Menu
Your Cart
Monocle Magazine’s Top 100 Shops Worldwide | The Independent’s Top 50 Independent Stores UK | Financial Times' How to Spend It | Elle Decoration’s The New Shopkeepers
Free UK shipping for small parcels over £95 and large parcels over £150

Joseph Marples Ltd

Joseph Marples Ltd, Toolmakers
Sheffield, UK
Joseph "Tony' Marples, fifth generation tool maker, is conscious of connecting with the traditions of his company, which has been run by five consecutive men called Joseph Marples (he goes by his middle name, Tony). Making traditional woodworkers' tools in his workshop in the Nether Edge area of Sheffield, named 'York Works', just like the first Joseph Marples factory, set up in the 1840s, Tony and his small team make a surprising amount of tools, supplying shops and larger brands internationally. Although modern technology has been introduced in some instances, many of the techniques of manufacturing fine hand tools have remained the same, with a commitment to quality both in craftsmanship and materials and hand finishing, indeed the same threads are used in the gauges as were used over 100 years ago.
Joseph Marples Ltd manufactures traditional, high-quality hand tools for joiners, cabinetmakers, and woodworkers. Hand crafting a wide selection of mortice gauges, combination gauges, and marking knives. They also produce a popular range of blued-steel try squares, mitre squares, sliding bevels, and spirit levels. Marples uses sustainably sourced hardwoods like Santos Rosewood and European Beech, combined with solid brass and blued steel.

Further Information

Caring for Traditional Woodworking Tools

Care should be taken to keep traditional woodworking tools dry. After use, brush or wipe off any dirt, before storing in a dry place out of direct sunlight. Wood or metal parts should be oiled regularly to keep them in good condition. Looked after well, these tools should be able to offer many decades of useful service.

Further Reading

A left-handed version of Joseph Marples' classic English joiner's marking knife, with a single bevel to be used flat side against the guide for a more accurate line than is possible with a pencil. Carbon steel with walnut handles. From Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have over 150 years experie..
£6.50
Ex Tax:£5.42
A left-handed varient of a classic English joiner's marking knife, with a single bevel to be used flat side against the guide for a more accurate line than is possible with a pencil. Carbon steel with Rosewood handles. From Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have over 150 years experience producin..
£7.50
Ex Tax:£6.25
A classic English joiner's marking knife, with a single bevel to be used flat side against the guide for a more accurate line than is possible with a pencil. Carbon steel with Rosewood handles. From Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have over 150 years experience producing joiners and cabinet mak..
£7.50
Ex Tax:£6.25
A traditional mallet, made from beech wood in the Sheffield workshops of Joseph Marples. With a large, flat sided, tapered head which measures approximately 12cm x 8.8cm x 5.5cm, an overall length of about 33.5cm and an overall weight of around 450g. At the turn of the 20th century the city of ..
£18.50
Ex Tax:£15.42
An oval profile, beech-handled screwdriver with precision-ground, tempered steel blade for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools since 1840. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not..
£21.50
Ex Tax:£17.92
An oval profile, beech-handled screwdriver with precision-ground, tempered steel blade for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools since 1840. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not..
£25.00
Ex Tax:£20.83
An oval profile, beech-handled screwdriver with precision-ground, tempered steel blade for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools since 1840. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not..
£32.00
Ex Tax:£26.67
An oval profile, beech-handled screwdriver with precision-ground, tempered steel blade for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools since 1840. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not..
£16.50
Ex Tax:£13.75
An oval profile, beech-handled screwdriver with precision-ground, tempered steel blade for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools since 1840. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not..
£18.00
Ex Tax:£15.00
An oval profile, beech-handled screwdriver with precision-ground, tempered steel blade for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools since 1840. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not..
£18.00
Ex Tax:£15.00
A 9 inch spirit level made of rosewood, with upper brass plates, and lower brass tipped ends. From Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have over 150 years experience of producing the finest joiners, and cabinet makers tools. Whilst time might have changed (only) some of their methods their commitme..
£37.50
Ex Tax:£31.25
With machined brass faced sustainably forested rosewood stocks riveted to tempered blued steel blades, these squares are manufactured to exceed BS3322, and twice tested for accuracy of both inside and outside angles. Made in Sheffield by the company of Joseph Marples Ltd, who since 1840 have been pr..
£20.50
Ex Tax:£17.08
With machined brass faced sustainably forested rosewood stocks riveted to tempered blued steel blades, these squares are manufactured to exceed BS3322, and twice tested for accuracy of both inside and outside angles. Made in Sheffield by the company of Joseph Marples Ltd, who since 1840 have been pr..
£26.50
Ex Tax:£22.08
A traditional brass wedged, steel bladed cutting gauge made of sustainably forested rosewood with a half round stem and stock, brass plates to hold off wear, and brass thumbscrew. This is a very traditional style of marking gauge with a sharpened steel blade held in place with a small brass wedge — ..
£31.00
Ex Tax:£25.83
A fully adjustable pad saw for cutting in tight, blind, or enclosed spaces, the blade being retraced to reduce flex or for when movement is restricted. With a beech handle and brass ferrule. From Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have over 150 years experience producing joiners and cabinet makers..
£24.00
Ex Tax:£20.00
Oval beech handled screwdrivers with precision ground tempered steel blades for a secure grip and lasting edge. Made by Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who since 1840 have specialised in the production of fine joiners hand tools. Some of their methods may have changed, many have not, but their comm..
£19.50
Ex Tax:£16.25
A 6 inch spirit level made of rosewood, with upper brass plates, and lower brass tipped ends. From Joseph Marples Ltd of Sheffield, who have over 150 years experience of producing the finest joiners, and cabinet makers tools. Whilst time might have changed (only) some of their methods their commitme..
£31.00
Ex Tax:£25.83
A 7½″ thumbscrew sliding bevel of sustainably forested rosewood, blue tempered steel, and brass. For the measuring, marking, and transfer of uncertain angles. Made in Sheffield by the company of Joseph Marples Ltd, who since 1840 have been producing joinery tools of the highest quality both of mater..
£22.50
Ex Tax:£18.75
We’re celebrating the launch of our online update with a 10% discount during the month of September!
Use the code OoU-Renew at checkout