Gen. 810 honing guide

WHAT an awesome tool! This honing guide is seriously substantial and huge compared to the newer plastic 809, one of which I cracked when clamping a blade in it to be tight enough (I fixed it with epoxy and a small wood screw). The 810 I got is the real long one, where the threaded post is clamped from the back and not the top of it, and the steel body has a "crook-down" toward where the blade is clamped, another design of metal

810 has a "straight-er" body, and I think it is shorter.

BTW if anyone has had a problem of the blade skewing on it's own, just make sure it is clamped so that the side of the blade is against the in-side of the slot's wall, left or right, maybe stick a hardwood shim in there on the other side of the blade, and go gentler so the stone does the work.

I think it would be better for companies, that once they have a well made tool designed and in production, don't cease it and flip crap at the public for the sake of economy, just raise the damn price and keep it going. The plastic 809 sells for $26.xx in stores, no doubt the same the older 810 sold for, but if the older 810 is worth at least $44.95 these days as new, I would still buy it.

Reply to
AAvK
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Some folks do exactly that:

Barry

Reply to
Ba r r y

I havn't bought either of those yet but I don't think I need to, for my skills. I would like to have the Veritas though... and I also think your point doesn't exactly match up to mine. Those products are new design and production, the General 810 goes way back through several design changes over many years. In my post I am referring mostly to tool production in the US and it's concerns with economy, it's just a "sad route" to take. The Stanley Co. is no doubt one of the worst (best) examples of this, they could still be making 750 and 720 chisels in high alloy HCS at RC 60 and selling them for what they are worth, $30 to $40 each.

Reply to
AAvK

Understood! But "we" don't really want those in the mass-market any more.

Remember where the tools you're talking about are sold. Hardware store Harry, Wal-Mart, or your typical home center aren't going to bother to even stock a $40 chisel or $50 honing guide. If this wasn't true, your local Ace or Home Depot's hand tool aisle would look a lot more like Woodcraft's than what we see now. It's not like they _can't_ get good stuff. Your typical Woodcraft style store would be in every town, if that's what the purchasing public demanded.

The typical crappy Stanley or Buck Brothers, as well as the half-way decent Marples Blue Chips are fine for what the average shopper needs. The market has told this to the retailers.

Good hand tools have become a niche. If Lee Valley and Garrett Wade were cleaning the mass-market's clock, I have no doubt that Stanley, Irwin, or General _would_ sell the better stuff, or else the BORGs would be beating a path to Rob Lee's office to make wholesale agreements. That's what successful business do, sell what folks want to buy.

Barry

Reply to
Ba r r y

Who's the "we"? I sure do.

It's sad, people flock to the borgs, and some nice hardware stores have gone out of bidness because of it... there is plenty here though, but nothing like a Woodcraft. But as far as production of more costly things like I am yakkin about, there are still the woodworking businesses online and specialist stores that will stock desireable items, such as Rockler and Woodcraft and single store front retailers. General and Stanley could do it no problem, as much as Lie-Nielson is distributing their tools.

Yeah and retailers have the same economical ideas, why pay too much for something that most likely will not sell fast enough.

Seems they almost couldn't care less, nor do they pay attention.

Reply to
AAvK

So do I. I've got a nice selection of antique, along with Veritas, LN, and other excellent modern tools.

"We" is the general public. You and I, along with many here on the 'wreck, are "weird". If we weren't, the Woodcraft stores of the world wouldn't be able to get the stuff fast enough!

I'm not trying to troll you or break your stones. The big stores actually ARE paying attention. Lowes actually gives a whole bunch of slack to the local manager as to stock what sells locally. If a local manager thought a Two Cherries chisel set or Lie Nielsen (or Knight!) planes would sell, he can carry them!

If there was a large mass-market for really good tools, they'd be in the BORGs. Good tools ARE available, the size of the market limits them to specialty retailers.

Hardware is the same game. I get really good hardware (quality screws, hinges, knobs, etc...) and locksets locally from, get this, my favorite PAINT store. If they don't have it, I get it from mail order sources, like Lee Valley, McFeeleys, etc... According to the paint store owner, I and several others order enough of this stuff to actually make it worthwhile for him to carry, but not much more.

Barry

Reply to
Ba r r y

Yeah... I think, with the way you've gone with that last set of text, you've forgotten my point. It's the second paragraph set, my answer there. Because of all the "other" kinds of business possibilities that exist now, what I am yakking about wouldn't be a problem, anyone knows it. LN is a smaller producer but they are distributing everywhere they possibly can. It's a good example. That means both General and Stanley could do the same with their older and far better designs. There is no reason to fight to justify anything else.

Reply to
AAvK

Sorry, I didn't mean to come across as fighting.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

Did I say that you did?

Reply to
AAvK

I wasn't sure, and on occasion my methods of making a point have been taken that way. It's all good!

Reply to
B a r r y

I trust that in some context, that makes sense!

Yes, it is. They are distributing everywhere they possibly can, and that is VERY limited distribution compared to mass-market products. Heck, they aren't even in all the specialty woodworking stores (e.g., Rockler, Lee Valley), much less in high-volume outlets like the borgs, Ace, True Value, Amazon, etc.

Sure they could, but why would they want to? If they can, through their current distribution channels, sell a million of an item with a $1 margin, why would they want to divert effort to a different distribution channel to sell 1,000 items, even with a $5 margin? If I were running general or stanley, I also would stick to my knitting and let LN and LV have that market. I'm just glad there are specialty manufacturers and specialty retailers that recognize the potential in this small market and serve it.

Reply to
alexy

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