Chisel Plane Epiphany

[Jim Koepke]

After a few attempts trying old broken planes as chisel planes with dismal results, the chisel plane idea wasn't given much thought.

While working on a shelf unit in the shop yesterday, some of my dados needed to be opened a bit. To get all the way to the end of the stopped dados, the noses had to be removed from the #98 & 99. While hunched down over my work, it came to me that these were being used as a type of chisel plane. Then it occurred to me that any plane with a removable mouth could have some of the aspects of a chisel plane without the ability to get into the tight places.

Maybe the chisel plane was born of a craftsman dropping a block plane and after it was broken in half, they tried using it without the toe.

jtk

[Bill Houghton]

Stanley's chisel plane dates from 1905 - I'm not sure if it was preceded by other, wood- or metal-based chisel planes or not. It would be interesting to know the history.

I've myself made a chisel plane from a broken block plane, but found I wasn't using it enough to justify keeping it in the kit (I still have it in deep storage). I tried it out for planing off long-grain plugs, but have found that a regular block plane does a better job.

[James Taglienti]

i read in a book somewhere that the chisel plane preceded planes with a toe and mouth... it was kind of a modified adze. that was some time BC though so i doubt it was being used for gluelines and cabinet corners!

[john brenton]

I've seen old wooden rabbet chisel planes, but couldn't tell whether they were made that way or modified. I've been thinking about modifying my Sandusky 1/2" rabbet. The only problem is that it's a skew plane...I need to look and see if it'd be worth it. My mind is foggy and weak.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

i read in a book somewhere that the chisel plane preceded planes with a toe and mouth... it was kind of a modified adze. that was some time BC though so i doubt it was being used for gluelines and cabinet corners!

There was a diagram of this on page 14 of Garrett Hack's "The Handplane Book"; he mentions it being a theory proposed by historian J.M. Greber; There's a drawing of an egyptian adze, followed by a wedged adze that functions in the push mode, and then a roman plane. If you go to books.google.com; that page was available in the preview.

[James Taglienti]

that was surely where i read it, i can see the drawings in my head now! thanks

[TODD RAYMER]

Thats feaky I just got that book from amozon today.