Hand Tool Reference Books.

[Cheshirechappie]

Your recommendations for good hand tool reference books, please!

I'll kick things off with the following;

Dictionary of Woodworking Tools by R.A.Salaman.
British Planemakers from 1700 by Goodman (Third edition is the most recent, but out of print. The fourth edition is in preparation.....)
Restoring, Tuning and Using Classic Woodworking Tools by Mike Dunbar.
The Wooden Plane; It's History, Form and Function by John Whelan.
Turning and Mechanical Manipulation Volumes 1, 2 and 3 by Holtzappfel.
British Saws and Sawmakers by Dr. Simon Barley.
The Resourceful Woodworker by Robert Wearing. (Out of print, but available from the likes of Abebooks quite cheaply)
Making and Modifying Woodworking Tools by Jim Kingshott. (Ditto)

 

[mouppe]

The Handplane book by Garrett Hack
Hand Tools by Aldren A. Watson

 

[Plumberpete]

The History of Woodworking Tools - W. L. Goodman
Story of the Saw - P. d'A Jones and E. N. Simons
Antique Woodworking Tools - Michael Dunbar
John Green - 18th Century York Planemaker - Peter Young
The Case for Francis Purdew - Don and Anne Wing
Early Planemakers of London - Don and Anne Wing
Some 19th Century English Woodworking Tools - Kenneth D. Roberts

 

[mikefab]

Charles H Hayward - Tools for woodwork

 

[JohnPW]

Not eactly reference books but catalogues, eg 1938 Marples or the Melhuish ones are excellent to see what was avaialble and their comparative prices.

The problem with some of the books mentoned is that they are out of print and book dealers are charging rip off prices for them!

 

[AndyT]

A couple of generally useful books that are still fairly easily available new, I think.
Tools a Guide for Collectors by Rees and Rees
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/book-review-tools-a-guide-for-collectors-t62617.html

Tony Murland's guide to antique tools. A small format "spotter's guide" which includes a wide range of makers including some US exports.

 

[Plumberpete]

Not eactly reference books but catalogues, eg 1938 Marples or the Melhuish ones are excellent to see what was avaialble and their comparative prices.

The problem with some of the books mentoned is that they are out of print and book dealers are charging rip off prices for them!

Old catalogues are an excellent source of information on tools from years gone by. I had access to a copy of T. J. Gardner's 1916 catalogue and managed to get a good few photos of the various pages of planes. The most unusual plane in there was a 'cabinet makers bevel plane' which can only be described as vaguely similar to a rural sash plane with a nicker iron and a solid boxwood insert. I have seen one before on fleabay but forgot to bid on it! ](*,)

As far as out of print books are concerned, I use Abebooks 'wants' service. Once you set this up it will let you know when the book you're after becomes available and occasionally one will come along at a decent price which you can then quickly purchase (they don't hang around!).