I met Ian Swain at Bentley woodfair this year and had some great chats with him. Ian was selling tools with a colleague. I bought an Elwell 4-pound carpenters axe with Elwell branded into the handle. I would like to use this axe, but because of it`s more or less unused condition, it is a collectors piece.The original paper label is still glued to the handle and a sticker on the axe head, all in very good condition, and for a very good price. I also bought a Belgium Coticle stone and some other tools.
Anyway - what I was really interested in was the solution to a common problem faced by people who work with young children, that is: drilling holes safely. Young children find it difficult and often impossible to use bit and brace or egg-whisk type drills. So Ian got some file handles and good quality engineers' drill bits and glued both together. Below is a video of how easily it works.
Ian sells these at
http://www.theluddite.com/forestschoolequipment.html
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The palm drill looks a great solution for making small, neat holes for all sorts of things especially adding lanyards. I know some folk don't like lanyards but to have a way whereby I can quickly and easily put a small hole in a piece whilst down the woods in great. Have emailed Ian to order. His site is very interesting too. Thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteWell the palm drill arrived this morning and I've just tested it by putting a lanyard hole in a Norway Maple pint pot noggin I've just finished carving and another through a piece of stag antler tine which will be the lanyard toggle. Result: simple to use and works extremely well. Also ordered a 1.5lb Gilpin hatchet from him. Have emailed Iain to thank him and thanks again Sean for putting folks onto this.
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