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Holtey Hammer

C

Custard

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Back in the days when I had a proper job, and could afford rather more in the way of indulgences, I treated myself to a couple of Karl Holtey planes. It seems I've subsequently remained on his mailing lists, even though as an actual furniture maker these days it's of course laughable that I could stretch to such fancy bits of kit!

Anyhow, an email arrived today, promoting a new Holtey "setting" hammer, you know the little thing you might use to tap a plane iron a smidgeon this way or that.

It looks absolutely beautiful. But so it should because it's £760, excluding VAT and delivery.

Now I'm the first to recognise that we're all free to spend our money in whatever manner we choose, and as someone who chooses to hose cash down the toilet with a boat I'm in no position to lecture anyone on profligacy. Furthermore, Mr Holtey isn't price gouging anyone with his products, he doesn't drive a Rolls Royce and I've no doubt there's over £800 of time and materials in each of these hammers.

But I do wonder if this might be a bit of a marketing own goal? Does this reach a point of absurdity, where the benefit is so far outweighed by the cost, that it calls into question the whole edifice of premium tools? Is this a Marie Antoinette moment for woodworking tools?
 
There's definitely a phenomenon where people want to buy something solely because it is expensive, but there must be a tipping point. Perhaps you've found it...
 
I’ve been watching Holtey make them on Instagram, he’s actually making a loss on each one which is ridiculous!
 
I heard about this some time ago and was so impressed I've ordered a pair just to have one as a 'spare' :lol: - Rob

Edit; just had a look at KH's webpage on these tapometers. Very nice; I'll order another just to make sure. Mike G need a couple as well :lol:
 
That’s quite interesting. They look nicely made and from good materials. The finished product though looks a bit clumsy to me. I like making tools so if I can come up with a nicer looking version I may knock one up in the future when my Tuit list is a bit smaller.
 
He will sell them easily enough to plane collectors who want a hammer to match their Holtey plane. It sounds a crazy price but he is not pitching at a price rational market.
 
Somehow it gives off too much of a surgical bone mallet kind of vibe for my peace of mind. Was expecting something prettier, I suppose. Ah well, I shall have to continue to fritter away my millions on other fripperies instead.
 
I do like a hammer with a screw threaded face, especially a really course threaded one. even more so, one with no retention. tink tink tink tink bugger the head fell off again.

a squirt of locktight you say, yer that would stop the head coming off........ ever, without a pair of stillies to trash the face for ever more.


no thanks, I'll still with my copper faced hammer (the face falls out of that too, but that's because copper is annoyingly soft)
 
It'll never replace my 3 lb club hammer :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:
Or my 5 lb THOR copper / hide mallet. :eusa-whistle:
 
sunnybob":dk27vzvc said:
It'll never replace my 3 lb club hammer :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:
Or my 5 lb THOR copper / hide mallet. :eusa-whistle:
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Replace? I thought the idea with buying a new hammer (or any other tool) is to have more, not to replace existing ones :eusa-whistle:
 
Alf":31v7b67r said:
Somehow it gives off too much of a surgical bone mallet kind of vibe for my peace of mind. Was expecting something prettier, I suppose. Ah well, I shall have to continue to fritter away my millions on other fripperies instead.
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Is it in part the stainless that lends the surgical look ? I can't say I find it very pretty on the planes either.

Such of my planes as need adjusting by hammer have already been tapped with much less subtle tools, I can't see anything I will do to them will make things much worse.
 
Dr.Al":lgnnynil said:
sunnybob":lgnnynil said:
It'll never replace my 3 lb club hammer :eusa-naughty: :eusa-naughty:
Or my 5 lb THOR copper / hide mallet. :eusa-whistle:
Click to expand...

Replace? I thought the idea with buying a new hammer (or any other tool) is to have more, not to replace existing ones :eusa-whistle:
Click to expand...

I really dont need any more hammers, I still have 4 hammers from my Dad's collection. I can place them back to the 50's at the very least, more likely the 40's.
But the only hammer I use now is a yellow GRP handled claw hammer.
The THOR and the club are now just used as glue up weights. 8-)
 
Well...... at those prices for planes and all the other stuff.......... lovely trophies but I'd be reluctant to expose them to the atmosphere.

Do they ever get used? Every day?
Seriously?

On a more mundane note, I'll present an ancient hammer that I've used to tap plane-blocks, blades, wedges etc for many years.

It began life sometime before the War (not sure which one) as a Toffee Hammer. Later it came to my Grannie who used it in the kitchen as a salt-basher.

If you've never seen hard-salt, I'll explain.

Cooking salt in those old days was bought in hard, compacted brick-like loaves - about the same size as a Mother's Pride loaf - it was stored in a big earthenware pot and when it was used you'd bash a bit off the edges. For that she used this old toffee-hammer........ plus a big knife that, as a kid I thought was a bayonet..... it probably was, come to think of it.

