Lost Art Press

Author: Lost Art Press

Publisher of woodworking books and videos specializing in hand tool techniques.

Chore Coats Back in Stock

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We have just receive a 500-pound package of Lost Art Press Chore Coats in all sizes. These coats are made in Cincinnati by a small firm called Sew Valley. With this year’s batch we are using a slightly new cotton fabric from Britain. It’s a little smoother that last year’s twill.

Black chore coats are the uniform of furniture makers, joiners and carpenters in France. And I absolutely adore mine. I can wear it in the shop, dust it off and go to dinner with Lucy with no problem. The price – $165 – is a fantastic deal for a jacket that is made here in the United States by well-compensated employees.

A note on sizing: I usually recommend people order one size up from normal if they are going to have more than a T-shirt on under the coat. I usually wear a large (tall) shirt or jacket. With our chore coat I prefer an XL (shown above). I’m not swimming too much in it, and I can wear a shirt and vest under it with no problem. Complete sizing details are available in our store.

— Christopher Schwarz

Now Shipping: Crucible Planing Stop

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At long last, we are selling and shipping our new Crucible Planing Stop. The price is $49 plus shipping (if you order the planing stop by itself, shipping should be $7 and change).

These stops are easy to install (see the movie here), look traditional and are less expensive than black-smith-made planing stops.

We plan to offer these to our retailers worldwide, but I’m not sure if all of them will carry it – it’s their call.

— Christopher Schwarz

5 Years of Crucible Tool

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Crucible Tool has been in business for five years now. To mark the occasion, I wrote a long post about the journey and realized it was a flaming barge of beaver diarrhea. So I deleted it.

Instead, to mark the occasion, we will make a few special tools this year, mostly for our own delight and to experiment with new processes. The first tool is a straight-up collaboration with engraver Jenny Bower. She’s engraving a handful of our Lump Hammers with our logo and some beautiful scrollwork. 

They’ll be for sale in early 2022. The price will be $350, which basically covers the costs of making these special tools and no more. If no one buys them, and we end up with a bunch of beautiful hammers here for students, I’ll be just as pleased if they sell out.

We have two other anniversary tools in the works. Details on those in the coming weeks.

Thanks to all of you who have bought and used our tools during the last five years. Toolmaking is a rewarding part of my daily work, and I have a long list of things we are going to make in the next five years. (No, Gary, you can’t see the list.)

— Christopher Schwarz

Planing Stops for Sale on Monday

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The Crucible Planing Stops will go up for sale on Monday in our store. The stops will be $49 plus shipping (I’m afraid they are unlikely to arrive at your address before Christmas).

These planing stops represent two years of work and almost a $50,000 investment in patterns, matchplates and ductile iron. This is our biggest-ever tool run, and we are holding our breath a little bit about how they will fare in the marketplace.

The idea for these cast-iron stops came to me while writing “The Anarchist’s Workbench.” We have had great success with our ductile iron holdfasts, and it occurred to me: why not make  planing stops out of ductile?

These stops are less expensive than a blacksmith-made stop, and they are quite easy to install. I’ve made a short video that shows the process here:

The stop is based on the planing stops shown in A.J. Roubo’s masterwork, with some minor tweaks. The stop’s teeth sweep slightly upward, instead of being parallel to the benchtop. This makes it much less likely that a handplane will collide with the stop. 

Also, the teeth come sharp – but not too sharp. Beginners can get used to using the stop. Then, when they are comfortable, they can grind or file the teeth so they are needle-sharp, which is how I like mine.

Once we get our first volley of planing stops out the door, we will offer these to our retailers around the world. It is my dearest hope that somehow, someday, one of these stops makes it onto a Roubo-style workbench in Paris – completing a 240-year cycle.

— Christopher Schwarz

Crucible Sliding Bevels for Sale

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We have the first of many batches of Crucible Sliding Bevels up for sale in our store today. These are packed and ready for immediate shipment. They are made entirely in the USA. The price is $200.

If this batch sells out, don’t worry. We have many more on the way. The mill is running nonstop.

— Christopher Schwarz