Lie-Nielsen Toolworks

[Admiral]

Can't imagine why they'd bother, at least for the last fifteen years or so.  The brand and reputation were mature enough not to need the shows IMO.  

If you want to know why they still did the shows, at least up until COVID, then ask them.  All I'm giving is my opinion.

Well, if I were Tom, I'd continue them, as they certainly create buzz in the localities where some haven't ever seen, much less handled a LN product, so you let people fondle the tools. Deneb is a great salesperson, and you're planting seeds in fertile ground with people who, when they feel they can afford the tools, will purchase one.  Then they buy another, and perhaps another, and their friends see and use them . . . . brand marketing pure and simple.  Compare to automobiles; we can fairly say that BMW's engineering is outstanding (substitute Benz, Lexus, whatever you choose), yet they keep advertising.  Same concept.

I've been to several, including one in Frank Klausz's old shop in Pluckemin NJ (before he retired) and met him, along with a whole bunch of other people, all there to fondle TL-N's tools!  Worth the experience. 

This video was made in his old shop where the event was:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKuy3NdLhlE

Edit:  Notice his Plumb Bob collection in the background! I almost forgot about that. He'd always show up at the CRAFTS of NJ tool auction (next week, actually) and buy up all the good ones!  I saw and spoke to him at last fall's auction when I saw him browsing the tailgating offerings... very gracious man.

[CStan]

Well, if they keep doing them they need to not alienate people like they did one of the posters in the thread. One of those things that you have to do right if you're going to bother at all. Lukewarm and mediocre won't get it.

[only 3 injuries]

Could of been a bad day for the people involved, it happens.

I have been to 6 of them, they've always been welcoming. When I brought my kids, they had no qualms about letting them try things (under my close supervision).

[Handplanesandmore]

Tradeshows are not a small undertaking, and cost money. i went to a few and appreciated the trade demos (power and hand tools) as well as the discounts that most vendors offered to their products at their booths.

Simon

[iclark]

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience at an LN local showing.  Having been to many of them myself, I can agree that they often were very crowded; but, there was much to be learned from watching their demos and handling the tools.  I never experienced a situation where they limited the number of people allowed inside.  This must have been related to the small size of that venue.

Sales of tools to take home with you from the demos was discontinued years ago.  There were some sales taxes complications with that, if I remember correctly.

LN used to hire a few locals to help at their shows.  A regular in Chicago was Blaine, who often posted here.  Those folks obviously were not able to speak about things with quite the authority that a company employee could offer.  I always felt kind of bad for the LN folks who did this every weekend and then had to work or travel to the next destination; coupled with the setup and tear-down prior and after the show.

Sadly, Covid put an end to the road shows, but their effectivness in bringing the word and the products to the consumer is hard is hard to deny.

They did not limit the number of people attending the show. They just did not give a d___ that the outside door to the building was locked and no one could get in unless they were lucky enough to catch someone leaving. I hung out long enough to catch someone leaving from their offices on the 3rd floor. The show was on the 2nd floor (European numbering system) with the building door up a full flight of stairs to the 1st floor. Parking was at Ground Floor level. When I got to the show, I told them about the locked building door and they chose not to do anything about it.

The main draw for that show was to have been a WNer doing demoes of his skills but he had had to cancel a couple weeks before the show.

I was fully aware that they were not selling the tools on display. I was disappointed by being told (falsely) that the item that I wanted was not something that LN sold. Of the 3 people staffing the show, I would have expected at least one of them to know what they were selling.

This was quite a while ago (probably >10yr). For perspective, the Ikea in Tampa was recently opened at the time. The rest of the family went to the Ikea (for the 1st time) while I went to the LN show. I caught up with the family part way through the Ikea maze. Ikea was a better experience than the LN show (and I have never had a need to set foot in another Ikea since then, either).

[Katzrme]

I’ve been to at least five of their shows and every one was a great experience. I not only got to demo their tools, but learned some new techniques that have definitely improved my woodworking skills. As a result I’ve purchased some tools that I never would have had I not had the hands-on opportunity to try them out. I couldn’t be happier with those purchases and hope LN sees fit to resume the hand tool events in the not too distant future.

[CStan]

Anybody else more apt to go to a museum or gallery than a tool show?  I hate clutter and I still have a few tools I don't use.  Don't need any new ones.

I'd rather watch milk paint dry than some guy planing wood.

Furniture Study | Yale University Art Gallery

[Derek Cohen]

Anybody else more apt to go to a museum or gallery than a tool show?  I hate clutter and I still have a few tools I don't use.  Don't need any new ones.

I'd rather watch milk paint dry than some guy planing wood.

Furniture Study | Yale University Art Gallery

  
  Charles, you know it is a life cycle thing .... First you discover woodworking, then you discover tools, then you discover the tools that others respect and associate with craftsmanship. Now you may have to decide which club to join, makers or collectors. If you are good and can afford it, then you can do both. But some only get part way with one. 

I'd like to go to the museum with you and admire the tools and discuss the furniture. 

Regards from Perth

Derek

[CStan]

I have a Marples razee jack plane that was probably made in the 1950s or 60s, my wife was fond of saying that it looked like it came over on the Mayflower.  Well, it probably could have as far as styles and materials go.  I don't hate the tools.  I think if I needed something new, and L-N had what I needed, I'd be able to trust them to deliver a quality tool.  Same goes for L-V.  Pandemic problems notwithstanding.  No need to see tools from either firm at a show at this point.  It seems like they've generally worked most kinks and bugs out, and woodworkers far more talented than me seem to get by with them just fine.

When I'm planing, I'm mostly praying I did a good job selecting stock and by the time I get a piece out to dimension that it hasn't turned into a corkscrew.  The esoterica along the way doesn't get my attention much anymore.  Maybe a collection of 18th century tools would guarantee a piece of wood would never warp again, ever!  Sometimes you'd think that's the case. 
  The Cuban Mahogany and other old-growth timber had nothing to do with it!

I spent a good bit of time roaming the collection at Yale when my son was in law school there.

He's a lot smarter than dad...

[BassMD]

I went to a show of theirs at Fine Woodworking in CT around 2000. I brought my #102 plane which had a wonky adjustment system. They looked at it, reached under the counter and gave me a brand new one in exchange. Rather than adjust mine, they wanted to take it back to their shop and study what went wrong. I was so impressed, and I got to chat with Tom and express my gratitude for making such fine products here in the USA. I have a pretty big collection of their tools which I use daily in my luthier shop.