Later, this little hammer ended up in my tool-box in its third iteration as a plane-blade tapper..... for which, I'll add, it is ideal. It has the right amount of 'knock-power' without damaging any wood or wedges. I don't use it on any thing bigger than a moulding plane or a small coffin type.... all the others have screw adjustments.

I've added the marking knife to give an idea of scale.

.
 

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I think I have around 30 hammers and don’t really need any more. My last hitting thing was a Thor Dead blow hammer with some alternative heads. I bought it specifically for tapping work down onto parallels on my milling machine. It works much better than my Copper & Hide for this particular job so worth the expense. I should have bought it years ago.
 
The last hammer I bought (or SWIMBO bought me :D ) was a 1kg club hammer which, as it happens, was the perfect weight to knock together a set of very righty-tighty dovetails in the latest project. Apparently, a 1Kg club hammer was also one of the late and very great Alan Peters favourite tools; if it was good enough for AP, 'tis good enough for me.

It seems that CHT have got wind of the benefits of a large and heavy knockometer, having no doubt heard that AP liked them. These ones though, are made in the US and instead of the paltry £12 that SWIMBO paid, one of these jobbies will dent your wallet to the tune of £110 - Rob
 
I thought hammers had metal heads and mallets had anything else?

Custard is this you?

[youtubessl]DnbxgzhvZyY[/youtubessl]

I have a brass and nylon one and a small hide mallet that is nice and doesn't mark the plane.

Pete
 
The whole "HOW MUCH!?" argument about these things (Holtey, Sauer and Steiner, Sparks, ETC...) comes and goes on various platforms.

I think it mostly comes down to the fact that while they are indeed a working tool of a very high standard, they are also a work of art and engineering precision, which some will appreciate and others will not understand as "It's just a tool". Now that Karl posts little tidbits on Instagram about his production process, with a minute understanding of metalworking I have been enlightened at just how anal-retentive he is about it, when you're having to have solid carbide cutters specially made for you, you know you're on a totally different level.

I'd love to own a Holtey Plane as a marvel of engineering, but I could never justify one unless I won the lotto.

Back to the setting hammer, he did a talk about it on Benchtalk101 a little while ago.

[youtubessl]6r9L86qihaI[/youtubessl]
 
Sheffield Tony":37p0jcuw said:
Alf":37p0jcuw said:
Somehow it gives off too much of a surgical bone mallet kind of vibe for my peace of mind. Was expecting something prettier, I suppose. Ah well, I shall have to continue to fritter away my millions on other fripperies instead.
Click to expand...

Is it in part the stainless that lends the surgical look ? I can't say I find it very pretty on the planes either.
Click to expand...
Could be. Might be the head shape too. I dunno, it just immediately came to mind, and usually I can go for decades without ever thinking of surgical bone mallets at all. Thankfully.
 
I just had a quick look at the site, beautiful things. I guess it's like people spending lots on watches - you can get a really accurate watch that'll last well enough for a few quid, but people choose according to other factors and often spend an awful lot more for what they consider to be a beautiful object that brings them happiness. I think most of us do that, to varying degrees.
 
I’m pleased to see Sparks spoken of in the same sentence as hotley et al.
I met Olly not long after he started up and have been following his progress via the annual (until last year) Macmillan open days run by Richard.
It’s good to see young craftsmen thriving.
 
Lurker":2kizrqjq said:
I’m pleased to see Sparks spoken of in the same sentence as hotley et al.
I met Olly not long after he started up and have been following his progress via the annual (until last year) Macmillan open days run by Richard.
It’s good to see young craftsmen thriving.
Click to expand...
When Derek Jones (late ed of F&C) organised his exhibition/show at the University of East London a couple of years ago, Olly Sparks had a stand there displaying his wares. He and Mrs. S were pleasant folk to have a natter with and close by were Richard Arnold and Philly (with whom I had lunch that day) - Rob
 
I like the K Holtey planes. I know they are crazy expensive, but they are works of art. If someone gave me one I would be overjoyed.

Can see too that Oliver Sparks makes nice things. However, I wonder what the purpose of some of them is. Pretty much the only things available for sale on his website are Scarab Finger Planes at £510. They look very pretty, but I can't think what I would ever use one for. Even with luthiery work (which I no longer do sadly).

I'm probably more likely to fork out for a Skelton saw, which I know I would use a lot, than a super expensive plane. That said I am trying to make a saw similar to one of his. Had two false starts with unsatisfactory steel so far. Handles are bog oak fro you know who.
 
Here is one that can be had for oooooo! .........£350

Limited edition
Handle made from carefully selected and seasoned English hardwood.
High grade brass
Rare exotic hardwood inset.

