Forgotten or abandoned Hand Tool Greats

How about coping saws…

-- Rob, Kalamazoo, MI

actuallly coping saws are still being produced. Now the bit brace on the other hand …

I mean a good working coping saw lol…

-- Rob, Kalamazoo, MI

Hi Rob
Just for the sake of discussion, I had something like this in mind when I said they were stilll being made.
Then if you want something that will put a vintage coping saw to shame, there’s always this.

How about holdfasts? I’ve heard that 99% of holdfasts are junk, and even gramercy holdfasts are only just passable. Quite a few folks say you need to find a blacksmith to get a decent one made. I’m all ears if anyone knows of a commercially available holdfast that you’d recommend for under $100. The Veritas ones with the screw tops don’t count nor do other screw based variants, I mean a proper holdfast that you whack with a hammer to tighten.

-- “Congratulations. You’ve just figured out the most complicated way to hold a board 30 inches off the floor." Tage Frid

I would have to say I really want some new auger bits at a fair price, also decent miter boxes , and moulding planes!, ones that don’t cost 150$ a piece.

Wally331, I was thinking the other day that it would be neat if someone brought back “Whitehouse’s Patented Unbreakable Bits” that are described in Work magazine No.39.
http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/471/title/Issue%20No.%2039%20-%20Published%20December%2014,%201889

I’ve never used them before so have no idea if they are actually any good but they are unique and no one has made anything like it since.

I have seen the knew comcepts saw… Very nice, and very expensive..

-- Rob, Kalamazoo, MI

@Nicholas Hall- I know of a guy that is making holdfasts for $25 per pair. They probably aren’t the prettiest you’ll find, but everyone that has them loves them.

-- Dave, Colonie, NY

I’m in for the holdfast as a forgotten and necessary tool. I made two sets of three for myself and my brother in law. I think they work great but I’ve never tried what is considered “a really good one.” After some use and watching a couple being used by Roy Underhill and his guest, I made a few modifications and they work even better with less chance of marring the wood.
I know holdfasts are adaptable enough they are also used in anvils for smithing. I made a quick one a few months back and it makes quick work of being a third hand on hot metal. Just my two cents.

-- "Man's ingenuity has outrun his intelligence" (Joseph Wood Krutch)

$25 each, I have a pair and love them.

http://www.amazon.com/REACH-BENCH-HOLD-DOWN-CLAMP-JORGENSEN/dp/B000KUZM0S

-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive

2nd the auger bits. Really with our modern manufacturing ability and materials available, how do they not make the most awesome tools of all time? Sometimes I buy something cheap on the premise of ‘how could they screw this up?’ And yet they do. I have one new auger bit, it looks good, feels sharp, but sucks compared to my old vintage Irwins. Or coping saws? I bought a cheap one thinking it’s just a blade under tension but I hate using the thing.

-- -- Rick M.

3rd on Auger bits. Auger bits, that fit a traditional brace… not the hex ended auger bits that fit in modern drills.

-- Mos - Twin Cities, MN -- Stanley #45 Evangelist - www.youtube.com/MosquitoMods

Nicholas Hall, how about these holdfasts?

I think David Craig also posted a good one!

-- "I never met a board I didn't like!"

Here is the review that Hans is referring to. Gramercy makes holdfasts that are not cast iron. They came up with an ingenious substitute utilizing a heavy wire so the fasts can be mass produced at an affordable price.

-- There is little that is simple when it comes to making a simple box.