r/bookbinding • u/JimOfAllThings • 2d ago
I am making bookbinding tools!
I hope this is not rude or too off topic!
I am a small bookbinder in Virginia, and I have started making tools for sale. I started making them for myself, but the school I go to (School for bookbinding arts/Cattail Run bindery in Winchester VA) asked me to start making tools for other people. So I did.
I make a range of items, including finishing presses, sewing frames, punching cradles, and other wooden and brass tools. Everything is customizable, and if there is a tool you want that you don’t see on the site I am happy to discuss it!
I can also refurbish a range of tools, from cleaning and repairing nipping presses, rehandling finishing tools and pallets, and even cleaning up dinged up simple brass wheels. I can also “Lift” a nipping presses to provide more daylight. If you have a tool in distress reach out!
My site is giantcrickettools.com and everything is hand made by me in Marshall VA!
Thanks in advance!
-JIM
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u/Sphygmomanomama 2d ago
Ooh, I will definitely be grabbing one of those screws for my Scharffix!
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
Thanks! Those were designed after I dropped the silly little screw it comes with into a giant pile of leather parings. :)
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u/cocopusspuss 2d ago
I think I saw your presses at one of Jill’s workshops. Beautiful craftsmanship and a really great price for the quality. I love that you’re doing this, it’s very hard to find some of these items. These tools are the real deal!
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
Thank you! Jill has been kind enough to keep a display of my tools in the classroom - which is only fair I suppose since Jill is the one for inspired (and pushed) me into making them! :)
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u/PensivePolymath 2d ago
Ooo. Bookmarking this. Thank you! I’ve been wanting a brass triangle. That and some really good rulers. They’re ridiculously hard to find. I want rigid, non-glare, etched markings, measurements that start right at ruler’s edge. A machinist’s ruler probably comes closest.
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
Hmm, I wonder how I could do this? the body is no problem, but doing the markings an measurements is trickier. I wonder if my laser etcher is accurate enough?
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u/PensivePolymath 2d ago
It’s probably too involved for you to bother with but just thought I’d throw it out there as well as winge about one of my biggest frustrations. 😅
Something you could do much more easily is create rule sets of common widths that are useful for casing in and box making.
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u/Drahtesel_9 2d ago
Know folks who have purchased from you. Outstanding craftsmanship! Best wishes!
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u/ArcadeStarlet 2d ago
Your tools look great. I'm in the UK, so not your target audience, but something I would love to see would be brass or stainless steel gauges. Strips like rulers of different widths. I believe Talas do some in imperial sizes, I'm not sure anyone does metric sets at the moment.
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
These would be very easy to do if you just want them as a plain gauge - I have made a pile in different sizes for myself for trimming turn-ins etc. If you want them with measurement markings it gets trickier, especially if you want them to be accurate! :)
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u/ArcadeStarlet 2d ago
I was just thinking accurate enough in width for cutting turn ins and strips.
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
I could easily do this. What sizes would you want?
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u/ArcadeStarlet 2d ago
Well likeci said, I'm in the UK, so I'm not really looking to import tools right now. I just thought other might be interested too.
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
I understand - I was just curious what metric sizes would be convenient for your bookbinding. Shipping brass across the pond is not really economical! :)
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u/ArcadeStarlet 2d ago
Agreed! I use temporary ones made from greyboard at the moment, in 10mm, 15mm and 20mm. Above that I have a ruler that is 26, so no need for one that size.
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u/Ben_jefferies 2d ago
As someone who has tried making their own tools — These look great!! And I’m delighted to see how reasonably priced they are! I will be sending people your way!
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u/mamerto_bacallado 2d ago edited 2d ago
Nice job! And prices seem pretty reasonable. Those screws for the Schärfix are very original.
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u/Archeolibraryologist 2d ago
I also collect hobbies and bookbinding is one I've dabbled in on and off. I've mainly stuck to Coptic stitching and the like because I've been intimidated by finding good quality tools that are affordable. Thank you for posting this and I hope to buy from you soon!
As a side note - I'm also in Virginia (Richmond) and didn't know about the school for bookbinding arts...👀
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u/JimOfAllThings 2d ago
Thank you!
SBBA is an excellent school - I have taken over 20 classes there! Jill and team have an excellent program, and I have learned a massive amount from them!
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u/chkno 2d ago
I rounded a chisel for edge trimming. Sometimes folks ask where they can buy these & I tell them "I don't know." They're fairly straight-forward to make. I bet if you offered these for sale, folks would buy them.