Indeed a great tool

Thanks for the review. I have been considering getting one of these since I like to frame pictures. This has been a helpful review.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I’ve had an original Lion brand miter trimmer for quite a few years. In recent years I’ve been cutting miters on a fixed angle sled on my tablesaw with a fine cutting blade and have been satisfied with that approach.
I’ve kind of abandoned the idea of using miters, though. When I must, I usually spline them. Even on picture frames I use a variety of other joints.
Nevertheless, The miter trimmer is a tool that will take a slice off the end of a miter so cleanly that using sandpaper on the cut would make it worse.
No, I won’t sell it. (;-])

d.

-- If a man says something in the forest and there's no woman to hear it, is he still wrong?

I bought one of these through Rockler a few years ago and have used it to final trim frames for not only pictures but also small cabinet doors. It works well. Weighs a ton which I’m sure helps keep it giving smooth accurate cuts. I also bought the extensions and find they help steady long pieces. I’ve mounted mine on formica type sheet stock that I can clamp to the table when needed. It hangs on the wall until then! Great tool.
The grease is cosmoline just like what they shipped M-1 carbines etc. in. They use that because it is cast iron and it would be a rusty mess after crossing the pacific!

-- jack -- measure once, curse twice!

Its sad but true, the original Pootatuck Corp. Lion Miter Trimmer, made in the USA, is no longer available. You can find it on the internet, they haven’t taken down their web site, but following the links to dealers you find that none of them have the tool.
Mine is the original and I think its a marvel. After all these years the massive knife is sharper than a razor blade.

d

-- If a man says something in the forest and there's no woman to hear it, is he still wrong?

How big a board can you trim with one of these?

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

We use on at the shop when doing moldings on doors and panels. It does make precise cuts.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

Topamax,
The trimmer is mainly for moldings. I would try to trim a 2×4 in it!

d

-- If a man says something in the forest and there's no woman to hear it, is he still wrong?

I thought it would be a molding trimmer, but the board in the picture looks almost like a 2×4! :-))

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

That picture is misleading in another way, too.
One would never operate it one-handed. The molding MUST be held firmly so the blade doesn’t push or pull it off the cutting line.

d

-- If a man says something in the forest and there's no woman to hear it, is he still wrong?

i to have had one for years.where would you go to have the knives resharpened?

I would try a real sharpening service. One that does scissors especially. I believe the edge is similar. When I was a kid in New Bedford, MA, there used to be an old Italian guy that used to come around with a wagon that had sharpening wheels. Every town had a guy like this. This is all the men did. They would charge a 10 to 50 cents to sharpen anything with an edge and you really got your money’s worth! Years later I was told that these old Italian guys were retired Mafioso and, they were the only ones allowed to have this business… go figure. Sharpen this!

-- jack -- measure once, curse twice!

I’ve owned my Pootatuck Lion brand trimmer for about 20 years.
It’s almost as sharp now as it was when new.
It still shaves paper thin end grain pieces.
If I did want it sharpened I’d look for a service company that sharpens industrial shears.

-- If a man says something in the forest and there's no woman to hear it, is he still wrong?