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Were the sash pocket chisels used to cut the opening in the fairly thin side frame wood that gives access to the rope and counterweight? I'm not a much experienced expert like some of you, but I was repairing our double sashed window in this room (sash shutter inside sash window C1890) -- so...

Lovely stuff .. I give the Howarth the prize, but only by a whisker. And yes, I may just clean the blade and keep the string. Why not start an ongoing 'show us your chisels thread' for us nutters, sorry aficionados.

May be wrong, but I think you have something pretty special there. Clog-makers (all-wood type, not leather upper type), used a chisel like that to hollow out the inner space for your foot (after boring it out roughly with an auger) -- it would have quite a long wooden handle, sometimes with a T...

The other bargain bin classic chisel is a lucky dip ------ look for those with a chipped end and covered in paint i.e. used to open a tin of paint then stir it. I recently found a couple of very good Wards of Sheffield well preserved under a thick coat. Boxwood handles, £1 each from different...

This was for sale locally last week - cost me all of 50p and both the seller and myself thought it was well worth it for the laugh. But, more seriously , it was once a much loved Sheffield made chisel and the weird string repair obviously worked for a while as the piece of string over the top...

Agree, crocosmia can be a nuisance, but couldn't be happy if 'great swathes of the garden are dead' with roundup use. I just just keep at 'em - they get fewer every year now - think I'm down to the last clump near the back gate -- will let them finish flowering then try to remove every last...

Pickled walnuts ... delish mmm Here in Sheffield at 300ft I have plenty of figs, hazel/cobs, a too young walnut (but know of one not too far away that produces) ......it's always a race with the squirrels .. likewise for the sweetcorn, and what do squirrels do with a tree full of plums, as...

Sorry I don't have time now to find the links, but there's a couple of good planemaking films on the Hawley collection museum website and an old Swiss film of a Geneva plane maker at work .... all films of 'the last at their craft'. To me, at least, compulsive viewing.

last I hear they were keepin on truckin

Oliver was an American company and their US vises include a pattern maker's like the Wadkin, emmert type. I believe there is also another UK woodworking vice from them marked Oliver Machinery, Liverpool. Anyway, fascinating vice you have there.

Thanks for this - interesting - Tyzack's an interesting name too -- I once heard it came to Britain with the many French Huguenot craftspeople escaping to London to avoid persecution as non-Catholics (to the great benefit of skills in this country as with many waves of immigrants) - is this...

Interesting that Paramo chose brass for these pieces (as above and confirmed by the ebay offering) - as far as I know the other makers used cast iron, and Paramo were a quality brand (as were Parkinson, Woden, Record --). Brass would be expected to wear more quickly, but have less friction, be...

Pretty sure all REDedas were bright post-box red originally.

Great talk - pattern-makers and their tools are fascinating. If you have a side interest in vices, the one in the right foreground of photo of the large patternmakers shop in Sheffield looks very like a quick release T J Syers (ie made in Bradford area and patented 1877, weeks before the very...

I think it was a respected brand from the days when Sheffield had dozens of toolmaking brands. I believe something like W and T Cooper were the makers - don't know why they just put Swearby - some makers like Marples, Hildick and Taylor had a brand like Hibernia or Diamic but also put on their...

Whatever you do - not to landfill or scrap - after you've made kits for your grandkids (whenever that be), there are several charities eg Tools for Self Reliance which refurb and make up starter kits for craftsmen in Africa and India, or if you prefer, UK support groups such as Men (Women?) in...

I'm glad you like these -- thought people would pick up on the Ruobo-type bench - yes, slightly thinner top than some aim for - waney edged (like my hybrid bench) - but thick legs for stability and trad joint is also pinned/pegged, I think also smaller than often pictured - has to fit two...

Some interesting photos from a snappy-dressing cabinet-maker-turner also much interested in racing bikes and family life - all of interest to some on this forum, including myself. and how about that 6 seater sports-utility-vehicle www.bernardmoncet.fr/les-annees-1900-1920

don't see a picture of 'this vice' -- woodworking I assume? Rededa were made in Sheffield from about 1930s to 1970s (?). original colour red of course (a bright post-box red). alternative to making a QR would be to salvage one from a similar sized, but otherwise broken (eg cracked casting)...

It's surely just a bradawl, ie for making start holes for screws, nails etc -- on the larger size, but don't think it looks as big as 1/4in dia from the rule. I find bradawls very useful. Leather/sailcloth awls are similar, but not usually with the screwdriver-type point. don't think this one...