Sterling Tool Works – Fine Tools That Inspire!

I have used Jeff Hamilton (of Hamilton Woodworks) marking gauges for years, in my opinion they are one of the best on the market. Beautifully crafted from select hardwoods they are excellent tools for the craftsman.  The design is genius with several features that are unmatched in the industry. I love these gauges and am very happy that I am able to offer them through the Artisan Tool Chest. Here is a review of the features that make the gauge so useful.

The 4″ gauge features a 3″ wide fence, with inlaid brass wear strip, that provides a large surface to ensure complete registering on your work piece. Other marking gauges that are circular on the market have only about 30% of the area that registers the work piece. Not to mention that circular marking gauges like to roll off your bench.

Here is a comparison of contact area of two types of gauges. The length and area of the fence that will contact your stock are extremely important.

The fence is also very shallow in comparison; extending just 3/8″ below the blade. This allows the user to layout lines on the bench surface when working common thickness stock. Allowing you to comfortably mark your stock while on your bench.

Here is a comparison of two gauges on ¾” Stock.

The 4″ beam is attached to the fence with a sliding dovetail joint. This gives the beam more surface area to help keep the beam and base square. The bar has a brass block that is tapped for a #6 binding screw that holds the blade firmly on the end of the beam. The depth of marking with the 4” gauge is just over 2.5”.

The marking depth from the knife to the fence is regulated by a brass thumbscrew on top of the beam through a compressible washer that ensures sturdy purchase to lock in your setting.

The knife is where further genius of this gauge rides. The blade is made of 1095 spring steel, hardened and then cryo-treated to a rockwell hardness of 62-63. This helps to retain the edge through many layout lines before honing is required. The blades are shaped and honed concave in two directions providing excellent slicing with and across the grain. While some gauges can follow the grain the use of this blade and the large fence make this nuisance issue a problem of the past. All blades are laser cut to size and then shaped by hand. After shaping and honing the blades are polished on an 8000 grit Japanese water stone.

The slot in the blade provides the ability to project the blade further if needed but allows the blade to be sharpened for lifetimes before a new blade is needed. Wheel cutters by comparison will wear out as the depth of cut is reduced with each sharpening requiring a replacement blade purchase.

The gauges are lovely to hold and the correct purchase of your fingers provides excellent control and feedback while using the tool. Your index finger and thumb should slightly pinch the beam close to the knife end. Your middle finger will naturally fall in the cove on the back of the fence (what I call the Batwing, for its shape). Hopefully these pictures help further explain the description above.

Last week I received an order for a 0:0 slope Saddle-Tail.  The issue is that there is no Tail on a 0:0 slope unit, so here is a Sterling Saddle-Square for those that would like one. Available only by special request, unless there is a demand this will not be a stocked item.

Anne of All Trades will be demonstrating and selling Sterling Tool Works Tools at the Seattle Lie-Nielsen event at University of Washington on February 20 and 21^st. Anne has become a great friend and regular supporter of Sterling Tool Works, helping me out at woodworking shows and with special projects. While I am unable to attend the Seattle event personally, Anne is very familiar with Sterling Tool Works tools and their use. Getting Sterling Tool Works tools into the hands of woodworkers has always been the best method to feel the quality so I am thrilled that Anne has offered to spread the Sterling Tool Works word in the Pacific Northwest this coming weekend. Thank you Anne for your continued support!

Keep your Noggin WARM!!!

With the colder than normal temperatures we are experiencing this winter, (along with the continuing reduction of hair on my head) I decided it was time to offer a winter edition of a Sterling Tool Works hat to keep your noggin and ears warm.

I am offering this Hat in Green and Black.  Its made in the USA from 100% Wool.  I partnered with River City Leather an artisan leather company owned by Aaron Buckley in Ohio.  He does excellent work, the Sterling logo is burned into a high quality leather patch with a laser and then sewn to the hat brim.   Available in Green and Black; Price is $20 plus shipping.  Go to the PURCHASE page in the MENU above.

During the Holidays I was fortunate to have my family visiting from out of town.  Shop time with my father is always special and in addition to reorganizing the shop and many other small projects my Dad helped me build another “show bench”.  My original show bench does dual duty as my sharpening station  a blog about it can be found here.  I know that a few people have adopted this design for their needs where space was limited.

The Version 2 bench came from a need to have a bench in the South East where my parents live.  The most difficult thing to attend woodworking shows to have a good bench to demonstrate on.  My favorite bench by far is my split top roubo built by Mark Hicks at Plate11 bench (read more here).  Realistically the only way I am able to get this bench to shows is to drive it there, and that limits the shows that I can attend.  By building this V2 show bench and having it located at my parents it opens up the southeast for more show attendance. I will be debuting this bench at the Charleston SC hand tool event sponsored by Lie-Nielsen.

