Hi David,
I read your emails and blog with great appreciation – for your honesty, insight, generosity and humour.
I have yet to buy a single Lie Nielsen product but I am eyeing a few, probably a block plane to start with. I appreciate your advice regarding tools.
Lie Nielsen do seem to offer their chisels in O1 Tool Steel now, since many like yourself prefer them, especially for paring.
Here is the Australian web site for Lie Nielsen, I’m sure it’s the same deal in the US, but I’m not sure about UK, maybe you’re missing out.
http://www.lie-nielsen.com.au/catalog.php?sku=O-1-C
Keep up the good work. I do dream of coming to your school, but with a young family of 4 kids I have to satisfy myself with tinkering in my own workshop to satisfy our own furniture requirements, which I can’t keep up with.
I studied architecture in Brisbane (didn’t finish, but worked in the field for a while and loved it, especially on site work). I’m now a freelance photographer.
Have you come across wooden planes by an Australian plane maker HNT Gordon? I have his smoothing plane with a 6mm HSS blade, although he offers tool steel as a cheaper option. It works very well on all timbers, but especially on hardwood which it’s been optimised for with the 60 degree steep pitch, it’s a work of art. He ships them around the world, and many of his buyers are collectors, but most are serious woodworkers. He’s written some articles explaining pitch of planes, issues with bevel up planes holding an edge when sharpened with steep bevels (basically they don’t). We have very abrasive hard timbers here, so some of our woodworking issues are not shared by everyone.
http://www.hntgordon.com.au/prodcatsmoother.htm
I spent an our or two with Terry Gordon in his workshop, I have family in the same town he operates from. I didn’t buy anything, and I didn’t own any of his tools yet – he didn’t mind at all and let me try everything and gave me a tour.
All the best David, I look forward to reading more of your stories and advise.
Cheers
Naman
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