What Hand Tools Should Rockler Sell?

[Brian Kent]

I get really great customer service from my local (Ontario, California) Rockler store. They are of course oriented towards the machine and power tool side of woodworking. Every once in a while I get a survey and recommend they sell some higher quality hand planes. I don't even know if they could get a Lee Valley or Lie Nielsen contract.

What specific hand tools would you like Rockler to sell?

Maybe our responses could help them get an idea of how to expand their base.

[John Dykes]

Ugh - a decent selection of hand tools, and those darn weekly coupons....

I'd be broke.

* Would like to see Lee Valley stuff vs LN.
* And a full selection of Wenzloff Saws.... :)

[Joel Goodman]

LN and LV are both sold by many dealers.

[Dave Lehnert]

I would love to see Lee Valley tools. Would be good to get some hands on time with them.

[Brian Kent]

Joel, I have seen LN at Craftsman Studio and Woodcraft, but never a LV or Veritas Plane. I have only seen them at Lee Valley itself in North America and at Classic Hand Tools in UK.

I would love to see Rockler sell LV planes so I could lust and drool over them in person.

[Ben Davis]

To be realistic about this since there is little chance of them picking up a LV or LN line, how about carrying a few lines of very nice chisels and the new Stanley premo planes? They could do well selling WorkSharp stations and their accessories as well.

[Brian Kent]

You have a good point, Ben. If Lee Valley sells all of their own planes in North America maybe the Stanley Premiums would be a way for Rockler to step up with hand tools.

I want to offer a plane building class at my local Rockler, so for them to sell Hock blades for wooden planes would really help. I haven't offered as long as students would have to go outside of the local store to get a blade.

[Wilbur Pan]

Between Lee Valley, TFWW, Craftsman Studios, The Best Things, Japan Woodworker, and Hida Tool, and being able to order direct from many hand tool manufacturers like Lie-Nielsen, I'm not sure that it matters to me whether Rockler sells hand tools or not.

[Pam Niedermayer]

Between Lee Valley, TFWW, Craftsman Studios, The Best Things, Japan Woodworker, and Hida Tool, and being able to order direct from many hand tool manufacturers like Lie-Nielsen, I'm not sure that it matters to me whether Rockler sells hand tools or not.


Hear, hear.

Pam

[Ben Davis]

Nothing like holding the plane in your hand though.

[Phil Thien]

I'd like to see the more unique LV/Veritas stuff at Rockler OR Woodcraft. Like the magnetic dovetail guides (I haven't tackled dovetails yet and I think the magnetic guide would help me get started).

[george wilson]

Those Stanley Premium planes look like they have aluminium keepers on the blades. .003" isn't that flat,either,and it does make a difference: a plane needs to be flat.

[Richard Magbanua]

I'd say with the Wood River planes coming out at Woodcrap, LN stop their supply and deal with Rockler.

[Brian Kent]

Does anybody know if Lie-Nielsen has a limit on dealers in an area. Would they sell through Rockler and Woodcraft?

[Richard Niemiec]

Since there are no Rockler or Woodcraft stores in NJ, I don't have a dog in this fight..... count yourselves lucky that you have two vendors.

[Brian Kent]

Sure, but with Southern California traffic, I bet you East-Coasters could drive to the next tate before we could make it to the next city!;)