We have three new items in stock here in Covington that are ready to ship.
First up is a brass Warrington-pattern hammer. This tool was at the request of readers and the machinists at Machine Time (which makes our hammer heads). The brass is hard enough for the light duty of a small hammer – and it won’t corrode.
I do not know if we will make this a regular stock item – it depends on how it sells.
Also new are the Crucible Engraving Tools. This small knife handle and cutters allow you to engrave straight lines and arcs (with the help of a compass) on hardwoods and softwoods. This tool was developed during the writing of “The American Peasant,” my next book. The tool is used to do work such as this:
And the tool itself looks like this:
The tool with two cutters is $27. It includes instructions for sharpening and use.
Finally, we have a new batch of all-cotton, US-made T-shirts. The shirts are made in Tennessee and printed in Covington. They are soft, true-to-size and printed with our logo in white. Sizes Small to XXXL are available.
Oh, and we are closing out the last of our grey T-shirts. They are on deep discount and can be found here.
— Christopher Schwarz
I find it … interesting that I would rather buy more books than pay for shipping a t-shirt.
So, I have the steel version. Aside, from the “oh my god, I gotta have one in brass”, do I really need it? Would I be falling into the tool buying vortex that you have discussed many times? I can hear the wife now, “Why do you have two of the same hammer?” Me – “Sweetie, the brass (pretty) one is for you….” oh, decisions, decisions. And, the shirts on on sale…..arrrgh 🙂
If you have a steel one, there is no need to own a brass one!
If I own neither version, is there a reason to have the brass over the steel?
And Bbox (above comment), I’ve got two of the lump hammers. They’re awesome. Both of them have their uses. Sure, the uses are identical, but having two is real nice when you set one down somewhere then need the other somewhere else.
If you live in a humid place, or your shop doesn’t have climate control, the brass won’t corrode.
Cool tool! Will Lee Valley eventually be stocking this, as well as the new Karvsnitt carving book?
Asking from Canada you see.
Many thanks!
Lee Valley carries most of our tools and books, so I hope they will pick up the engraving tools and Karvsnitt. The decision is theirs, not ours, I’m afraid.
Is the brass hammer hard enough to be used to drive brads and small nails? Or intended only for plane setting types of uses?
It’s fine for brads and pins.
Will the engraver work in a compass with equal legs like Lee Valley’s Large Heavy-Duty Compass or would a compass like Lee Valley’s Bench Compass with an adjustable leg work better? (I already have a fixed leg)
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/marking-and-measuring/compasses-and-trammels/32625-large-heavy-duty-compasses
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/marking-and-measuring/compasses-and-trammels/110169-bench-compass?item=05N2301
Honestly, I wouldn’t buy either. Buy a vintage compass with an adjustable leg that looks more like the Starrett 92. These are plentiful on the used market – I find them for $20 with regularity.
Any thoughts on the C.S. Osborne 104-6 compass (https://www.csosborne.com/no104.htm)? You referenced trying out their 38-C scratch compass in the American Peasant Substack and recommended it. The 104-6 appears to have the same locking mechanisms as the 38-C. I might need to get one to try and report back!
Looks good to me.
I received the 104-6 and can report it locks tight! The hardened screw biting into the swing bar appears key to why these types of compasses hold tight. The finish is not quite at Starrett level imho, mainly due to packaging (in the unexpected box of 6 Amazon shipped to me, the first divider out of it’s wax paper wrapper had some minor surface tarnish; I returned it and the unopened other 4). There appear to be some sellers with more retail friendly packaging (e.g. cardboard with plastic heatshrink wrapper). Overall, a worthy budget friendly option.
Again. I snooze; I lose. I kept putting off the purchase of the gray skep t-shirt… errr…
How about a rotation? Blue LAP t-shirt, sell out, bring back gray skep t-shirt, sell out, rbing back blue…
That brass hammer though…hmmm
Are the brass hammers sold out already?
Yup
Hopefully that means they sold out quickly enough that there’ll be another round made. Would it be possible to update the entry though, or make the store link show sold out instead of page not found? It’s a bit confusing as it is.
I am excited to practice with the engraving tool. The printed insert with drawings is a great place to start with regard to sharpening the tool, but I would love to see a video demonstration, too. Might an engraver sharpening demo be a possible addition for the Sharpen This video?
What size of the Starrett 92 (or facsimile) do you find most useful? 6″, 9″ or something other?
The 6″ sees the most use.