Tool Porn/Gloat. Not for the faint of heart!

[Steve Wargo]

While this year has been somewhat a sad year in furniture sales for me, with spending so much time at school in Oklahoma, last year was pretty good. This was my treat to myself for that good year. It is absolutely everything I'd hoped it would be. I've played with many of the new infills before, Holtey... Hutchinson... Anderson... etc., and chose a Sauer and Steiner A5. This one is stuffed with blackwood, with adjuster and bedded at York pitch. I'm not posting this to start a big debate on whether or not "I wasted my money" or "the same finish can be achieved with my 1970's Stanley Handyman". It's just pictures of a darn fine plane that I figure a good number of you will enjoy. FWIW the sahvings shown are from some wicked curly Purpleheart. Not the hardest wood to plane, but a wicked piece nonetheless. Anybody in the area that wants to give it a test run... drop me a PM.

http://madhunkyworkshop.com/images/SS1.jpg


http://madhunkyworkshop.com/images/SS2.jpg

[Ed Nelson978]

Nice score Steve! Form and function...the best of both!

[John Kempkes]

Ooooh..... Daddy like.

Having recently acquired a Wayne Anderson smoother, I know how you feel. You can't justify it on function alone... you just smile every time you pick it up!

[Mark Stutz]

Steve,
I know how long you've been waiting for this! Hmmmm....I might just have to make a trip to Cleveland!

Mark

[Mark Singer]

Steve,
That is a truly fine plane and it befits a fine crafstman like yourself! Enjoy it...use it well! I really think a fine tool like that is made to be used and I know you will make beautiful furniture with it. I have fondeled a few S&S planes....its a special feeling alright!

[Matt Meiser]

I noticed there isn't much steel on it. Is that to keep down the rust from the drool? :D

[John Schreiber]

Congratulations. That's a fine tool by any measure.

[Ken Bryant]

Beautiful tool, beautiful shavings.

[Alan Turner]

Great score! Use it well.

[Tyler Howell]

Very Sweet!!
So How many Certs
do you have and which area of interest, after all that training at MMAC??

[Michael Fross]

I guess only one word will suffice.

Wow.

Michael

[Louis Bois]

Steve, I'm not about to tell another man that he has a lovely tool...er...just not my style...but that is a manly implement of destruction you've got there. Well done!

...and what's that coopered thing-a-ma-bob you're working on in the background?!? with a pinch dog no less?

[Steve Wargo]

I'm doing a repro 1890's back bar with a huge canopy top, for a customer in q-sawn red oak. Massive piece. The octagon will be a 26" long turned and fluted collumn, one of two. I used the pinch dogs to glue the staves up. They work like a champ for tasks like that, where one may be inclined to spend a bunch of time making a jig to clamp, or fuss with band clamps.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Steve, I wish I was in the area, but I'm not. So thanks for the pics. That's an amazing looking plane. A real joy to use I'm sure.

[Jim Becker]

Beautiful tool, Steve!

[Mike Henderson]

Beautiful tool - that must have been a very good year you had.

Mike

[Tom Henry]

:eek: I feel faint!

[Dave Anderson NH]

As moderator of the Neanderthal Forum, I'm going to grant myself absolution in advance and offer the somewhat off-color traditional reply that the folks on the old tools forum have used for over 15 years....YOU SUCK!!!:D

In any event, congratulations Steve. No one who has ever bought anything from Konrad has ever been disappointed. Both the aesthetics and the performance of his planes are outstanding.

[Jerry White]

Steve, its always good to see a topfight tool in the hands of someone who has the skill to use it! Congratulations.

I'm with Tyler...how are the certs coming along? I'm sure you know the MMAC well by now. Probably at home in the Stafford Building?

Jerry

[Matthew Poeller]

It is a 2.5 hour drive from here to Cleveland and I am thinking about it:D :D

[Charles McKinley]

Very Nice Steve,

Enjoy it! I hope you have some one to apperciate it to hand it off to because that is definately an heirloom piece.

[Brent Smith]

Beautiful tool Steve. I'm waiting on a panel plane Konrad is making for me. He sent some pics a few days ago that were stunning.

Brent

[Richard Niemiec]

Indeed, the best tool porn I have seen in a long while that was not on a manufacturer's website.

rn

[Derek Cohen]

Gee Steve

My Stanley Handiman can take better shavings than that ... being pushed by my 13 year old son ... blindfolded ... one hand tied behind his back ... Oh Heck .. you'll never buy that ... :)

What a simply beautiful plane and a great choice of components - the Blackwood (what type?) sets of the brass and steel magnificently.

Sure you don't want to trade for the Handiman? I will toss in a set of steakknives .... :)

Enjoy!

Regards fom Perth

Derek

[Steve Wargo]

Derek... I couldn't even consider the trade without pictures of the handiman. If it is the nice cool royal blue they used in the 70's, you may have a deal. :D

[James Mittlefehldt]

I was set to do some sort of reply to this when I read Derek's post and I am still laughing.

Hell I will throw in a set of MArples, not Irwin mind you, blue chip chisels, with a handiman. The chisle handles are roughly at 175 degrees to the blades for some reason, guess they aren't good for mortising huh.

That is a real, real real nice looking plane, I have looked at his site and drooled on my keyboard. He did say to me though that if I am ever in Kitchener I could stop in and see what he is working on , maybe I will take him up on it.

Congratulations Steve.

[Zahid Naqvi]

yeah! what everyone else said. Good thing it ended up with you, because you will use it and use it the right way. That's what hand tools are supposed to do.

[Martin Shupe]

Beautiful tool, Steve, thanks for posting.

Do you mind if I ask how much that set you back? (Not that I can afford one right now, but I can always dream.)

You must be single, and if not, how did you get your wife on board for that purchase? I am thinking a dozen roses wouldn't quite do it!

[Steve Wargo]

Martin,
I build furniture for sale as a part time business. I had a very good year last year. My wife is very understanding when it comes to tools for the business. A great gal, as far as cost Konrad has rough guidelines on his website.