Material Selection is always important, many of my Insta-gram and FaceBook followers know that I have restored many tools from the 1930’s 40’s and 50’s when they had soul and impeccable quality.  The art Deco feel of many of the castings in this era is quite attractive to me.

LEGS: I have always loved the Cast Iron Legs on vintage lathes and over the years was able to find additional legs that I always wanted to use when building a bench or assembly table.  These legs were sandblasted and painted black.  I was able to use the vintage lower stretcher from a 1930’s lathe, I planed some fresh surfaces to show off the vintage heart pine board and gave it a couple coats of Minwax satin wipe on poly. It is very interesting to note that these boards are one solid piece but have 6 kerfs running 95% of the length underneath to help the board move with changes in humidity without distortion.  The Cast Iron Legs provide nice mass so the relatively small and mobile bench doesn’t slide all over the show floor. To help gain a little additional height (I am 6 feet tall and have back issues) and allow leveling as well as bolster the anti-slide needs I mounted 4 machine mounts to the legs available from ENCO here.  The part number is KS325-6627.  I am using these mounts more and more in the shop and find them very handy for machines.  Note that ENCO offers 10% when you buy 4 or more but there are monthly promotional coupons for 10-20% so do some searching (or join their email list) and watch for the promotion.

Top: In 2013 I attended a discussion given at Woodworking In America (WIA) given by Christopher Schwarz the de-facto guru of benches.  He spent time talking about benches and materials to get you started, contrary to the dream of many woodworkers to build their own roubo style bench.  During this talk I learned about the solid wood countertops offered by Ikea, the name is NUMERÄR.  They are available in Birch and Beech in two lengths, 73” and 96”.  The slabs are 25.5” wide and 1.5” thick , are unfinished but sanded which ideal.  The cost for the 73” version is $129, the 96” version is $169.  If this is to be your primary hand tool bench I would suggest that you double up the thickness but for an auxiliary bench the 1.5” is fine.

The edges are rounded over about 3/16” which bother me a little so you can trim or plane them back.  I ripped a ¼” from each edge and then eased the new edges with 3-4 passed with a block plane.

Dog holes are very convenient so with the help of my Mother, Father and two out feed rollers my vintage drill press made quick work.  The bit is a high quality Colt brad point bit that is made in Germany.  Woodcraft no longer carries these high quality bits which is a shame.  Dog holes along the 3 edges are on 6” centers except on the ends where I moved to the closest full width run of wood instead of drilling into a glue joint.

I used 1.25” 5/16” lag bolts to attach the top to the legs.  I laid the top on the floor and then inverted the leg assembly on the bottom side (note that there were a couple defects on one side of the slab and that is the bottom) Drill 4 blind holes using a depth stop (or blue tape as I did).

Accessories: To meet the needs at a low cost with low weight but provide high quality work holding I added the Veritas plane stop, wonder dog, and a pair of bench dogs.  You can make these things as well.  The Lee Valley part numbers are:

05G102 – Wonder Pup

05G230 – 9.75” Planing Stop

05G230 – Pair Bench Pups

I of course also use my Moxon vise as most of my demos are cutting dovetails.  The Moxon is clamped to the back edge of the bench using wood clamps. You could add more drilled holes for holdfasts but wood clamps are plentiful at shows and lessen the weight of my baggage or shipping charges.

This is a very worthwhile project and a quick and inexpensive way to get a bench built that is highly functional but able to be dissembled to move.  Please share some pictures with me if you build a similar bench!

I am truly sorry for those that contacted me about meeting up at the Lie Nielsen Event in San Marcos CA this weekend at Palomar College. A last minute change in my travel (outside of my control) has precluded me from attending the event. My friend Scott Meek of Scott Meek Woodworks has graciously offered to show and sell Sterling Tool Works items at the show on my behalf.  I make special edition Sterling Plane Hammers for Scott which he will have for sale in addition to Saddle-Tails and other Sterling Tool Works items.  Those that purchase tools at the event will receive a complimentary “Woobie”. Thank you Scott! 

Many customers comment about the feel of Sterling Tool Works tools, and Hand Tool Events are just for this.  You can feel the tool and see its quality in the flesh.  

I would like to say sorry to all the supporters and fans of Sterling Tool Works, I have been very busy with production, R&D and collaborations so blog entries have been sparse these last few months.  There is more to come in the new year!  For now I am happy to announce some Sterling Tool Works Apparel now available in the Store.

Sterling Tool Work Hats are embroidered by Sarah Thigpen of Texas Heritage Woodworks.  Sarah is married to Jason who makes the fabulous Saddle-Slings for me as well as my prized shop apron.  Check out Texas Heritage here.  Hats are universal fit with a leather strap and metal clasp (picture below) – $20 each.

Also available are my new T Shirts!  These T shirts are made in the USA from American Apparel, they are super comfy T shirts and sport the Sterling Tool Works Logo proudly screened front and Center!  Colors are Cranberry, Black and Grey and are currently available in Small, Medium, Large and Xtra-Large – $20 each.