6 Dec 2005)

Hi Bernhard

I've just been out to collect some tooling and had a look at a suppliers "new" shop - not really new, they moved about 3 years ago and this is the first time I've been in since! You might find it of interest -

The Tool Centre (Little Sheffield) 
104 King Street
Blackburn
Lancashire
BB2 2DT

Tel 01254 57282 

Little Sheffield used to be a very overcrowded shop in the town centre of Blackburn selling everything from bedding plants to woodturning lathes (a speciality of theirs) and from Swiss army knives to industrial routers (e.g. deWalt). Very much a traditional ironmongers. About 3 years back they moved and I didn't go to see their new shop - until today. The rear of the premises is a typical trade supplier - lots of yellow/green/blue power tools, Trend tooling (BTW you name it , they've probably got it), etc. The front of the building is, however, given over to a non-professional woodworker's shop with Jet and other machines, hand power tools (including the Kreg jigs), a selection of lathes and accessories/tooling by Sorby, etc. and a respectable selection of hand tools including some _Lee-Valley planes_. 

Blackburn is about 20 miles (32 km) north of Manchester with a direct rail connection and the new shop is about a 15min walk from the railway/bus station. A word of caution, though - they are open "trade" hours, i.e. 8 am - 5pm Monday to Friday, and 8 am to midday on Saturday

Scrit


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