Blanchard, Dixon Or Barnsley Knives

[UnionCraft]

Does anyone know any in depth info on Blanchard and Dixon round knives? Hale and Co. said Barnsley knives are the best on the market for the price in his listing. The listing says it's made from the best carbon alloy steel and made in the same foundry for over 150 years. They are made from an English standard damascus steel that is very close to the metallurgy of medieval times. They're supposed to hold a keen edge and they are easy to sharpen when needed. I've become interested in European tools and techniques, so I love the idea of using tools from these makers. I just need to know where my money is best spent and Hale & Co. made a pretty good argument about the quality of Barnsley knives and other tools. Thanks for reading.

[bruce johnson]

My hat is off to you for being able to navigate the Hale and Co website. If I want an exercise in frustration, I start about here - Hale and Co and see how many windows open up and unfinished pages there are. All I keep finding are lnks and quotes that The best tools for (insert trade here) come from Hale and Co. Maybe they do, but where do I find out what and why? Please post a link to the page that has prices or more information, I just can't find it.

Other than a couple Blanchards, I haven't had any new European knives to compare against the old ones. Barnsley has been out of business for some time and the story is that these are NOS tools that were found in a warehouse. Dixon and Blanchard are still making tools. I have had old Barnsley, Dixon, MF, and Blanchard knives and plough gauge knives and really don't have an opinion that would rank one consistantly over the other.

[UnionCraft]

Thanks Bruce, it's great to get a reply from you. I've been frequenting your page to see if there're any tools I may be interested in. Anyways, I too have looked through their site which isn't up to date nor easy to browse through. I did get a chance to speak with Edwin Hale from Hale & Co. and he told me that they sell their tools on Bonanza.com. They have 349 items up for sale right now. They are actually trying to revive some of the Barnsley tools, so there are some still being made today. I think if the item is out of stock, they make the tools to order and ship it to you directly from England. Some tools however, will no longer be produced, so once they're sold out, they may never be made again. Here's the link for the head knife:

My link

[bruce johnson]

Thanks for the link.That site is a lot easier to get through. I have a few concerns. When somebody is selling a punch for more money than a round knife and sewing palm for the same money that makes me wonder which is off there. If the plough gauge they show is a new one, I would be suspect of anything new they make. I use an old Barnsley plough and that one they are showing isn't in the same league. It isn't even close.

[UnionCraft]

Hmmm, maybe I'll hold off of the round knife from Barnsley and try a Blanchard. Maybe I'll get one of Barnsley's general purpose knives since it's just $21. But for now, does anywhere else in the US sell Blanchard tools minus Siegal of CA?

[bruce johnson]

I don't think anyone sells new Blanchards in the US. I believe there is a Dixon distributer on the east coast somewhere. If it doesn't have to be a new knife, I know I have a Dixon and may have a Blanchard too.

[UnionCraft]

If the price is right, I don't mind if tools are used or new. Also, if you find out the JD supplier on the east coast, could you please let me know? I'm currently looking at various pricking irons and JD seems like what I'm going to choose. Their 1" No 6 shipped is a tad over $100 due to shipping being high. Why is everything so difficult to find. I'm also having difficulty finding 332 Fil Au Chinois in the US. Shipping is pricey from France. Almost everything I find, I spend hours looking for and the shipping costs are around the same price as the item itself. I really wish the supplies and tools I want are available in the US.

[Art]

The prices I have seen on Barnsley tools are just too high. The really useful Barnsley tools can only be bought used, the heavily used tools have all been bought-up. There are better tool values in the current crop of American makers and used tool purveyors. Check Bruce Johnson's website for good used tools. I have bought from him and the tools are excellent. Try Bob Douglas if you can't find what you want from Bruce. Bob Douglas and Barry King both make a few good new tools too. CS Osborne tools are well made, readily available and usually not pre-sharpened.

Art

Hmmm, maybe I'll hold off of the round knife from Barnsley and try a Blanchard. Maybe I'll get one of Barnsley's general purpose knives since it's just $21. But for now, does anywhere else in the US sell Blanchard tools minus Siegal of CA?

[Trox]

I would not buy anything from this supplier, believing it is real George Barnsley and son tools, Sheffield. As everybody knows that company was closed down in 2003. http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=63682

It may be somebody bought the name, or it is possibly legal to use now; ten years after company closed down, who knows.

They can make his tools in China, and using a postbox address in Sheffield UK.

That plough gauge (as Bruce mention) is brand new, but look like is made out of a pattern for the earliest gauges; made nearly 200 years ago. Even stored in the global seed bank in Svalbard (Arctic), it would not look that new.

If somebody had a big lot of new/old Barnsley tools, purchased before company closed down. Why be secret about it? It would be worth a lot more sold as is, why take all the trouble claiming the company still exist the same as before.

A big lot of new/old tools are not likely to exist without any of our tool collectors and experts like Bruce knowing about it.

If anybody has started up producing leather tools in the UK again, we would also know about it before they had made one single tool.

It is called advertising.

Then allow up to 45 days of delivery (30 in handling and 15 on shipping) For the average Ebuyer a bell should start to ring. Is it not the same magical amount of days you have to complain with in, to get an Ebayers protection?

I do not know the Hale and Co, but to me it smells, like the famous small room.

But I am no expert, only a concern customer.

Does anyone know any in depth info on Blanchard and Dixon round knives? Hale and Co. said Barnsley knives are the best on the market for the price in his listing. The listing says it's made from the best carbon alloy steel and made in the same foundry for over 150 years. They are made from an English standard damascus steel that is very close to the metallurgy of medieval times. They're supposed to hold a keen edge and they are easy to sharpen when needed. I've become interested in European tools and techniques, so I love the idea of using tools from these makers. I just need to know where my money is best spent and Hale & Co. made a pretty good argument about the quality of Barnsley knives and other tools. Thanks for reading.

[UnionCraft]

Check this link: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=20784&st=0