yboy403

yboy403 OP t1_j6915i9 wrote

Reply to comment by Itisd in This is what BIFL is really about. Not only does Lee Valley still sell the consumable blade for their old marking gauges (discontinued nearly 20 years ago), it's actually a dollar cheaper than the blade for the new model. by yboy403

At a fair price, too. They're not racing to the bottom or cutting corners on quality (at least for most things—I won't vouch for their $15 LED shop lights), but they're not gouging people either.

Depending on options their marking gauges are $45-100, for something a woodworker will use all the time.

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yboy403 OP t1_j68z6hx wrote

Reply to comment by krollAY in This is what BIFL is really about. Not only does Lee Valley still sell the consumable blade for their old marking gauges (discontinued nearly 20 years ago), it's actually a dollar cheaper than the blade for the new model. by yboy403

Seriously, and if the guy who says he worked at their machine shop is anything to go by, it probably doesn't take much investment in tooling. Just the right drawings and a machinist who knows what they're doing.

Sad to think about how many old things can't be repaired without custom-made parts because there wasn't enough margin for a larger company to still make those parts.

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yboy403 OP t1_j67boyz wrote

Reply to This is what BIFL is really about. Not only does Lee Valley still sell the consumable blade for their old marking gauges (discontinued nearly 20 years ago), it's actually a dollar cheaper than the blade for the new model. by yboy403

Fantastic to see manufacturer support keeping old tools alive. No brand is perfect, and they're all out to make a profit one way or the other, but credit where it's due.

If you're considering buying a new tool from a specific brand, and you want it to last 10-20 years, take a look online and see if you can still get parts for models they were selling over a decade ago. Not a guarantee of anything in the future, but definitely a red flag if you can't.

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