About Us
Since 1834, Henry Taylor Tools has stood at the heart of British toolmaking — crafting high quality woodworking, woodturning, and woodcarving tools from our forge in Sheffield, England.
Sheffield has long been synonymous with some of the world’s best edge-tool production. At Henry Taylor Tools, we continue that tradition: selecting only premium steels, hand-forging blades, and combining age-old techniques with thoughtful modern refinement to produce tools that truly perform. With almost two centuries of heritage and expertise, our tools are built to last and are trusted by craftsmen, makers, and woodworkers around the globe.
Henry Taylor Tools began as Taylor & Howarth, a partnership forged in the early days of industrial Sheffield. Through periods of change, worldwide demand, and evolving craft, our commitment to excellence has remained unwavering. Today, the legacy of skilled craftsmanship continues.
Our three brands (Acorn, Diamic, and Hamlet Craft Tools) each bring unique strengths to different aspects of woodworking, by blending tradition with innovative materials and heat-treatment processes to ensure superb cutting performance and edge retention.
1834
Taylor & Howarth was established as an edge tool manufacturer in 1834 as a partnership between Henry Taylor & James Howarth. The business became Henry Taylor as Howarth left in 1842 to set up his own tool manufacturing company. Henry Taylor went on to win multiple prize medals for the superior quality of the articles manufactured by him.
1892
The company moved from the original factory on Fitzwilliam Street to the Acorn Works at Arundel Street in 1892, where it stayed for the next 50 years. Henry Taylor became a limited company in 1898.
1948
Henry Taylor Ltd was incorporated into Aaron Hildick in 1948, a well-known family run edge tool manufacturer that had spanned 4 generations
1999
The Hamlet Craft Tools brand was created by T. Cooper Tools (established in 1992). Developing on their previous tool ranges, and changing the handles from a gloss to a matt finish, the name on the tools changed to 'Hamlet' as a reminder of the company's original home at the Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet.
2006
Hamlet Craft Tools was purchased by Henry Taylor (Tools) Ltd in 2006, joining both the Diamic and Acorn brands in the current premises on Livesey Street, Sheffield.