Ken Hawley and Sheffield - three videos to enjoy

[AndyT]

Apologies if this is old news, but I'd not seen these videos before. (They were mentioned recently on an Aussie forum.)

Ken Hawley worked in Sheffield all his life, and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of tools and tool making. He started collecting tools back in 1950, just at the right time to be able to catch all sorts of "old fashioned" things that were being chucked out - such as Marples' entire wooden plane making department! His personal collection grew to a great size, and is now looked after by the Ken Hawley Foundation. Some of it is on display at Kelham Island Museum in Sheffield.

These videos include some fascinating reminiscences of the time when Sheffield made tools for the rest of the world, a huge collection of saws, and how to identify a rubber-tapping knife!

I've still not been to Kelham Island, but I want to go even more, now that I have seen some glimpses of what is there in the collection. So if you have not been either, sit back and watch these and plan your visit now.

Start with this video for a general introduction to Ken and the collection:

http://youtu.be/ijCEeRIdQSo

and also look at these two (which overlap a bit)

http://youtu.be/u8e2_y9g9D4

http://youtu.be/Ii-ix0wWoME

I should also mention that Ken Hawley was a founder member of TATHS in 1983 and is the current President of the society.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

When I was into electronics as a lad I used to buy drills for PCB making from Ken Hawley.

There's also a video of some other other highliights of the Kelham island museum here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqp13UdxVWU

Look out for the 12000 horsepower "River Don" engine, it still runs on the hour and shakes the building. The speed with which so much metal is accelerated is remarkable.

 

[tobytools]

Thanks for that Andy,
I managed to watch one while I'm at work off the IPhone
The first video he hold a unusual tool that he isn't sure what it's for (cranked file)
If I ha to guess if day a float, plane makers tool maby craftsman made. what do you reckon?

TT

 

[AndyT]

Thanks for that Andy,
I managed to watch one while I'm at work off the IPhone
The first video he hold a unusual tool that he isn't sure what it's for (cranked file)
If I ha to guess if day a float, plane makers tool maby craftsman made. what do you reckon?

TT

I think he would have been looking for a rather more detailed answer than that - describing its exact use, with the reason why it needed to be oval in cross section and also cranked. We can safely assume he knows what a float is!

 

[wallace]

Thanks Andy I enjoyed that

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Yes indeed - thanks Andy. Fascinating stuff.

 

[adrspach]

You should come to one of the THATS meetings. You can get your answers from him direct.

 

[Escudo]

Thanks for posting this information. Maximum respect for an old fella like Ken.

 

[Harbo]

Really interesting - must pay the museum a visit.

Thanks for posting

Rod