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Andrew Lunn, who made the finest backsaws I’ve ever used, has decided to stop making saws, though he is not hanging up his shop apron entirely.
Lunn made the announcement to his customers today and has offered to transfer all open orders to Ed Paik, an excellent custom sawmaker at Medallion Toolworks.
That’s the news. The rest that follows is going to be heavily flavored by my opinion. So if you are a grumpy individual who thought Andrew charged too much for his saws, I suggest that you turn to this heartwarming story about a crow that became a mother to a stray kitten and fed it worms. Maybe that will soothe you.
I own two of Lunn’s saws that he made before he became a full-time sawmaker. I paid full retail for them (his prices have gone up since then, I know). I bought them with my own money. I also had a tenon saw on order with him. I think Andrew’s saws are worth every penny he was asking for them. If you disagree and want to sell me one of your saws from Andrew, drop me a line.
In 2009 I wrote an article about Andrew Lunn and his one-man enterprise, Eccentric Toolworks, for the Fine Tool Journal. You can read my unedited manuscript of that article by clicking here.
Since I first met Andrew at the first Woodworking in America conference, we’ve become friends, so I can’t really write about him in a dispassionate way any more. In fact writing about him is difficult because any time his name comes up, there are a number of people who will take shots at the guy. This is a weird thing because Andrew is the opposite of a firebrand. He’s quiet, thoughtful, and reserved to the point of seeming shy.
I plan to interview Andrew this week and do a follow-up on why he’s leaving sawmaking and what he has planned next. I suspect we’ll see some tools or hardware or perhaps even a book (he started his career as a writer and editor).
I’ll also be writing about Ed Paik at Medallion. I have an interview with him in the can for a future article to sort through and think he’s a worthy successor if you are looking for a custom saw.
In any case, look back here later this week. Or, if you are a quart high on bile, watch this video instead.
— Christopher Schwarz
