Lee Valley Tools to acquire the Hock Tool brand

 

Ron Hock, founder of Hock Tools at ‘Woodworking in America’, September 2016. Photo: Linda Nathan

‘It’s about time for me to re-read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance*.’ These are the words legendary toolmaker Ron Hock used to introduce his most recent newsletter. Referencing a life philosophy, Ron went on to signal ‘a new chapter’ in his life, and for securing the legacy of his 40-year-old brand. ‘If this sounds like a swan song, it is: Lee Valley Tools is acquiring Hock Tools’, he said.

Later life can be a time for reflection and for taking stock. When you have a significant legacy, it’s a bonus to know that it will be passed on and respected. The acquisition of Hock Tools by Lee Valley Tools, Canada reflects the friendship that has existed between Ron Hock and Lee Valley President Robin Lee, along with Ron's respect for the Veritas brand and Lee Valley’s like-minded commitment to quality. The transition is expected to be complete by March 2023.

Ron Hock is also well known for his book The Perfect Edge and for his support for The Krenov Foundation.

Read about Ron Hock’s early days as a knifemaker, and how meeting James Krenov was a turning point in his life.

* Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,1974, William Morrow and Company