For posterity

Still saw sharpening... Somehow the UK Workshop Big Bash next weekend has turned into a Saw Selling Opportunity (subject to Mein Host saying "okay"), and sharp saws are required. At the moment - and I warn you, things will likely change on a daily basis - I reckon I'll take everything including the Disstons and as long as I come back with at least one large-ish back saw and a panel saw I'll be able to cope useage-wise. Short-term anyway. The accumulating monster that lives inside me though, she'll be screaming in agony...

See, I have A Plan. It's my usual one. If I can sell enough refurbished examples of Tool X, then I will have enough for one Modern Fine Toolmaker's example of that genre. Thus, last year I sold a load of saws including all my dovetail saws and blew the lot on the LN dovetail saw. This year; well the plan is partially in motion already on unusual lines, but I always say there's no harm in planning ahead towards the next next item in the road to a collection, is there...?

Why I have this urge to have a cross-section of some of the best user tools currently available is two-fold. In the first place, we're in a Golden Age of hand tool making. Skilled, dedicated and enthusiastic makers are doing their darndest to provide us all with good quality hand tools again. And heck, I wan't to support them as best I can. I daily lament the fact I'm not able to support them to the extent I'd like to, I can tell you, but I do what I can... The second reason is the Toolchest. Yeah, the one on the website I haven't updated yet (although I'm getting a little closer to that now). In that chest, amongst the junk and dross that seems to be essential contents in any chest, there were some of the best examples of tools at the time. There's Stanley's top-of-the-range brace, the #901; Sweetheart era #46; a #40 1/2 scrub, none of your lesser #40s, Disston saws; egg-shaped handled Marples drawknife; #R100 collapsible framing square; ebony stocked squares and bevels; the list goes on. I bless the owner/s who had such foresight in getting the best user tools available at the time and yes, I would like to continue the good work.

Mind you, I also intend to hang on to the good old stuff too. Talking of which, I might have changed my mind about those Disstons again...