Something for the tool lovers

[john brenton]

I answered an online ad for antique tools and basically got an inheritance without the bereavement. The guy who sold it to me must have felt absolutely zero connection to his grandfather. It's sad, but I'm sure if there is a heaven and his grandpa is looking down he'd be happier to see the tools oiled, sharpened and used in the hands of a stranger rather than rotting away in a tool chest of his own kinfolk.

They were in pretty bad shape. I didn't know how the planes would look just under the surface of the grey dry exterior , and the rust was thick. I cleaned up the planes as much while trying to preserve the patina, but I did want to make sure that the oil would penetrate. The rust although thick was mostly superficial and I got down to the clean metal with a soak in oil and a scrape job with paste wax. I see no signs of real pitting or serious damage.

This is going to be a long one and I would really appreciate some assistance and all the input I can get. Although there were a lot more goodies, I am only posting the more interesting items. I'm not a particularly knowledgeable wood-tinkerer and some of my questions may expose me as a complete ignoramus...a title I've never been ashamed to give myself in the past. I've tried to detail as much as I can to make it interesting.

Photo 1: Set of beautiful Buck Brothers gouges
Photo 2: (bottom to top): Robert Ellis, W. Butcher, W.Butcher, Sheaf works
What are these large gouges primarily used for?

Photo 3: Does anybody know what this is for? It looks to me like something for cutting twine.

Photo 4: Very elegant (looks shop made) bow saw. Incomplete and broken but I will definitely use it as a template to make another one.

Photo 5: Planes

Details of the planes:

Photo 6: 1/2" Sandusky tool co. Rebate plane? I marvel at how quickly I would destroy that wood if i were to try and chop out a mortise on a thin piece like that. The sole is basically flat but the iron is sharply skewed. Any idea why?

Photo 7: A very plain but elegant plane. 1.5" wide marked "HL James Williamsburg Mass". I see that this plane is at least 140 years old as he stopped manufacturing in 1868. It has also has a flat sole but a skewed angle much like a dovetail plane. Would this be considered a "skew plane"?

to be continued....

[john brenton]

Photo 8: small woody with no wedge, flat sole, two piece construction

Photo 9: Sandusky tool co. jack plane...didn't come with the iron

Photo 10: 8, 12, 14 hollowing planes by "William Ward 512 Ave. NY"

Photo 11: Brace by Stanley, bits by Bleckman

Photo 12: Is this a counter sink?

Photo 13: Small forstner (thanks Eric)

Photo 14: Cool little chisels and what look like little scooping tools that I don't know what they would be used for. Love that boxwood handle.


That's about it. Everything else is pretty run of the mill stuff ie. more bits, plane irons, another shop made gutter plane etc. All the help I could get or any comments would be appreciated. I didn't include what I paid because it's not really about the gloat (although it's one hell of a gloat!), I just want to know what I have.

Thanks!!

[Eric Brown]

Photo #13 is a Forstner bit. To use it. press it into the wood where you want a hole leaving a small circle. Then turn it using light pressure. If sharp it should bore a very smooth, fairly flat bottomed hole.

Looks to be a smaller size with maybe only one internal cutter.
Many of the earliest ones are marked on the square shank with BF and one or two patent dates. They were made by others.

Rest of your group looks nice. Well done.

Eric

[Harlan Barnhart]

What are these large gouges primarily used for?



They are entirely useless. I suggest you toss them in a box. I'll send you a money order for the postage to NY.

Nice Haul by the way.

[George Sanders]

That's a pretty nice haul. I agree that the guy's grandfather would like to see his tools in the hands of someone who would appreciate them.

[Tony Zaffuto]

To many people, tools are no more than tools to be used to make your living with. My Father (deceased now for 6 years) was a life long carpenter, home builder who viewed his tools like that. He would not think twice about modifying any tool he had to do a specific job.

He never really retired and worked right up to age 81 when he passed away. I still have not cleaned out his shop or barn, except for a 60-1/2, a #5 and a few saws. I'll get to the rest one of these days.

My point, my brother does not have sentimental attachment to the tools, although I do. I work wood and my brother does not. He could very easily sell off any of the stuff he calls junk and I call treasure.

[David Keller NC]

John - The small "scooping tools" are front-bent spoon gouges used for carving. The two highly-skewed rabbet planes are just that - rabbet planes. Many of the individual makers and bigger firms offered both non-skewed and skewed versions. Most craftsmen picked the skewed ones, as that configuration helps prevent tear-out of the wood grain when it's cutting, and also throws the shaving to the left of the plane.

The larger gouges are so-called "cabinet makers gouges", but they could be used for almost anything - pattern-making for foundry castings, for example, or cope-and-stick joints in large timber frame pieces. The handles are wrong for the Butcher gouges, but those are quite early and somewhat rare. Originally, they likely had tapered octagonal 18th century style handles.

[Jim Koepke]

For the tool in photo #3, does that have a blade?

It looks similar to a tool I have seen used for harvesting grapes. It could also be a twine cutter.

Nice bunch of tools.

jim