Absolute Masterpieces of British Toolmaking – Flawless Quality for the Professional Shop
As a professional cabinetmaker, I depend on the precision and reliability of my hand tools. Over time I have invested in Clifton No. 4½ and No. 5½ bench planes, a pair of Pax 1776 10" saws (one rip, one crosscut), and the Lynx Half Blind Dovetail Kerf Tool. To say I am impressed is an understatement. These tools are the very pinnacle of premium British manufacturing.
The machining quality on the Clifton planes is exceptional. Out of the box, the soles are dead flat, and the sides are perfectly square, meeting, and exceeding strict British Standards tolerances for hand planes. The heavy, stress-relieved castings combined with the Bedrock frog design make them incredibly stable, eliminating blade chatter on difficult timber. Paired with their cryogenically treated O1 steel blades, they take a razor-sharp edge and hold it beautifully, leaving a glass-smooth finish.
The Pax 1776 saws are equally magnificent, heirloom-quality tools. The hand-hammered folded brass backs give them perfect balance, and the hand-sharpened teeth cut effortlessly, the rip saw plows through joinery while the crosscut leaves a remarkably clean, crisp line. To round out my joinery kit, the Lynx Half Blind Dovetail Kerf Tool is a revelation. It is beautifully executed and makes clearing out the blind kerf fast, exact, and repeatable, which is a massive time-saver at the bench. The Walnut handles across these saws, offer fantastic ergonomics for long workshop sessions.
It is brilliant to see Thomas Flinn keeping traditional Sheffield industrial heritage alive while delivering world-class, uncompromising tolerances. For any cabinetmaker or woodworker wanting tools that perform flawlessly straight out of the box, these are truly magnificent!

