Ashley Iles Carving Tools Review By: I.Ball
Category: Carving Tools
Manufacturer: Ashley Iles Tools
Tool Type: Wood Carving Tools
Model No:
This Ashley Iles Wood Carving Tool review covers the old Ashley Iles
Wood Carving Tools made by Ashley Iles, England.
For information on new Ashley Iles Wood Carving Tools see the
new Ashley Iles Wood Carving Tools review.
Ashley Iles Tools have been making tools for generations and still remains
a family run business today with Ashley Iles sons Tony and Barry running
the show.
Until 1967 the tools were made in Sheffield, beyond this the business
moved to East Kirkby in Lincolnshire.
For more information on the history of Ashley Iles, there is a book
called "Memories of a Sheffield Toolmaker, Ashley Iles".
Ashley Iles are renowned for their extensive range of wood carving tools,
they also have made/make some wood turning tools, chisels and a few
other specialist traditional hand tools.
Ashley Iles wood carving tools are made to traditional standards using traditional
techniques.
The range is made to the London Pattern numbering system which is the same numbering
system Addis carving tools, Herring carving tools and many other traditional British
wood carving tool makers use/used, e.g. Sweep 1 is a double-bevelled chisel, Sweep 2
is a skew chisel....Sweep 39 is a Vee tool with a 60 degree angle.
The Ashley Iles wood carving tools generally have Beech handles.
The earlier ones I have seen have had Beech handles. Some of the earlier Ashley
Iles wood carving tools also have the name 'Ashley Iles' inscribed in the blade.
In 1973 Ashley Iles were advertising their York carving sets, Canterbury carving sets
and Westminster carving sets and a choice of 200 tools. It looks like from a black and white
photo the handles were Beech in 1973.
For a certain time some of the old Ashley wood carving tools are carving tools
with Bubinga handles (I am thinking probably 1980's-1990's) - the Bubinga handled
carving tools with the trade label which had the large, bold 'Iles' on the label were
certainly being made and sold in 1997.
By at least 2005 the carving tools were back to being made with Beech handles.
Another sign of the age of an Ashley Iles carving tool is an Ashley Iles gold sticker
found on the handles.
The gold stickers with 'Ashley Iles Ltd' with the name 'Iles' being bold and large
were an earlier sticker than the gold sticker with the old English swirly font
'Ashley Iles'.
The old English swirly font 'Ashley Iles' gold stickers on the Beech handles appeared on
the handles until about 2015. I am unsure when they were first used, certainly from
2005, I suspect a few years before this.
* Important: please refer to the 'disclaimer' at the foot of this review.
* Wearing safety clothing and eye protection is usually a good idea to help protect against injury.
- This tool has sharp parts, take suitable precautions when using/handling/storing the tool to prevent injury.
1949 - Today
....
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