Today we inched our way through the process of documenting the tools in the H.O. Studley chest with high-resolution, for-publication photographs. It is grueling work that’s done in the dark, punctuated by blinding flashes and always coated in the fear of dropping one of the tools to the floor below. All told, there are more … Read more
It takes a long time – months, really – to recover your senses after spending time with the tool chest of H.O. Studley. During our first visit with the chest in 2011, we spent about an hour taking random shots of the thing, as if it might just disappear from the wall at any second. … Read more
When I inspect an antique tool – especially one that hasn’t been messed with much – I always take a look at the cutting edge. How was it sharpened? What is the shape of the edge? Did they do any work on the unbeveled face of the blade. Usually, the edges of most vintage tools … Read more
After writing about Deb Chalsty’s amazing workbench (here and here), and noting that the hardware looked like the bench on piano-maker H.O. Studley’s workbench, I got an e-mail from Patrick Leach. You know Patrick. Or maybe your wallet does. He sells Grade A vintage hand tools through his usually hilarious and always snarky monthly newsletter. … Read more