..... I am not making any more
Hawthorn branch I found whilst hedgelaying,thrown into the garage and forgotten about for a number of years.
Brass from a large assembly destined for an astute sub build, that was out of tolerance by two gnats.
African black wood maybe
 

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AJB Temple":3thx6dpf said:
I like the K Holtey planes. I know they are crazy expensive, but they are works of art. If someone gave me one I would be overjoyed.

Can see too that Oliver Sparks makes nice things. However, I wonder what the purpose of some of them is. Pretty much the only things available for sale on his website are Scarab Finger Planes at £510. They look very pretty, but I can't think what I would ever use one for. Even with luthiery work (which I no longer do sadly).

I'm probably more likely to fork out for a Skelton saw, which I know I would use a lot, than a super expensive plane. That said I am trying to make a saw similar to one of his. Had two false starts with unsatisfactory steel so far. Handles are bog oak fro you know who.
Click to expand...

I used David Charlesworth's low angle Holtey (pronounced 'Holtie', as in the thing you put round your neck) at an event some years ago (you were there Mark); very pleasant it was too, especially at planing some nice, benign, straight grained maple (note the sarcasm :D )

If you use Instagram, as I do, it's well worth following Shane to see what he gets up to; quite interesting in fact. Last year I needed find some info on Peacock Oil, which he makes and I couldn't find it anywhere online, so I found his website wherein is a direct 'fone line, so I gave him a bell and had a natter with the man himself in his 'shop for about 25mins. He also said if there were any other issues I was having, all I had to do was give him a shout.

Top banana of a bloke! - Rob
 
MattS":1ib3qq23 said:
Recognised the name but not looked at Hotley planes before, ended up on Google and saw this. Not sure I’ve seen a more expensive plane!

https://www.workshopheaven.com/holtey-a ... plane.html
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I visited his workshop about ten years ago although I made it clear that I could not possibly afford his wares he made me very welcome.
Having been associated with machine shops that produce equipment for nuclear, his machinery skills are as good or better. At the level he works to, his finished product were very cheap.
 
I thought I was spending to much on my leather handled Estwing......really cant remember how old it is....
still nice to use but who uses a claw hammer these days.....???
it's in my hammer drawer and think of it as a friend....lot's of memories with that tool......
mostly Paslode and an air nailer staplers now for me now....
did also buy their largest framing hammer (cross ground face) which has been nicked.....
prob got about 40 hammers and mallets in my working collection....
all get used occ from a tiny pin hammer up to the 14lb'er sledge....mostly engineering tho...
handiest hamer when in trouble is a lump hammer head on a long shaft......
you can never have enough hammers.....
bough most of mine thru estate sales, kept the best and moved the rest.....hahaha....

have a great weekend making splinters.....
 
My absolute favourite hammer is an upholstery hammer. When I first set up home on my own, I reupholstered some dining chairs. I was still a teenager so I must have been confident. The chairs and table came from "The Thrift Shop" which was full of second hand stuff that was dirt cheap and would be either in the tip or on eBay by now.

No idea where the hammer came from but it has a bronze head, one face is magnetized so you can hold a tack and pop it in, the other, bigger face, is a piece of steel. Handle is hickory. I am in bed so this is not a picture of it but mine is the same as it seems they are famous and still made:

Screenshot 2021-05-22 at 08.26.44.png

They are about £50 to £60 now, depending on weight. No idea how much I paid. I would not have been able to afford much but I generally didn't buy rubbish tools.
 
Ah, if we're talking favourite hammers, that's a tough one. I've got a plethora of hammers ranging from the 28oz Estwing rip-claw hammer with a vinyl handle I use most days, to various sized ball peins, Thor insert hammers with rubber, plastic, rawhide and copper inserts, just a very general range of them that cover most tasks really.

But I think if I had to choose one that meant a lot to me, it would have to be the Stanley 3 1/2oz cross-pein (could possibly be regarded as a telephone hammer?) that I have. It's a wonderfully dainty feeling thing with a lovely slim ash handle about a foot-long, I've had to re-secure the head once and I've shellacked the handle since I've had it but it was a near-immaculate object when I first had it. The reason it means a lot to me is that it belonged to my grandmother who was a professional seamstress who had it in her collection of tools, she passed away from breast cancer five years before I was born, so it's a bit of a link to a part of the family I never got to meet.

A bit soppy, I know, but every time I use it (not too often) for something I do get a small warm feeling inside this cold heart of mine.
 
Andyp":1rwkz651 said:
I'm surprised that there has been no mention yet of a hammerfore.
Click to expand...

Ok Andy, ill take the fall so others can enjoy.

Whats a hammerfore?
 
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