Shopping for hand tools in Sheffield

[csrang]

Hi,

first of all, I hope this general question does not violate the forum rules regarding advertising etc.

My question is: is Sheffield a good place to shop for hand tools (being the centre of the British tool industry etc.), particularly used ones (im looking for users, not collectibles)? If so, is there any particular shop, flea market or something where one should go?

The point is that a friend of mine is going there on business (I'm from Germany), and he offered to snoop around for me. I'd be interested in old spokeshaves, hand saws, and planes, mostly.

Thanks and best regards,

Christoph

 

[Scrit]

Hi Cristoph and welcome!

I suspect that the centre of the "British" tool industry is somewhere in China these days........ Seriously, though, I've never actually found a decent tool shop in Sheffield, despite the presence (still) of some manufacturers there. I found much the same in Wuppertal, Remscheid and Solingen when I worked in Germany many years back, but then for us it was a case of "why buy at shop prices when you can get staff discount?". Hopefully someone will prove me wrong on this one, but the nearest old tools place is probably Ray Iles out in Lincolnshire.

Scrit

 

[csrang]

Scrit,

I sort of anticipated this kind of answer. Recently, I had the same experience in Solingen and Remscheid. Hmpf.

Thanks for your input,

Christoph

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Christoph

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers
Neil

 

[David_Nicolaou]

Hi Christoph

I live in sheffield and to be honest, never found a source for second hand tools.

They were only made here - the best source of old tools I have found so far is ebay - and then its buyer beware.

There was a lot of steelworking going on here, not much cabinet making and carpentry.

I did come across a hoard of tools from a retired cabinetmaker in bradford some years ago but nothing since.

Sorry to get your hopes up.

Now new tools are still made here - clifton are based in sheffield (but I understand the tools are cast in birmingham some distance south) and henry taylor and footprint (i think) are still around, oh and tyzak still make here at the top of west bar (an area of sheffield town centre).

However they are strangely unwelcoming to visitors popping down for a 'discount' from the factory.

Hope your friend has a safe journey.

David

 

[csrang]

Hi David,

I already got some tools at ebay UK which I liked, but shipping is a problem sometimes. So I thought picking them up right were they come from would be an idea :?

Anyway, thanks for the info. As I said, it seems to be the same over here. There aren't too many tool stores in Remscheid or Solingen, too.

Christoph

 

[Scrit]

Cristoph

I set to thinking about this. The only old tool place within striking distance of Sheffield (at least by car) I could think of was:

Old Tool Shop
3 Highfield Road
Doncaster
DN1 2LA

Tel: (01302) 538904

probably a 45 minute drive from Sheffield. I had a think about the new tool suppliers in the general area I know of, Rutlands in Bakewell, who I think sprang from Tabwell Tools (although that may just be coincidence), however they are strictly mail-order only but at least there's still:

Craft Supplies Ltd
Newburgh Works
Netherside
Bradwell
Derbyshire
S33 9NT

Tel: (01433) 622 550

which again is not really Sheffield but is reachable by car in about 45 minutes. These may not be all that useful, though, because they aren't in the city itself.....

Scrit

 

[David_Nicolaou]

Well scrit - I actually live in Doncaster near the airport and I must have driven down highfield road a ton of times and never noticed that shop.

I will pay them a visit.

Might go on the mountain bike since it is a nice day.

Out of interest, I once pitched to do clico's website for them when I was a programmer, about 5 years ago and the guy who owned the business seemed to have complete disinterest for the hand tool side of the business. He was concerned that somebody with a 'bluebeard' would be emailing him at 4am complaining about the colour of the bubinga handles on his handplane. Odd fella - he was more into the industrial tooling side - which in fairness is where the money probably is.

I was invited to talk to them and the reception was frosty so god knows what it would have been like if i turned up unannounced looking for a factory discount.

I still can't find their website - musn't have bothered in the end.

Where in the pennines are you exactly - well roughly - not exactly.

David

 

[Scrit]

Well Scrit - I actually live in Doncaster near the airport and I must have driven down Highfield Road a ton of times and never noticed that shop.

I've bought from them a couple of times - they certainly used to buy and sell some stuff on eBay - but I've never actually been to the shop. The impression I get is that it isn't necessarily a full-time business for them (a bit like Cav Shaw's shop in Derby used to be if any of you can remember that?)

... I once pitched to do Clico's website for them when I was a programmer, about 5 years ago and the guy who owned the business seemed to have complete disinterest for the hand tool side of the business.

