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Forum Question Posted By: Replies:
London
Second Hand Tools Shops and Craftsmen in London
Posted: Tue January 29, 2008 09:33 AM UTC
Dear VTers,
We will be in London this February and I will be looking to buy old tools, bits & pieces for craftsmen.

I am looking for good quality, old fashioned hand tools, the sort of thing my father and grandfather used but we can no longer buy new. From simple wooden rulers to set squares to bradawls and so on. It is the quality I am interested in, of the actual metals and woods etc. I'm tired of modern tools being cheap and not lasting!

Can anyone please suggest either specific shops, locations or markets I could try? Do you know of any flea markets or second hand shops? Any web links would be awesome. I have an idea to visit Camden but know there must be good markets around.

Also, if anyone knows of any little old craft shops, still in business, tucked away down some dark alleyway, from cobblers to musical instruments makers to furniture restorers ... or of a directory of such business types.

I have tried the more obvious internet based searches but cannot get Google taking me seriously. I want crafts people.

Help please, dear Londoners!
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[Reply]

London
Re: Second Hand Tools Shops and Craftsmen in London
Posted: Tue January 29, 2008 12:12 PM UTC
Portobello Road (close to Notting Hill) would be a very good place to visit. You'd need to go on a Saturday though as that is the full market day when all the shops, stalls and arcades will be open.

I work there and know a lady (Cynthia) who specialises in selling old, good quality wood tools. She has a stall there on the street, near the top end of the market. I don't have a number for her but you could probably find her quite easily on your own.

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London
Re: Second Hand Tools Shops and Craftsmen in London
Posted: Wed January 30, 2008 02:26 AM UTC
You could try Cygnet St near the upper end of Brick Lane on a Sunday. Wonderful place, a market full of junk....and treasure.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=brick+lane&sll=51.514997,-0.058707&sspn=0.041983,0.100079&ie=UTF8&ll=51.523631,-0.072752&spn=0.005247,0.01251&t=h&z=17&om=0

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London
Re: Second Hand Tools Shops and Craftsmen in London
Posted: Wed January 30, 2008 09:44 AM UTC
Many thanks to you both for these really helpful replies.

I used to live in London as a student and so remember these places now you mention them! I will be visiting them!! Whether I can afford anything I find, we'll see, but I am delighted to have specific locations to head for, making the trip to London very exciting now (we are mainly going for my wife to visit museum and art things, though I will be glad to be back in Kensington for a day!)

Thank you for taking the time to reply in the forum. You are good people.

Best wishes

Malcolm - in Orkney

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