I am trying to establish tool collection. I wanted to ask the group a question reference the quality of the leather working tools. What makes companies Vergez Blanchard, Barry King and Osborne the standard for leather working tools. Is it the steel? Is it the finish which keeps the steel sharper longer? I sort of rate this like comparing auto tools. I do not see the difference between Mac Tools and Craftsman. Craftsman is much less expensive and still has a lifetime warranty and still produces the same result. Do not get me wrong. I COMPLETELY under stand the theory of buy once, pay once. I really enjoy working with good, quality tools. I ,however, am interested in more experienced leather workers opinion as to their experience with the tools. Are these manufacturers really producing tools that are that much better than say Craft Tools? Or should I just get really good at sharpening since I would be doing it alot more often with the less expensive product line?
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Thank you all for the comments. I always like to have great options and a variety of means to reach a common goal. Your advice has given me a great way to do my due diligence and perform the research in order to find the best tool for the job. Thanks again.
I would 100% not recommend getting Blanchard tools or Osbournes or the like.
Do not get me wrong, my favorite skiving knife is the HSS Angled from Blanchard, but the first time you get it, it takes 2 to 3 hours to get it to proper mirror polished sharpness.
The main idea is that, like mentioned above, the old school brands are living off of their former glories.
The Far East offers lots of different choices both in quality and in price. You have brands like Doldokki that create tools that are more akin to Art pieces than actual tools (but do not get fooled, they are extremly ergonomic and proficient):
And then you have brands like Colombo (the main supplier for a lot lot lot of other brands such as JunLin) that produce the right tool for the right job without the extra pazzazz.
So, unless you get the "Famous" brands tools because you love the heritage aspect of it, in my opinion, they are not worth it.
Also if you are interested in peoples opinions about the brands you mentioned this was a post from last month that would help 😊
All the best
Dan
Hey Frank, sit down and get a coffee you have opened a can of worms.
I the same as you believe in buying quality tools and am lucky enough to own tools from makers like KS blade, Palo Santos and MCN mauls ... believe me the list goes on. I honestly have found that the higher end tools dont really do anything a more affordable tool wouldnt do.
For example believe it or not I actually use my Abbey England pricking irons over my KS blades. Abbey's are a 2, 5, and 10 pronged iron for £40 and the KS are currently £180 for a 2 and 10 pronged. In my opinion the abbey's are sharper and easier to remove from the leather. So more money doesnt always mean better performance however people rave about KS blade (I'm not hating on KS just using as an example).
It's also worth mentioning that a lot of brands like Wuta dont make their own tools they just have preexisting patterns branded with their logo. This basically means there is a a huge variation in price for the exact same tool. Below are two links one is a Wuta edge crease and the next is the unbranded version of the exact same tool. The wuta is double the price and I assure you this is the exact same tool as I ordered both to test 😅. This is the same for a lot of tools so if you shop smart you can get good tools for good prices.
Lastly I would like to point you in the direction of this company below. They make very good tools and are priced fairly in my opinion but as always read the reviews and make up your own mind 😄.
The very best of luck building your collection. I could suggest that it can become an addiction akin to drugs and regrettably, there is no suitable substitute. You have been warned. One opinion is that "you get what you pay for" and generally that rings true. There are a number of excellent compromises from the Far East including a few hand made by tool makers. Some may even offer tools with different steel grades depending on your budget.
The Blanchards and Regads of this world, in my own opinion, seem to trade on reputation. That's not to say you cant get something nice - I've only just this week received a number of items from them and admittedly some were just for the love of the name. But do your comparisons. Tandy/Crafttool have recently gotten very sexy with their ranges and prices aren't half bad plus availability is second to none. I've purchased a lot of second hand tools from eBay and classifieds - most are superb. There is a reason they're that old and still in use. Good sharpening technique, proper storage and use for purpose I recon will see them last beyond your lifetime.
In short, if I had to start again, I'd probably get Wuta, JunLin, Dixon and save my money for materials like excellent leather and good thread. My missus has no idea what I've spent on tools. I do. And I'm bringing that number to the grave.