My first Lie Nielsen Hand Tool Event-

what can I say?

in one word-

fabulous.

If you’ve never been then you should really try to make it out to one- it was a great two days.

I did manage to confuse the second day start time so if you came out to say hello on Saturday morning then I apologize for missing you; I didn’t get there until the afternoon.

So here we are, at Exotic Woods in deepest, darkest Burlington, Ontario-

(and don’t let the name fool you- they have lots of domestic wood as well)

As it turned out, this was a fantastic location with enough wood products, all laid out for easy access, to feed the imagination of a thousand wood working projects with a family-friendly staff that made us all feel as if we were guests in their own homes.

Thanks again guys- I shall return!

Add to that about one of everything from the Lie Nielsen Tool works catalog and I still haven’t even mentioned the company of incredibly calm, cool and collected,  ‘Lie-Nielsen-Ladies’

(and you know who you are!)

A great combination and demonstration of hand tool technique and knowledge they were professional from the starting gate…thanks again girls-

Finally, add to the mix- a small Volkswagen full of Canadian artisans…

Now we’ve got ‘an event’ !

Here I am, sandwiched between four of the finest people you’d ever wanna meet who just so happen to make some of the nicest hand tools you’d ever wanna use !

(  DANGER-DANGER…)

Seriously, Lie Nielsen Tool works aside

(and you know how much I like the Tool works merchandise)

my neighbors this weekend represented some of the most incredible hand tool makers anywhere.

Sorry for the out of focus pics that follow…either my hands were shaking from all of the incredible hand tools or

my camera was on the wrong setting!

Let me set the stage and introduce first on my left- Ed Paik.

Saw-maker extraordinaire and proud daddy of Medallion Toolworks in Oakville, Ontario.

Ed is one of the nicest people you’ll ever talk dirty-dish water safety with.

Lets face it- a saw maker that takes the dimensions and individual specs of each  clients hand before he sculpts a perfectly matched saw handle for is pretty flippin’ serious about the craft!

From the smallest dovetails to the largest panel saws, Medallion Toolworks is really worth a visit.

Next to Ed came Dan and Kyle Barret of DL Barrett & Sons.

A father/son duo hailing all the way from Barrie, Ontario. They kept me smiling all afternoon. Between the banter and wise cracks alone they made the day sail away but the fact that they were standing behind half a dozen or so examples of some of the nicest wooden planes you’re likely to find anywhere was a real bonus indeed.

Bridle plough planes hand crafted from European beech wood with bronze and ebony accents. Fence moldings and polished details not often seen anymore except in this kind of top-notch execution. Dan had a few new products also being developed  but you’ll have to wait for those to unfold- ; )

And  finally on my right Konrad Sauer of Sauer & Steiner Tool works.

A wealth of wood working knowledge and again the fourth in this line of tool makers all an hour or so driving distance from one another here in Southern Ontario. Maybe there is something in the water ?

Konrad came ‘armed to the teeth’ with his incredible line of infill planes and over the course of the event I was able to try them all.

Bench planes and smoothers, even a large panel plane to test drive. These hand planes are hard to put into words- from the heft and stability flawlessly engaged to precision detail and almost unimaginable materials.

I tried to describe this to a few friends but its hard to nail down…I’ve read a few ‘reviews’ from some of the more popular-wood working mags out there but they never did give these tools any justice in description.

The craft work alone put into these planes is incredible to behold and undoubtedly made by hand- (if you’ll excuse the pun.)

Perfectly imperfect- an amazing sense of custom work unlike anything I’ve ever had the privilege to try.

It was a real pleasure to see my friend Dan Barrett again and an absolute joy to meet and make some new friends as well.

So next time you hear about a Lie Nielsen hand tool event in your area be sure to get out and experience not only the impeccable crafts in the hand tools on display but some of the artisans behind them-

‘Vive le Revolution!’