I've bought specialised HSS spiral tooling off them for CNC machining in the past and the level of (accurate) technical knowledge was very reassuring. In the case of the tooling they do sell direct to end customers, mainly because they are selling in tens or twenties and it's repeat business, I reckon they regard the hand tools as being a retail product and that it's the retailers who should be fielding all the queries. It's just a pity that they seem to hide their light under a bushel so!

Scrit

 

[David_Nicolaou]

It is a damn shame really.

Its funny but the website to me is the window into the shop.

I love lie-nielsens site and the level of contact you can get. I went to the states on holiday in 2004 and were in boston. We hired a car and drove all the way up to thier factory to buy a 5 1/2 and a set of chisels.

All because the web welcome was very warm - wierd if you think about it.

Dave

 

[Scrit]

Yes, but from Clico's point of view I believe their main thrust is industrial tooling and that is mainly sold face to face by a sales rep. What clinches the deal is often not quality of cut, price or delivery time (almost all of which are negotiables) but how well you get on with the rep. In the tooling market web sites still don't figure highly in the industrial market other than as an introduction to a company's products or services partly because a lot of tooling tends to be so specialised. As a case in point note the difference in opinions about Titman in Clacton expressed here and elsewhere - if you are a trade customer there are generally few complaints about them or their product and they seem ever willing to help solve technical problems with their product (as are Clico in my experience) whilst many non-trades customers have a lot of problems with their Titman's approach...... it's simply not 'retail-centric'. I think for any company trying to encompass two different selling philosophies (trade/wholesale vs. retail) can be potentially disasterous and as Clifton planes are probably exported more than they are sold in the UK it's hardly surprising to me that they don't really have a handle on how to encourage consumer sales here - although a web site would be a start :lol: Maybe we should start a campaign?

Scrit

 

[Rknott2007]

Hi i dont know of any in sheffield, but my nan lives near bakewell which is about 30 mins from sheffield there is a lovely tool shop which used to be called tadworth tools, but i am unsure what they trade under now, all the tools are accesible and they have a good selection of hand and power tools.

hope this is of some use.

Rob Knott

 

[Scrit]

Hi I dont know of any in sheffield, but my nan lives near Bakewell which is about 30 mins from Sheffield there is a lovely tool shop which used to be called Tadworth Tools, but i am unsure what they trade under now, all the tools are accesible and they have a good selection of hand and power tools.

That must be

Uppertown Tools Ltd
Bridge Street
Bakewell
Derbyshire
DE45 1DS

Tel: 01629 813885

who appear to be in one of the shops formerly occupied by Tabwell (not Tadworth) Tools. I thought that the shops had all shut when they "reorganised" a few years back...... Tabwell Tools used to have another shop up at the top of Buxton Road opposite that really good deli/bakery place (assuming it's still there). Do they offer the same stuff as Rutlands?

Scrit

 

[Paul Chapman]

Maybe we should start a campaign?

Good idea :wink: I think your analysis is spot on as usual, Scrit. My observations suggest that there are people within Clico who know exactly what the woodworking customers want and how to respond to the demand but others, who take the decisions, unfortunately do not.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Scrit

Uppertown Tools Ltd...... Tabwell Tools used to have another shop up at the top of Buxton Road opposite that really good deli/bakery place (assuming it's still there). Do they offer the same stuff as Rutlands?

I visit Uppertown about twice a year on our trips into Derbyshire. It is well worth a visit, but don't bother looking for any bargains. Personally, I prefer to go to Craft Supplies which is only about five miles away from Bakewell.

Uppertown still have the separate homeware shop but, whatever you do, don't mention Rutlands to the American owner.

Cheers
Neil

 

[David_Nicolaou]

I think you are spot on scrit. The planes are excellent - and there is real passion for the product - just not the customer.

We can have this conversation probably safe in the knowledge that the managment would not be meandering round this interweb thingy that every one seems to be talking about.

Tabwell tools has to be the most expensive shop I have been in.

Anyone more expensive?

David

 

[Amateurrestorer]

David and Scrit, unfortunately the old tool shop in Highfield Road Doncaster closed recently after over 20 years in business,a real shame as I used to make a pilgrimage there every Saturday for about 5 years. They had some great stuff in and it was the ideal place for a collector.They are still selling stuff on the internet ( search for the old tool shop on google) but its not the same as actually rummaging through the old gear.

 

[Scrit]

B*mm*r! Another one to strike from the list! Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up

Scrit