# Lie Nielsen's 2020 (and Covid-19 Era ) Quality Control? FOLLOW-UP



## Lovegasoline (Apr 18, 2018)

Apparently the thread I started regarding the current status of Lie Nielsen Toolworks† was closed by the moderator(s). [Conceivably attributable to the infiltration and sabotage of the thread by political activist(s) some of whom - ironically and erroneously - accused the OP of engaging in the 'politicization' of handtools!!!]

Oh dear.

.

In any case I want to thank ALL members who contributed their replies and feedback and regret I was unable to respond in kind before the weight of metastasized content crushed the thread.

I especially want to thank HokieKen for this:
"Also as an engineer at a US manufacturing company, I can say with absolute certainty that Covid has affected supply chains in terms of price, logistics, availability and quality for both goods and services both in the US and abroad. Questioning how it may affect LN product availability or quality is not a leftist agenda, it's a legitimate question before a big purchase."

For what it's worth, I contacted Lie Nielsen Toolworks yesterday and can share this with you. 
(For those with heavy trigger fingers and axes to grind … please don't shoot the messenger).

If you're interested in buying a saw from Lie Nielsen, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. 
Their production has effectively ceased until some time in the future, date unknown. They are not accepting either new orders, or backorders, for saws. Period. I was informed that two workers produce all their saws and one is out due to a medical condition, so any saw production is for fulfillment of the current backorder queue only. They do not know - thus cannot say - when this situation is expected to change. It also wasn't clear if and when production resumes when the least popular saws would be manufactured.

Last I checked, their website showed only one saw available (of the eight models they produce) but that too may not reflect the current status.

An order was placed today including a bench plane, with no indication during the ordering process that the plane was backordered. Nevertheless they do not have the plane in stock (#4). This wasn't evident on the website. So once again caveat emptor and this includes accurate reflection of current stock or backorder status on their website.

I might suggest that if you're planning on purchasing Lie Nielsen products during the present times, and receipt of your tool(s) within a specific time frame is a factor, you may wish to contact them first to inquire if they can fulfill your order. Alternately, you might have luck checking with their retailers who by chance might have remaining stock on hand, although from my brief look into the matter all the places I checked were also out stock and with no indication when that might change. There's always eBay and as consequence it's not unreasonable to expect current supply & demand to impact pricing there.

Redoak49
"Please let us know when you find the perfect tool company."

Ok, but don't hold your breath. It seems some members' responses were like a Rorschach and focused on personal concerns, rather than the simple direct feedback which I was seeking. That's fine, it's the interwebs of course.

I don't expect perfection where human beings are involved. Period. Mistakes will be made. Human perfectibility is an impossible and seductive dream (a very ancient one) which has never passed reality testing. As such it can quite easily transforms into a poison. Religion is especially vulnerable, but so are multitudes of other areas that human beings inhabit. That's not to say the dream of perfection is worthless - it can count for much and guide our aspirations. But lacking a clear perspective our judgement becomes occluded, promoting the growth of huge shadow sides … one can witness the formation of this shadow side in religious fanatics, political fanatics, and just as easily … in tool fanatics! Fortunately, these types are as easy to identify as they are abundant. (Proviso: I'm in no way, shape, or form implying this of you Redoak49, but rather making a generic point regarding the entire spectrum of humanity and may which may impact us all at one time or another).

To answer your inquiry no, I'm not looking for a perfect tool company. I don't expect perfection. I expect quality and service commensurate to where the product is situated in the market. 
For the price range of LN's products I would expect no less than very high quality in both the tool and in the service. 
For lower class tools I do not hold that expectation. For example I would not have those expectations from a Harbor Freight hand plane or Home Depot hand saw. 
Anything less than my expectations and I'd likely be disappointed. Anything beyond my expectations and I'd likely be very pleasantly surprised.

Best!
Lovegasoline 
.
†https://www.lumberjocks.com/replies/on/12714609


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

If anyone is in the need for a Good Handsaw try Winsor saws . I have one of their Dovetail saws and it cuts very good. It's been a while since I bought it so I cannot promise it will be less then a Lie Neilson.
I'm not surprised Lie Neilson is low on stock lots of new woodworkers.









Here's the hickory step stool I used the winsor saw to cut Dts.
http://www.winsorsaw.com/contact/contact.htm
Good Luck


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

They are "situated in the market" in the middle range. But i have actually gotten excellent products and service and support on my $125 saw, even though it wasn't a high end saw like Bad Axe or Rob Cosman, etc.


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## Clarkhus (Jul 3, 2019)

Well said thank you


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## Lovegasoline (Apr 18, 2018)

> They are "situated in the market" in the middle range.


Agreed.


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## Lovegasoline (Apr 18, 2018)

> Well said thank you
> 
> - Clarkhus


Greetings … my pleasure


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

Truth is no matter what the quality, or expected quality, of a tool is, you won't know until you receive your order if the quality is up to your expectations. 
I believe a company like LN has a perceived quality that you expect and order the product because of that. 
You can read all the reviews you want.


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## Lovegasoline (Apr 18, 2018)

> You can read all the reviews you want.
> 
> - LeeRoyMan


Yes you can!
Ain't that the truth.

And the lion's share of that reading was wholly unrelated to the topic of my thread. 
My eyes have glazed over. 
I find shopping deeply compelling but joyless ... it's too much work!


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## DavePolaschek (Oct 21, 2016)

If you're looking for a new saw, we have a few saw makers hanging out here on LJs. Also Bad Axe sells nice saws and they're still making them in LaCrosse, WI. Finally, I scored a nice dovetail saw on eBay for $10 the other week. Needs a new handle, but that's just wood. The rest of the saw was in great shape. Doesn't even need sharpening.


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

So wild that contacting the manufacturer directly told you a lot more about how to direct your purchasing decision than making an extremely long and peeve filled post here, where you seemed to want to argue with everyone sharing their experience.

Best of luck with your saw purchase, wherever that is. I truly hope it makes you happy and you build some stuff and post it.


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## AMZ (Jan 27, 2020)

Only comment about saws (as well as any edge tool), if you use them, you have to sharpen them. Yes, you can pay someone else to sharpen, but then you have to ship them and wait.


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

> Only comment about saws (as well as any edge tool), if you use them, you have to sharpen them. Yes, you can pay someone else to sharpen, but then you have to ship them and wait.
> 
> - AMZ


I wonder if LN is still offering their saw sharpening service if their saw guy is out sick?


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